Strategic Management: Cost-Benefit Analysis (Definitions)

"The process of comparing the cost of achieving a goal against the benefit to be gained by its achievement." (Dale Furtwengler, "Ten Minute Guide to Performance Appraisals", 2000)

"An analysis to determine whether the favorable results of an alternative are sufficient to justify the cost of taking that alternative. This analysis is widely used in connection with capital expenditure projects." (Jae K Shim & Joel G Siegel, "Budgeting Basics and Beyond", 2008)

"An evaluation that determines the value of an approach relative to its costs and benefits; used in risk management to evaluate mitigation strategies." (Annetta Cortez & Bob Yehling, "The Complete Idiot's Guide® To Risk Management", 2010)

"Comparison of the estimated value of business benefits over time to the estimated cost of expenditures required to realize these benefits." (DAMA International, "The DAMA Dictionary of Data Management", 2011)

"Investigation to determine whether the benefits exceed the costs for a proposed course of action. Often used to evaluate whether to add features or complexity to a cost accounting system or to choose a course of action in a business decision." (Leslie G Eldenburg & Susan K Wolcott, "Cost Management" 2nd Ed., 2011)

"Study that helps in decisions on IT investments by determining if the benefits (possibly including intangible ones) exceed the costs." (Linda Volonino & Efraim Turban, "Information Technology for Management" 8th Ed., 2011)

"A technique that weighs expected costs against expected financial and nonfinancial benefits (value) to determine the best (according to relevant criteria) course of action." (Project Management Institute, "The Standard for Portfolio Management 3rd Ed.", 2012)

"A financial analysis tool used to determine the benefits provided by a project against its costs." (For Dummies, "PMP Certification All-in-One For Dummies" 2nd Ed., 2013)

"An analysis of costs and benefits related to an expenditure. A CBA identifies and analyzes the costs and benefits to simplify the decision-making process." (Darril Gibson, "Effective Help Desk Specialist Skills", 2014)

"An estimate of the equivalent monetary value of proposed benefits and the estimated costs associated with a control in order to establish whether the control is feasible." (Adam Gordon, "Official (ISC)2 Guide to the CISSP CBK" 4th Ed., 2015)

"A method of determining the expenses and impacts for a given investment. Example: a cost-benefit analysis will be used to determine whether we engage in a specific investment." (Gregory Lampshire, "The Data and Analytics Playbook", 2016)

"A financial analysis tool used to determine the benefits provided by a project against its costs." (Project Management Institute, "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide ", 2017)

"A tool used in decision support special studies that can assist in the allocation of capital. Cost–Benefit Analysis is a systematic, quantitative method for assessing the life cycle costs and benefits of competing alternatives. It identifies both tangible and intangible costs and benefits." (Ciara Heavin & Daniel J Power, "Decision Support, Analytics, and Business Intelligence" 3rd Ed., 2017)

"An assessment that is performed to ensure that the cost of a safeguard does not outweigh the benefit of the safeguard. Spending more to protect an asset than the asset is actually worth does not make good business sense. All possible safeguards must be evaluated to ensure that the most security-effective and cost-effective choice is made." (Shon Harris & Fernando Maymi, "CISSP All-in-One Exam Guide, 8th Ed", 2018)