Biology

Taxonomy

The science of classifying and naming organisms based on shared characteristics. Taxonomy organizes life into hierarchical categories: domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species.

Used in the Books

This term appears in 2 chapters:

Biological Context

Linnaeus established modern taxonomy in the 1700s. Traditional taxonomy used physical traits; modern taxonomy incorporates genetic data. Good taxonomy reflects evolutionary relationships.

Business Application

Business taxonomy: classifying customers, products, markets, or competitors into meaningful categories. Good taxonomies reveal structure and enable strategy.

Related Terms

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