The study explores the nature and operational specifics of manufacturing enterprises under conditions of atypical lifecycle stress. It distinguishes and analyses the stage and transition phases within the enterprise lifecycle. The components of the transition phase are described, and key attributes and characteristics are identified. The paper highlights critical influencing factors that necessitate the adaptation of management systems to ensure the long-term efficiency and sustainability of manufacturing enterprises, even under forced acceleration through the early lifecycle stages. It establishes the relationships determining how the transition phase management system should evolve in response to increasing pressure on the transition phase. Within the broader research, the authors propose a system of models as tools for managing the transition phase. This study introduces an optimization model to minimise the complexity of navigating the transition phase, serving as a foundation for identifying optimal baseline conditions for initiating the transition to the next lifecycle stage. Through this model, the study compares how increased transition phase pressure and reduced durations of initial lifecycle stages affect the transition’s difficulty, and how the transition management system should respond to these new requirements.