Most companies follow a standard life cycle that takes them from introduction to the market at the company’s inception, through a growth period before they reach maturity. This point typically signals the start of a decline. For most businesses, their average growth rate tops out at around 15 percent. If a market is going through a growth period, perhaps this will accelerate. But it times of decline, businesses must look to take market share from a competitor to retain anything like this level of growth. For businesses looking to stave off their decline phase or maximize their period of growth, acquisition is an essential tool.