Random Walk
Ants don't jump to distant locations - they thoroughly search nearby before wandering farther. This random walk pattern is optimal when resources cluster predictably, which is why Luckin Coffee saturated coastal Chinese cities before expanding inland, reaching 18,000 stores by early 2024.
Random walk or Brownian motion is a search pattern involving movement in random directions with short steps, thoroughly searching local areas before moving far. This pattern is optimal when resources are clustered and predictable. Ants searching near their nest use random walks because food is likely nearby. The pattern contrasts with Lévy flights, which are better for sparse, unpredictable resources.
Business Application of Random Walk
Random walk strategies work for businesses with geographically or demographically clustered customers - local advertising, referral networks, community events, city-by-city geographic expansion.