Product Lifecycle

Biological Parallel

Bacterial colonies follow predictable growth phases: lag (introduction—adapting to environment), exponential (growth—rapid replication), stationary (maturity—resource constraints limit expansion), and death (decline—waste accumulation and nutrient depletion). Product lifecycle curves mirror microbial population dynamics: initial establishment costs, exponential adoption when conditions favor growth, plateau as market saturates, decline as better alternatives emerge. Same S-curve, different timescales.