Countercurrent Heat Exchange
Amazon's architecture between AWS (profitable core) and Retail (unprofitable periphery) demonstrates business countercurrent exchange.
Countercurrent heat exchange occurs when arteries carrying warm blood run parallel to veins carrying cold blood, allowing heat to transfer between them before reaching extremities. Emperor penguins standing on Antarctic ice at -40°F use this mechanism - arteries carrying 95°F blood transfer heat to adjacent veins carrying 35°F blood. Feet receive 35°F blood (just above freezing), core receives 85°F blood (pre-warmed). Heat loss reduced from 100 watts to 10 watts, extending survival from 6 days to 64 days.
Business Application of Countercurrent Heat Exchange
Amazon's architecture between AWS (profitable core) and Retail (unprofitable periphery) demonstrates business countercurrent exchange. AWS profits warm Retail operations, but Retail losses don't cool AWS. The architecture prevents peripheral cooling from affecting core temperature.