About Adolescence:

During Adolescence the company is reborn. This second birth is an emotional time where the company finds a life apart from that provided by its Founder(s). This critical transition is much like the rebirth a teenager goes through to establish independence from their parents. An early stage Adolescent company teeters on the brink of success and disaster.

About Prime:

Prime is the optimal position on the Lifecycle, where the organization finally achieves a balance between control and flexibility. Prime is actually not a single point on the Lifecycle curve. Instead, it is best represented by a segment of the curve that includes both growing and aging conditions. Sometimes the Prime organization is more flexible than controllable, and sometimes it is not flexible enough.

About The Fall:

The Fall is positioned at the top of the Lifecycle curve, but it is not the place to be. Companies in the Fall stage have started to lose their vitality and are aging. When an organization first begins to age, the symptoms won't show up on its financial reports. In fact, the opposite is true. Fall companies are often cash rich and have strong financial statements.