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RC TOM Challenge 2018

November 13, 2018

Read The Full Prompt

The TOM Challenge provides an opportunity for you to continue exploring organizational learning and innovation through the lens of process improvement and/or product development, the focus of RC TOM’s second module. In this challenge, you will investigate how an organization is grappling with machine learning, additive manufacturing, or open innovation. These megatrends are likely to significantly affect how organizations manage process improvement and product development in the coming years of your career. The TOM Challenge requires you to (1) conduct research and write an essay that examines how one organization is facing a particular aspect of one of these megatrends, and (2) write six comments that share your reflections on some of your section mates’ essays.

Your essay should address four questions in the context of the organization you choose:

  1. Why do you think the megatrend you selected is important to your organization’s management of process improvement and/or product development?
  2. What is the organization’s management doing to address this issue in the short term (the next two years) and the medium term (two to ten years out)?
  3. What other steps do you recommend the organization’s management take to address this issue in the short and medium terms?
  4. In the context of this organization, what are one or two important open questions related to this issue that you are unsure about that merit comments from your classmates?

Your essay should convey facts, analysis, and your recommendations. It should focus on a single organization (e.g., a single company, non-profit organization, or government agency) and a concern related to one megatrend. It is fine if the concern you choose relates to other megatrends that the organization is facing, but that’s not required. Roughly a third of your essay should be dedicated to each of the first three questions, with just a few sentences dedicated to the fourth question. Your essay should be at least 700 words but no more than 800 words, and must conclude with a word count in parentheses (such as 778 words).

When posting your essay to Open Knowledge, be sure to enter “Machine Learning”, “Additive Manufacturing”, or “Isolationism” in the Topics field.

More details on research, sourcing, deadlines, and other matters are provided in the RC TOM Challenge: 2018 note.  For assistance with the Open Knowledge platform during business hours (9:00 am – 5:00 pm M-F), email openknowledge@hbs.edu. A short video with instructions on how to post an essay to this platform is available at https://d3.harvard.edu/platform-rctom/how-to/.

Submitted (926)

Enabling patients to get innovative treatments faster through machine learning at GSK
Maxime
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 4:36 pm
This article explains how GSK is using machine learning to increase R&D productivity and accelerating drug development timelines.
The Future of Venture Capital: Humans vs. Machines
AEG91
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 1:09 pm
As venture capital firms look to gain a competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded space, GV has turned to a computer algorithm, named "The Machine", to guide investment decision making.
Machine Learning & Early Cancer Detection: Do We Know Enough to Ask the Right Questions?
Lindsey Macleod
Last modified on November 8, 2018 at 7:11 pm
What if you could test for cancer before a tumor even develops?
Partners HealthCare: Machine Learning to Improve the Patient-Doctor Experience
DoctorWatson
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 7:27 pm
Many U.S. physicians feel that health care digitization has created serious headaches with limited benefits for patients. Will machine learning soon change their minds? Partners HealthCare, a health care system that oversees two world-class Boston hospitals, certainly thinks so.
The Bouygues Group: will additive manufacturing disrupt the construction industry?
Justin O
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 4:06 pm
The Bouygues Group recently partnered with Nantes University to create one of the first 3D printed homes. How will additive manufacturing affect the construction industry going forward, should incumbents be worried, and what can they do to defend against these [...]
Desktop Metal Aims to Increase Accessibility of Metal-Making Capabilities [1]
Arthur Dief
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 10:08 pm
Affordable metal 3D printing could democratize manufacturing once and for all
Alexa, Let’s Go Shopping – Voice Shopping on Amazon.com
CL
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 9:55 pm
The Amazon Echo is everywhere, but are people using it to shop?
Streaming as an engine for innovation, content creation and improved monetization in the gaming industry.
TomChallenger2018
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 10:59 pm
Far from being a niche form of entertainment, the popularity and reach of streaming has grown rapidly over the past decade. Effectively tapping into this platform will enable gaming publishers (such as Activision Blizzard) to drive further engagement with their [...]
Sorting and securing at scale: machine learning at Dropbox
Kariba Voy
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 1:23 pm
How Dropbox leverages machine learning in its quest to help users maintain focus.
Can AI Help Tyson Foods Lead The Protein Revolution?
Sam
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 1:44 pm
Artificial intelligence is forcing car manufacturers to change. Will the same thing happen to Tyson Foods?
Machine Learning at Airbnb
Ashima_Singh
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 3:22 pm
Airbnb is a two-sided rental marketplace, where market dynamics play a key role in matching guests with hosts1. For Airbnb, supply and demand vary drastically across different geographies, different customer preferences and different check-in dates.2 Hence, optimizing matches between hosts [...]
Is There Value in Predicting When and How An Equipment Will Fail? Royal Dutch Shell Thinks So!
Z_A
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 7:12 pm
See how Royal Dutch Shell plans to use predictive maintenance to improve profitability.
Improving Public Safety with Machine Learning
Olivia Davis
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 8:05 pm
Machine learning usage to increase public safety by increasing the response of the NYPD to gunfire by solving the main restrictions the government operated
SUALAB: Deep Learning For Flexible Operation In Traditional Manufacturing
Haerin Lee
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 11:52 pm
Shifts in the consumer demand are pushing the traditional manufacturers to be more efficient than any other times before. SUALAB is using machine learning on vision inspection to help those manufacturers fulfill the new demand and maintaining control over costs.
Beauty Brand with Droves of Data: How Glossier Employs Machine Learning
Jade Enns
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 7:17 pm
Glossier engages its customers on numerous platforms, each providing this beauty brand with a wealth of data. Glossier is feeding this data into machine learning algorithms to better direct the customer down a purchasing path and to automate the crowdsourcing [...]
BlackRock: Bringing Together Man and Machine
MVA
Last modified on November 12, 2018 at 11:27 pm
BlackRock's approach to machine learning to enhance its fund's investment process. How this megatrend is impacting various aspects of the organization and industry.
An Ounce of AI-powered Prevention, A Pound of Cure: Cigna’s Use of Artificial Intelligence to Save Lives (and Costs)
iBot
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 7:58 pm
Artificial intelligence is changing the way Cigna and other health insurers engage with users, enabling improved health outcomes and lower costs.
Highway to the danger zone? Machine learning at DHL
Logan Thrun
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 10:26 pm
Machine learning represents both a key opportunity and a critical threat to the shipping industry. How will the current players react?
Open Innovation for League of Legends
Garen
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 7:11 pm
Hundreds of millions of people play and watch League of Legends. Will the game will be sustainably popular (like basketball) or will it follow the path of other electronic games in the past and give away to newer concepts? In [...]
Machine Learning in Caterpillar
Jeff C
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 7:41 pm
Caterpillar is a leading industrial equipment manufacturer. In the new age of machine learning and artificial intelligence, how can they grasp the rise of new technology to grow their business and maintain their edge?
Under Pressure: How machine learning can help tackle leakage in European water distribution
Colm Farrell
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 7:18 pm
What if I told you 3 billion liters of water is leaked into the ground every day in the UK? Exploring how United Utilities is innovating on this issue.
Sotheby’s and machine learning for the arts
digitalgangsta
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 2:47 pm
Can machines appraise art? How about creating it?
Walking on the Sidewalk: Building the future of cities in Toronto
PPTjuice
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 5:16 pm
Sidewalk Labs, by applying technology like machine learning coupled with innovative urban design, is building the future of cities in downtown Toronto
Machine Learning at American Water
flamingunicorn
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 12:24 am
The largest American water utility American Water (NYSE:AWK) is uniquely positioned to be at the forefront of technological change within the water utilities industry. Machine learning could bring massive operational efficiency improvements to the company, but will require strong commitment [...]
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