Title: Moving towards biomimicry: a framework to blend the nature and probability distributions

Authors: Sidhartha S. Padhi

Addresses: Chair of Logistics Management, Department of Management, Technology and Economics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Scheuchzerstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland

Abstract: This paper, inspired by the researchers working on biomimicry, compares the various forms of naturally grown trees with the shape of probability distributions. It compares the coefficient of variation of ten continuous probability distributions which resemble the naturally grown tree forms and concludes that the normal distribution truncated by nature's cap on maximum to minimum ratio being 2:1 has the smallest coefficient of variation. It signifies minimum noise to signal or risk to gain ratio in real life situations. A number of conjectures/propositions are made and some very insightful observations are made for more effective management of social/organisational problems. It asserts the axiomatic proposition that a normal distribution is a natural distribution and any deviation from it will cause disturbances and create larger noise to signal ratio.

Keywords: biomimicry; nature; trees; probability distribution; coefficient of variations; normal distribution; natural distribution; signal to noise ratio; S/N.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2014.058866

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2014 Vol.15 No.1, pp.28 - 40

Published online: 21 Jun 2014 *

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