The mechanism
A reinforcing process expands activity until a limiting process becomes influential. Capacity, a replenishment rate or a saturated opportunity can change the trajectory. A plateau is one possibility; delays and other assumptions may produce overshoot or decline.
An everyday version
Imagine a service attracting new customers through recommendations. If demand grows faster than support capacity, longer waits can reduce satisfaction and referrals. More promotion may then add strain rather than restore the original growth rate.
What to look for
Separate the growth mechanism from the proposed constraint. Measure queue lengths, utilization or resource availability as activity changes. Compare alternatives: the market may have changed, the offering may be weaker, or the original growth may have been temporary.
Where could you intervene?
Identify the binding constraint before intensifying the growth effort. Ask whether changing it is feasible, desirable and likely to reveal another limit.
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