Population Dynamics
Logistic Growth
Population growth that starts exponentially but slows as it approaches the environment's carrying capacity, producing an S-shaped curve. Growth rate decreases as resources become limiting.
Biological Context
Logistic growth more realistically describes populations in nature than exponential growth. As populations grow, competition for resources intensifies, reducing birth rates and increasing death rates. The population stabilizes near carrying capacity, fluctuating around this equilibrium.
Business Application
Most business growth follows logistic curves: rapid early expansion that slows as markets mature and competition intensifies. Understanding this pattern prevents over-investment at the wrong stage.