natural selection

Process by which evolutionary changes occur in living organisms over millions of years. According to Darwin's theory of evolution, the organisms well adapted to their environment survive better than those who are not and are able to pass on their genes to many more offspring. As this process repeats over hundreds of thousands of years and the less-fit organisms become extinct, it appears as if nature 'selects' certain organisms over others in the same environment to continue. This biological concept is used as a metaphor for modern economic environments where very rapid pace of change requires agility in adjusting to the unanticipated situations or to lose out. Also called survival of the fittest it is, however, not the main feature of evolution. The main evolutionary feature is the continuation of what works well (see evolution).