The TOM Challenge: TOM Winners and Losers Assignment

December 09, 2015

Read The Full Prompt

The basic thesis of the TOM course is that company performance is driven by the alignment between the company’s business model and operating model. As defined in the “Introduction to the RC TOM Course” note, a business model is defined as how the firm creates and captures value, and an operating model refers to the processes that transform a firm’s assets (e.g., capital, labor, intellectual property, equipment, etc.) into valuable actions.

Please identify one organization in the global economy that you think is highly effective (or one that is highly ineffective) at driving alignment between its operating and business models

  1. Did you choose the company as an example of effectiveness or ineffectiveness? Why?
  2. Describe the company’s business and operating models. What is interesting about them?
  3. Do the models align and support each other?  How?  What specific features of the operating model are designed to create and sustain competitive advantage?  What features of the business model leverage unique capabilities of its operating model?  What are the implications for performance?

Submitted (929)

Trader Joe’s: Groceries for the “Overeducated and Underpaid”
M
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 7:56 pm
How a Caribbean-themed wine shop turned into an high-performing grocery business.
Domino’s India – 30 min or free..creating the market
Apurv Bansal
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 8:19 pm
Domino’s India is a restaurant chain and international franchisee pizza delivery corporation that offers delivery within 30 min to the customer’s doorstep. Note: Unlike the US, this delivery guarantee is still operational in India. Why the 30 min or free [...]
sweetgreen: a healthy dose of operating model alignment
Molly
Last modified on December 3, 2015 at 10:07 pm
At the innovative new salad chain sweetgreen, operating and business models align for delicious results. Kale yeah!
Patachou: A Student Union for Adults
Guy Fawkes
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 9:10 pm
A Student Union for Adults, Since 1989 “My parents were New Yorkers who believed that New York was the center of the world. I believed, as I had been taught by my parents, hat [sic] the best ingredients in the world [...]
Intuit: Journey from Waterfall to Agile
Yuvnesh
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 12:51 am
Intuit Inc. is a software company that develops financial and tax preparation software and related services for small businesses, accountants and individuals.
REI: Helping Consumers Explore the Outdoors
DWang
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 7:25 pm
REI has become the largest Outdoor Specialty Retailer, built on an old school cooperative business model.
MyEyeDr: Bringing Together Eye Care and Eyewear
JohnSmith
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 3:54 pm
How an optometry chain branded on care may be the best retailer in the category
Ocado’s ‘Sci-Fi Ballet’
NHJG
Last modified on November 30, 2015 at 6:23 pm
Ocado is often thought of as an online alternative to incumbent food retailers. But the operational sophistication, backed up by 400 programmers and a clutch of patents, reveals a business that is taking a very original approach to grocery.
How Empire Created Its Empire
bcao
Last modified on December 7, 2015 at 11:43 pm
FOX's Empire is changing what it means to be a business in entertainment
Bim – pioneer of discount retail in Turkey
Tariq Musa
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 11:08 pm
Established in 1995, BIM Birlesik Magazalar (known as “Bim”) was the pioneer of the “hard discount” retail model in Turkey.
Rent the Runway
VWalker
Posted on November 27, 2015 at 3:55 pm
Rent the Runway expands your closet, one rental at a time
Joining the Club: How Lending Club’s Improved Borrowing Experience Drives Company Performance
Christine Kang
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 7:26 pm
To what extent do operations drive the growth of a fast-growing fintech company?
Now That’s one Tough Mudder…
Cameron
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 11:29 pm
A look into the company that redefined mud-runs.
Kraft Heinz: Zero-Based-Budgeting its way into the hearts of consumers?
JC
Last modified on December 7, 2015 at 8:24 pm
Big Food is falling out of favor, but is 3G's aggressive cost slashing model the way to redeem this CPG giant?
Instacart: Changing the game for groceries
Sophia Catherine
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 9:56 pm
Instacart promises to change the way we buy and sell groceries, but what can it really offer?
“Amul – The Taste of India”
Pluto
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 10:36 pm
How an uprising against corrupt middlemen launched one of India’s longest standing and arguably most successful cooperative movements
BHP Billiton – Remotely Resourcing the Future
LeeSun
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 10:52 pm
Technology development as the key driver of continuous productivity improvement for the world’s largest miner
Azimo – The Future of Remittances
KSC
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 5:30 pm
R.I.P Checkbooks and High Bank Fees – How Azimo can transform the remittance market and unleash $15B in the developing world
H&M: Stitching Core Business & Operational Effectiveness Together
Raysita
Last modified on December 6, 2015 at 8:00 pm
H&M is winning by focusing on what they're good at and outsourcing the rest.
Walmex: Adaptability of the Walmart business model
GabyR
Last modified on December 10, 2015 at 12:24 am
Have you ever been to a “high-end Walmart” that is known for luxury and quality products? Can Walmart compete on something other than price? More so, can the Walmart business and operating model be adapted for different types of stores? [...]
One Medical Group: Curing the process of healthcare delivery
displayname
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 11:30 pm
One Medical Group leveraged user-centric design principles to build a patient management platform, office processes, and physician teams that provide immediate, affordable, personalized care for mass customers.
Etsy is Reimagining Commerce in Ways that Build a More Fulfilling and Lasting World
Andrew Lowry
Last modified on December 7, 2015 at 9:12 pm
Etsy is a global marketplace where people around the world connect, both online and offline, to make, sell and buy unique goods
“What keeps you up at night?”: The Question That Built a Company
Ask Good Questions
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 4:14 pm
How one simple question can build a sustainable business.
Etsy – An Artisanal Marketplace for Millions
Campbell
Last modified on December 5, 2015 at 5:56 pm
Etsy's website connects small-scale artisans and merchants to a consumer base of over 22.6 million active buyers and in doing so, supports the growth of creative, independent businesses all over the world.
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