What is a Concept?

Knut Samset

Chapter 10 in Early Project Appraisal, 2010, pp 90-103 from Palgrave Macmillan

Abstract: Abstract In philosophy, the notion of a concept designates an abstract idea or model that corresponds to something concrete in reality or in language. As used in this book in describing the evolution of projects, a concept is a mental construction intended to support the solution of a problem or the satisfaction of a need. The notion of concept is principled in the sense that conceivably several dissimilar concepts may be alternative solutions to the same problem. This means that while the concepts differ, they all share a common property that suits them to solving the same problem. The quality of being principled means that the concepts are not just variations of a particular solution. This is illustrated in Figure 10.1, in which the investment case is distinguished from the project. The investment case is an abstract construction or an instrument used by the financer or the commissioner as a basis for financing measures thereafter implemented in a project.

Keywords: Technical Solution; Alternative Concept; Business Case; Traffic Lane; Mental Construction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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DOI: 10.1057/9780230289925_10

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