Quiz Entry - updated: 2026.07.14
How does a company's innovation culture change across its life phases?
From technology competition (founding) through marketing competition (growth) to cost competition (maturity) — each phase demands a different culture and focus.
| Phase | Focus | Competition type |
|---|---|---|
| Entstehungsphase (founding) | Generating ideas, business creation, knowledge networks, market entry | Technology competition |
| Wachstumsphase (growth) | Focusing, differentiating, speed & flexibility, mastering growth, CRM/globalization, logistics/SCM | Marketing competition |
| Reifephase (maturity) | Optimizing, rationalizing, efficiency, cost & market position, generating cash — and switching in time? | Cost competition |
The dangerous question is the last one: mature companies milk their cash cows but must jump to the next technology in time — or be disrupted.
Tip: This explains why security maturity also differs by phase: startups improvise (speed beats process), growth companies firefight, mature companies formalize ISMS and certifications. Tailor your security expectations to the phase.
Go deeper:
Technology life cycle (Wikipedia) — the S-curve from research through growth to maturity and decline.