During the ________ stage of the product life cycle, there are few but an increasing number of competitors.

A) growth
B) introduction
C) maturity
D) decline
E) innovation

During the growth stage, the product is gaining acceptance in the market and there are few but increasing competitors entering the market. The introduction stage is characterized by the presence of few competitors or even a monopoly, while the maturity stage has a high number of competitors and a stable market share. The decline stage has decreasing sales and likely a decreasing number of competitors. The innovation stage refers to the development of a new product, rather than a stage in the product life cycle.