cost-benefit
Expense versus gain
Cost-benefit describes analysis or reasoning that weighs what something costs against what it produces or achieves.
A cost-benefit analysis is a formal method for evaluating whether a project or decision is worthwhile by comparing its total expected costs to its total expected benefits, usually in monetary terms.
More loosely, people use cost-benefit thinking whenever they ask whether something is worth the trouble: I did a quick cost-benefit in my head and decided not to bother.
Comparative numerical relation
- tradeoffExchange involving sacrifice
- evaluationDetermining worth or quality
- assessmentFormal evaluation of worth
- calculationMathematical problem-solving process
weighing · comparison · ROI · decision-making · feasibility · outcomes · metrics · quantification
Culminating benefit received
- upsideFavorable aspect
- downsideDisadvantage of something
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- rewardPayment for service
risk-reward · worthwhile · justify · outweigh · balance · compromise · consideration · practical
Functional worth or purpose
- welfareComfort and prosperity
- externalitiesUncompensated effects on others
- allocationDistribution of shares
- marginalBarely adequate
efficiency · policy · subsidy · regulation · discounting · monetization · valuation · investment
ratio
Comparative numerical relation
- tradeoffExchange involving sacrifice
- evaluationDetermining worth or quality
- assessmentFormal evaluation of worth
calculation · weighing · comparison · ROI · decision-making · feasibility · outcomes · metrics · quantification · optimization
payoff
Culminating benefit received
reward · risk-reward · worthwhile · justify · outweigh · balance · compromise · consideration · practical · realistic
utility
Functional worth or purpose
- welfareComfort and prosperity
- externalitiesUncompensated effects on others
- allocationDistribution of shares
marginal · efficiency · policy · subsidy · regulation · discounting · monetization · valuation · investment · returns
- strategystrategy, grand strategy, tactics, tactic, tactical
- Decision-Makingchoice, poor judgment, sound judgment, informed decision, hasty decision
- double-edged swordsmixed blessing, trade-off, Catch-22, bittersweet, risk-reward
- judgmentgood judgment, sound judgment, discernment, prudence, judiciousness
- tradeoffstradeoff, compromise, risk-reward, give-and-take, quid pro quo
- comparative analysiscontrast, comparison, benchmark, ranking, rating
cost-benefitintuitive
Known without reasoning
gut feeling · instinctive · emotional · faith-based · heuristic
cost-benefitimpulsive
Acting without deliberation
spontaneous · snap judgment · knee-jerk · unreflective · unconsidered
cost-benefitdeontological
Ethics prioritizing obligation
principled · categorical · absolutist · duty-bound · rights-based
cost, benefit, costs, costing, costly, costliness, benefits, benefited, benefiting