产品生命周期的四个阶段（历史版本）

The Four Stages model provides a conceptual 路线图 for a product’s journey. In the Introduction stage, the company focuses on building awareness and encouraging trial. Costs are high due to R&D, marketing, and low production volumes, often leading to losses. The primary goal is to establish a market foothold. The Growth stage is characterized by a steep increase in sales as the product gains acceptance. Competitors may enter the market, and the focus shifts to building brand preference and increasing market share. Profits typically peak during this phase. The Maturity stage is the longest phase for most successful products. Sales volume peaks and market saturation is reached. Competition is intense, leading to price pressures and a decline in profit margins. Marketing efforts focus on differentiation and maintaining market share. Finally, the Decline stage sees a long-run drop in sales and profitability. This can be due to technological obsolescence, shifts in consumer tastes, or increased competition. Companies must decide whether to harvest the product, divest, or find a new niche.

Historically, the idea of products having a life cycle analogous to living organisms has been around for some time, but it was Theodore Levitt’s 1965 article in the Harvard Business Review, “Exploit the Product Life Cycle,” that crystallized the concept for the business world. He argued that managers who understand this cycle can better anticipate and respond to future challenges and opportunities, rather than being reactive. The model’s novelty lay in its simplicity and prescriptive power, offering a structured way to think about the dynamic nature of markets and competition over time. It shifted strategic thinking from a static view of a product to a dynamic one, emphasizing that marketing strategies must evolve as the product ages.