Yield Management

Biological Parallel

Animals preparing for hibernation or migration practice sophisticated yield management—optimizing resource acquisition over time with a fixed deadline. Bears fatten before winter through hyperphagia, but they don't eat constantly: they adjust foraging intensity based on fat accumulation rate and time remaining before denning. Early in fall, they can be selective (high-calorie salmon only); as winter approaches, they reduce selectivity to maximize intake. This is biological revenue management: adjusting "pricing" (effort tolerance) over time to fill capacity (fat stores) before the deadline.