Ansoff Matrix
Origin: Igor Ansoff (1957)
Biological Parallel
Ansoff's growth strategies mirror evolutionary paths. Market penetration: wolves expanding pack size within existing territory, ants intensifying foraging trails. Product development: Lake Victoria cichlids evolving 500+ species from one ancestor by adapting to different food sources in the same lake. Market development: brown rats colonizing every continent from Asian origins, cane toads spreading across Australia from their Queensland introduction point. Diversification: mammals radiating into whales, bats, and primates after the dinosaur extinction. Each jump from familiar territory increases risk—geographic expansion (cane toads) often succeeds where complete transformation (dinosaurs to birds) requires catastrophic opportunity.