The Catalyst Perspectives Group
All organisms use a source of energy for their metabolic activities. Organisms that take in energy through sunlight and use photosynthesis to convert it into chemical energy are called Producers. The energy converted by producers becomes food for other organisms in the form of glucose and carbohydrates. Organisms that obtain their energy by eating producers or other organisms are Consumers. Cellular respiration effectively reverses this process as a glucose molecule is gradually broken down into carbon dioxide, water and ATP, an energy-rich carrier molecule. ATP is the form of energy directly used by all organisms to power their metabolic activities.
In an analogous manner, every organization needs "energy" to power their activities and operations. For organizations, this energy is provided by money. The processes used for securing and converting money into the "energy" used by organizations are obviously different from photosynthesis, cellular respiration and metabolic activities. However, money shapes form and function through organizational evolution just as acquiring and using energy has shaped organisms through biological evolution.
The essays in this section will consider:
A: D.O.W.N.T.I.M.E.
Q: What is the clever mnemonic used to remember the 8-types of lean waste?
Living things have evolved in form and function to balance the activities and growth that they do with the amount of energy that they are able to transform for their use.
However, this "break even" approach is typically not found in most organizations. When given an opportunity to accumulate more than their needs, organizations willingly, and appropriately, enjoy the profits of their labors. Towards the other end of this resource-management continuum are organizations that routinely squander their resources and ultimately find themself in a struggle to survive.
Does your organization know how it is performing and if it is wasting vital resources that would otherwise enable it to grow and prosper?
Is the topic for this essay one that you are interested in? If yes, please let me know and I'll push it up the "to do" list and finish the essay for posting.
Of course, to make this a discussion, the reader (aka you) will need to offer your perspective. I'll add your comments directly to this section of the essay (or correct or edit other parts as needed). I'll take the liberty to edit lightly if appropriate and will include your contact information to encourage continued discussion.
A: Glucose, starch, carbohydrates, glycogen, fats, triglycerides, cholesterol, ATP
Q: What are different forms of energy that are used to fuel cellular respiration?
The energy present in living organisms exists in different forms and is transformed to be used in living things in a variety of ways.
Just as energy is essential for sustaining a living thing, money and other mediums of exchange used by organizations are essential for supporting operations and can reflect the value of the products and services an organization is capable of delivering to its customers.
How well is your organization managing and capitalizing on its assets and financial resources?
Is the topic for this essay one that you are interested in? If yes, please let me know and I'll push it up the "to do" list and finish the essay for posting.
Of course, to make this a discussion, the reader (aka you) will need to offer your perspective. I'll add your comments directly to this section of the essay (or correct or edit other parts as needed). I'll take the liberty to edit lightly if appropriate and will include your contact information to encourage continued discussion.
A: Mitochondria and Chloroplasts.
Q: What are two primal endosymbionts that utterly transformed evolutionary phylogeny and the resulting diversity of living things?
The endosymbiosis theory posits that mitochondria and chloroplasts actually began as a free-living organism that were consumed by another cell. Over evolutionary time these two organelles were incorporated into cells and became fundamental to how cells transform energy for living things. The mitochondrion is the site of ATP synthesis for the cell. Chloroplasts absorb sunlight and use it to produce food (aka sugars) for the plant.
The monetary "energy" used by an organization is potentially available in many different forms and can be used in different ways.
Does your organization transform and manage the value of its resources effectively and sustainably?
Is the topic for this essay one that you are interested in? If yes, please let me know and I'll push it up the "to do" list and finish the essay for posting.
Of course, to make this a discussion, the reader (aka you) will need to offer your perspective. I'll add your comments directly to this section of the essay (or correct or edit other parts as needed). I'll take the liberty to edit lightly if appropriate and will include your contact information to encourage continued discussion.