Red Queen Hypothesis
Formal Statement
"Species must constantly evolve just to maintain their relative fitness, because competing species are also evolving"
Mathematical Form
In mathematical models, extinction probability remains constant over time despite ongoing evolution - the 'treadmill' effect Description
Named after the Red Queen in Alice Through the Looking-Glass who says 'it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place.' In evolutionary terms, organisms must continuously adapt not to gain advantage but simply to survive as their environment (including competitors and predators) evolves.
Biological Implication
This explains why evolution never 'finishes' - there's no final adapted state because the target keeps moving. It drives the continuous arms races between predators and prey, parasites and hosts, and competing species. Standing still means falling behind.
Business Implication
Companies cannot achieve a stable competitive position - the market and competitors are constantly evolving. What constitutes competitive advantage today may be table stakes tomorrow. Success requires continuous adaptation, not reaching a defensible position and stopping. This explains why industry leaders regularly fall: they stop running while competitors keep evolving.