Zoology
Cephalopod
A class of mollusks including octopuses, squids, cuttlefish, and nautiluses, characterized by bilateral symmetry, a prominent head, and a set of arms or tentacles.
Biological Context
Cephalopods have the most complex nervous systems among invertebrates. Octopuses demonstrate problem-solving, tool use, and individual personalities. Their distributed nervous system—with neurons in each arm—represents a different model of intelligence than vertebrate centralized brains.
Business Application
Cephalopod organizations have distributed intelligence rather than centralized control. Each 'arm' (division) has significant autonomy and local processing power. This enables rapid response to local conditions but requires coordination mechanisms different from hierarchical structures.