In Antiquity, Greek and Eastern philosophers believed that everything in nature can be reduced to some basic elements that are universal building blocks. Aristotle thought these elements to be Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Aether. Medieval alchemists carried out experiments to alter the composition of materials using the philosopher’s stone. This tincture could turn base metals like lead into gold, and even bring eternal life. Potent stuff!
Any business can also be reduced to a recipe of basic elements: Structure, Resource, Money, People and Idea. Structure is Earth, the home of a business, its space coordinates. Structure provides physical dimension to all the other elements and it is the place where process is served. Resource is Fire, the energy and raw ingredients. The Fire of the volcano is similar to a factory floor. A volcano starts with molten lava, the raw material from the Earth’s mantle, and concentrates value in the mineral deposits it produces. The factory floor starts with raw materials and energy and concentrates value in the finished product. Money is Water and it can create or annihilate Fire, corrupt Air, subdue Earth, and produce or suppress Aether. Money and value can be substituted for all the other elements. People represent Air which is fluid and cannot be contained. Air provides life to a company. It is the cherry on top.
Idea is Aether, the glue that binds all the other elements to make them into a whole. Aether, the Idea, the invention, the hidden potential of what could be, have a divine origin. The Idea is the word and it precedes the Universe.
The philosopher’s stone is ki, the universal digital currency of the board.
In the real world a company structure is created around an idea. Centiki creates company structures around a mission.
