The first obvious similarity between organizations and trees is that they are both a larger whole made up of many smaller, contributing parts. Each leaf contributes to the overall function of the tree as a whole, just as each worker in an organization does his part. Like organizations, trees both contribute to the environment in which they are situated, yet at the same time, depend on their environment for survival. Trees exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen, providing a vital service to their environment. Organizations als

He then uses this theory to show how modern organizations are very diverse, both from within and without, meaning there are many different types of organizations, and at the same time, organizations vary within themselves. Trees evince this characteristic as well, as species will vary depending on their environment, and at the same time, each individual tree can show astonishing variety; a tree may grow all its branches on a given side to capture the maximal amount of sunlight, or put roots down in a certain area due to rocky soil.

Trees also adapt to their environment, both on a day to day basis, and over extended periods of time. During a downpour, trees absorb as much water as possible to offset possible dry weather. Over time, a tree may bend in the same direction as a prevailing wind in order to lessen strain upon its structure. Organizations evince this adaptive attribute as well for they must fluctuate on a day to day basis as well as progressively changing over time. The next similarity stems directly from the previous attribute; different trees are indigent to different climes, just as organizations vary depending on the locale. While certain pine trees thrive in the cold, dry, high altitude climate, palm trees necessitate the hot, moist tropical climate to which they are suited. In the same way, certain organizations do well in a hectic metropolis, and others are more suited to a gentle, rural environment.

Within a tree, information sharing is done freely and is in fact essential to the well-being of the tree. A tree must know if a section is damaged or diseased as well as if the prevalent sunlight has shifted to a given side of the tree, for reasons stated in the prior paragraph. In the same way, many organizations are very open, encouraging immediate communication in the event of a negative or positive situation. If a worker perceives a danger to the work environment, or formulates an idea for improvement, this is communicated openly, since it benefits the company as a whole.

Another parallel exists between the tree and those organizations that continue operations at night, but only in a limited fashion. After a full day of production of oxygen from the intake of sunlight, carbon dioxide, and natural resources, the tree has a different, less active set of functions during the night. It redistributes water from the roots up, and shuttles nutrients throughout the tree. In the same way, an organization may partially shut down during the night, but in many cases there is important work done by a different staff than the regular workers. Both cleaning, maintenance, and security jobs take precedence at night, paving the way for the laborers return in

Some topics in this essay:
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