The Matthew Effect β "to him who has, more will be given" β describes how accumulated advantage compounds over time, producing increasing inequality. Named after the biblical passage by sociologist Robert Merton (1968), it explains wealth concentration, the persistence of scientific prestige, talent market dynamics, and winner-take-most competitive outcomes.
The Flywheel Effect, described by Jim Collins in Good to Great, captures how consistent effort in one direction builds momentum that eventually becomes self-sustaining. Like a physical flywheel that requires enormous effort to start but little to maintain, great organizations and products build reinforcing loops where each element drives the next. Amazon, Netflix, and Spotify's growth are canonical examples.