--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every major industry was once a growth…" description: "\"Every major industry was once a growth industry. But some that are now riding a wave of growth enthusiasm are very much in the shadow of decline. Other..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/225/theodore-levitt-18792_cases_every-major-industry-was-once-a-growth-i_1795444.jpg" --- # Every major industry was once a growth industry. But some… ![“Every major industry was once a growth industry. But some that are now riding a wave of growth enthusiasm are very much in the shadow of decline. Others that are thought of as seasoned growth industries have actually stopped growing. In every case, the reason growth is threatened, slowed, or…” quote by Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/225/theodore-levitt-18792_cases_every-major-industry-was-once-a-growth-i_1795444.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/225/theodore-levitt-18792_cases_every-major-industry-was-once-a-growth-i_1795444.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/225/theodore-levitt-18792_cases_every-major-industry-was-once-a-growth-i_1795444.jpg) > “Every major industry was once a growth industry. But some that are now riding a wave of growth enthusiasm are very much in the shadow of decline. Others that are thought of as seasoned growth industries have actually stopped growing. In every case, the reason growth is threatened, slowed, or stopped is not because the market is saturated. It is because there has been a failure of management.” [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Growth stalls when management fails to adapt, not due to market saturation. **In simple terms:** Management failure halts growth. Key Takeaway Prioritize adaptive leadership. Themes management growth leadership market dynamics innovation Mood cautious analytical strategic Type business insightful advisory When to use this quote - Corporate turnarounds - product launches - industry analysis - leadership training Key Concepts Strategic adaptation organizational inertia resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders detect early signs of stagnation? - What structures foster continuous adaptation? A Different Perspective Even strong markets can decline without effective management. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Decline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decline/) [Enthusiasm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enthusiasm/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Growth Industries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth-industries-1163287/) [Growth Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth-industry-238536/) [Growth Threatened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth-threatened-1984465/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Industry Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry-growth-1984466/) [Majors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majors/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Market Saturated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/market-saturated-1984467/) [Marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketing/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Riding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riding/) [Saturated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saturated/) [Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadow/) [Threatened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threatened/) [Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wave/) ## Related quotes > [A market is never saturated with a good product, but it is very quickly saturated with a bad one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/a-market-is-never-saturated-with-a-good-product-but-it-is-very/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [“Candidate: Aha! Interesting. So industry growth is really being driven by a single segment that is offsetting flat and declining sales in other segments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cheng/candidate-aha-interesting-so-industry-growth-is-really-being-driven/) [Victor Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cheng/) > [“good and I’m going to find the formula that will put it over. The market is saturated. Imagine, 75 percent of the potential has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/good-and-i-m-going-to-find-the-formula-that-will-put-it-over-the/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [We targeted five industries for growth, industries where we have natural advantages in North Dakota: value-added agriculture, advanced manufacturing, technology-based businesses, energy and tourism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hoeven/we-targeted-five-industries-for-growth-industries-where-we-have/) [John Hoeven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hoeven/) > [“This sequence illustrates one crucial feature of economic growth – the succession of new products which met huge consumer demand, creating growth industries which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-a-hudson/this-sequence-illustrates-one-crucial-feature-of-economic-growth-the/) [Edward A. Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-a-hudson/) > [“The result was introduction and adoption of a sequence of new products. These new products started off small but, tapping the huge potential markets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-a-hudson/the-result-was-introduction-and-adoption-of-a-sequence-of-new/) [Edward A. Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-a-hudson/) > [“It also requires us to look at spending (or demand) industry by industry, as economic growth is characterized by continuing introduction of new products,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-a-hudson/it-also-requires-us-to-look-at-spending-or-demand-industry-by/) [Edward A. Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-a-hudson/) > [“The breakthrough into industrial growth took place in Britain. However, economic leadership gradually passed to the United States, based on a new set of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-a-hudson/the-breakthrough-into-industrial-growth-took-place-in-britain-however/) [Edward A. Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-a-hudson/) > [The greatest threat we've had to economic growth has been that those in industry don't know what is expected of them. Rules come that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/the-greatest-threat-we-ve-had-to-economic-growth-has-been-that-those/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [Cancer research is a growth industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/cancer-research-is-a-growth-industry/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [It's not that the regulator doesn't want the banking industry to grow. The growth of the industry has always been in relation to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanda-kochhar/it-s-not-that-the-regulator-doesn-t-want-the-banking-industry-to-grow/) [Chanda Kochhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanda-kochhar/) > [“The history of every dead and dying “growth” industry shows a self-deceiving cycle of bountiful expansion and undetected decay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvard-business-school-press/the-history-of-every-dead-and-dying-growth-industry-shows-a-self/) [Harvard Business School Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvard-business-school-press/) > [“growth processes operate at the market level, not the economy-wide level. This requires us to look at growth industry by industry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-a-hudson/growth-processes-operate-at-the-market-level-not-the-economy-wide/) [Edward A. Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-a-hudson/) > [I mean we will have some of the best and brightest men and women in the country. We have some of the most entrepreneurial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-faulconer/i-mean-we-will-have-some-of-the-best-and-brightest-men-and-women-in/) [Kevin Faulconer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-faulconer/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) ## More by Theodore Levitt > [Ideation is not a synonym for innovation, conformity is not its simple antonym, and innovation is not the automatic consequence of "creative thinking.".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/ideation-is-not-a-synonym-for-innovation-conformity-is-not-its-simple/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [The true purpose of a business is to create and keep a customer, not to make you money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/the-true-purpose-of-a-business-is-to-create-and-keep-a-customer-not/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [An industry begins with the customer and his or her needs, not with a patent, a raw material, or a selling skill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/an-industry-begins-with-the-customer-and-his-or-her-needs-not-with-a/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [A consistently highly creative person is generally irresponsible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/a-consistently-highly-creative-person-is-generally-irresponsible/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [A powerful force drives the world toward a converging commonality, and that force is technology. … Almost everyone everywhere wants all the things they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/a-powerful-force-drives-the-world-toward-a-converging-commonality-and/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [People don't want quarter-inch drills. They want quarter-inch holes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/people-don-t-want-quarter-inch-drills-they-want-quarter-inch-holes/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [Organizations, by their very nature are designed to promote order and routine. They are inhospitable environments for innovation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/organizations-by-their-very-nature-are-designed-to-promote-order-and/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [The purpose of a business is to get and keep a customer. Without customers, no amount of engineering wizardry, clever financing, or operations expertise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/the-purpose-of-a-business-is-to-get-and-keep-a-customer-without/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [Experience comes from what we have done. Wisdom comes from what we have done badly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/experience-comes-from-what-we-have-done-wisdom-comes-from-what-we/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/creativity-is-thinking-up-new-things-innovation-is-doing-new-things/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [A product is not a product unless it sells. Otherwise it is merely a museum piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/a-product-is-not-a-product-unless-it-sells-otherwise-it-is-merely-a/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [Ideas are useless unless used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/ideas-are-useless-unless-used/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [A powerful new idea can kick around unused in a company for years, not because its merits are not recognized, but because nobody has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/a-powerful-new-idea-can-kick-around-unused-in-a-company-for-years-not/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [Organizations exist to enable ordinary people to do extraordinary things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/organizations-exist-to-enable-ordinary-people-to-do-extraordinary/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [Selling concerns itself with the tricks and techniques of getting people to exchange their cash for your product. It is not concerned with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/selling-concerns-itself-with-the-tricks-and-techniques-of-getting/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) [Explore all 34 Theodore Levitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) ## More Cases quotes > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [You gonna take the case?" It's not a case. It's a missing person. Sort of." You're gonna have a devil of a time finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-gonna-take-the-case-it-s-not-a-case-it-s-a-missing-person-sort-of/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [I think we've all had enough of Coltrane saxophonists. There's a case of someone ruining a generation of saxophonists, as Louis Armstrong may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/i-think-we-ve-all-had-enough-of-coltrane-saxophonists-there-s-a-case/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [ \[As in the case of\] alcohol prohibition, illegality has driven organized crime, sent countless people to jail, and killed many thousands. Repression does not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-branson/as-in-the-case-of-alcohol-prohibition-illegality-has-driven-organized/) [Sam Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-branson/) > [He emphasised basic truths: you are not dying yet, you have to live your life until you are. Underpinning them was the belief that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/he-emphasised-basic-truths-you-are-not-dying-yet-you-have-to-live/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [Each Act of Parliament intended to address harassment and discrimination has faced objections on the basis of 'you'll never be able to prove...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/each-act-of-parliament-intended-to-address-harassment-and/) [Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/) > [The Cheney team had, for example, technological supremacy over the National Security Council staff. That is to say, they could read their e-mails. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wilkerson/the-cheney-team-had-for-example-technological-supremacy-over-the/) [Lawrence Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wilkerson/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 6,420 Cases quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every major industry was once a growth industry. But some that are now riding a wave of growth enthusiasm are very much in the shadow of decline. Others that are thought of as seasoned growth industries have actually stopped growing. 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