By Nathan Hartman (nathan@hartmanprivatelaw.com)
1. The octopus has the ability to change the color and texture of its skin, and uses this ability to attract mates and increase the survivability of its young.
One of the primary defenses developed by the octopus is the ability to camouflage or hide itself by changing the color and texture of its skin. An octopus can change the tone of its skin to varying shades of yellow, orange, brown, and black to blend in with its surroundings and avoid the notice of potential predators. The octopus also uses its color-changing ability to attract mates, and the more colors an octopus can display the more likely it is to attract a mate. This then ensures that young octopi will have maximum color-changing potential, thus increasing the likelihood that they will survive into adulthood.
2. The octopus also has the ability to autotomise: it can spontaneously sever its limbs when threatened.
When threatened, and octopus can also purposefully detach its limbs to distract predators, an ability known as autotomy. The detached limbs can still move and react to touch, drawing the attention away from the fleeing octopus.
3. IBM utilizes the strategies of the octopus in the business world: it remains highly adaptable to the current economic environment and is willing to cut off portions of its business when appropriate.
IBM is one of the world’s most recognizable companies and the second largest in the United States in terms of number of employees. The company has remained flexible, developed 7 service arms, and been involved in many different enterprises, including computer development, space exploration, early forms of artificial intelligence, and weapons manufacturing. Just as the octopus changes its skin tone to increase its survivability, so too does IBM change the face of its company to remain current and innovative in the business world. More so, IBM has shown a willingness to cut parts of its business when threatened, even when those parts were strongly associated with the company. In 2005, IBM sold its personal computer business to Lenovo, ending more than 30 years of involvement in the personal computer market.
Photograph of an Octopus (Source: Wikipedia)
