life cycle

The life cycle of an entity is a universal characteristic of >evolution. This is because in the >VSR-mechanism there is an inherent necessity that disadvantagous properties are shifted forth into later stages of development of an entity, after which there was already an reproduction of the knowledge embodied therein: Hence, any such mechanism is functionally adaptive. This general argument follows the biological explanation of aging.

Other reasons for life-cycle phenomena are based on >frequency-dependent phenomena, as in diffusion processes, which slow down when a saturation point is approximated, as in the logistic curve. These are life-cycles on the population level, whereas aging is on the individual level.

In EE, life cycle phenomena are especially focused on in the analysis of >technology, >organizations and individual behavior. Complex temporal patterns can emerge when different life cycles interact, like the aging of an organization and the saturation of a >market.

Basic References

Life cycle phenomena have reveived considerable attention in evolutionary theories of organizations, see:
Howard Aldrich, Organizations Evolving, London: Sage, 1999.

Semantic Field
evolution
population   VSR-mechanism
life cycle   frequency dependency