Mix mechanical engineering and biology for managing your corporate

The knowledge of nature is abysmal and limitless. The wisdom with which nature had created the species diversity will definitely beat all the scholarly power man has earned so far or the great adventures/inventions ever man had achieved.

The technology of mechanical engineering employed by the nature in creating certain species like mammals and birds would tell us how and what the corporate should constantly learn from nature.

Man has invented the automobile engine. With the help of the engine, he also learned to make many vehicles like car, lorry, jeep etc. The basic principle employed in all these vehicles are very simple wherein the engine creates energy/pressure and provides directly to the wheels and makes them to move.

Most of the automobile vehicles are designed as 2WD (2 Wheel Drive) or 4WD (4 Wheel Drive). Depending upon the load the vehicle have to carry and the terrain on which the vehicle is likely to be used, the engine has been designed accordingly.

In 2WD vehicle, the engine exerts pressure only on two of the 4 wheels. Normally, the back wheels receive the torque and push the front wheels. In the case of 4WD vehicle, the engine provides equal energy to all the four wheels hence the wheels can take the vehicle even of a sloppy or semi-vertical regions. This is all about man made marvel.

The principle employed by nature in creating land animals and birds is very unique and exhilarating. The forelimbs have become wings in birds. Birds need to run a bit to give power to the wings during takeoff and landing. The principle of flight adaptation is as same as 2WD at any point in time. Initially, the pressure will be on the hind limbs that help the bird to takeoff and subsequently the pressure shifts to the wings and the legs cease from the pressure zone.

In the case of birds perching on the branch of a tree, the pressure during take of will be more on wings than legs as the wings can balance and gain strength in air. In most of the land animals, the principle of locomotion is more similar to 2WD.

The pressure during movement can be on the forelimbs or on hind limbs or can be on both limbs. During climbing, the forelimbs receives the energy whereas while running, the hind limbs does the same in most animals like 2WD vehicles that receives energy from the engine either on the front wheels or on back wheels. In the case of hoofed animals (buffaloes, Zebra) and in carnivores like dogs and cats, the pressure/energy service will be both on forelimbs and hind limbs simultaneously but in a diagonal way which is more or less similar to 4WD situation.

The message to be drawn is that 2WD system operates more in animals that live on tree tops, or have wings to fly. On the contrary, the 4WD system exists more in predators and in prey species. The giraffe being a very tall animal, the movement is more like ½ 4WD, wherein the both forelimbs and hind limbs in one side move first and is followed by the limbs on other side. How beautifully, nature has designed its mechanical engineering wonder in different animals to meet the different challenges.

Parachute principle is more relevant in the case of bats where it will work only in the air. If bats were placed on a floor, the animal may find it difficult to fly as the torque pressure is so weak on all the limbs and hence it would never help the bats to takeoff. When the animal in is in air, the wings help in balancing and moving and that is why bats exhibits acrobatic phenomena and hang always head upside down.

What the corporate has to learn from the engineering marvel of nature. While dealing with different people and different projects, like nature or like an automobile vehicle designing, they need to approach either in a 2WD or 4WD mode. The project is of great importance, the corporate must see to it that all the people involved in the execution are constantly motivated and questioned from the central axis about the progress like how a vehicle designed for hilly region will have energy support to all the four wheels.

The 2WD style can be employed on projects wherein the motivation can be exerted either on the leader of the team or on other stake holders of the project.

Similarly, when dealing with CEO's and other senior employees, the 2WD pressure would be wise whereas the managers needs to be conducted with 4WD technology. It means that all the senior people may have to interact with managers to know about the progress at different occasions. Motivation/'pressure' from multiple sources would naturally ensure best performance.