>[!abstract] >The Red Queen hypothesis is a hypothesis in evolutionary biology proposed in 1973, that species must constantly adapt, evolve, and proliferate in order to survive while pitted against ever-evolving opposing species. The hypothesis was intended to explain the constant (age-independent) extinction probability as observed in the paleontological record caused by co-evolution between competing species (Wikipedia, 2026). >[!note] >This has obvious applicability to businesses that must keep evolving (i.e., increasing productivity, reinventing themselves, pursuing new markets, etc.) just to maintain their relative market share against competitors who also keep evolving. >[!quote] >Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place ([[Carroll (1871)|Carroll, 1871]]). >[!related] >- **North** (upstream): — >- **West** (similar): — >- **East** (different): — >- **South** (downstream): —