proposedgain

Proposedgain is a term used in decision analysis to denote the estimated gain that would result from a proposed action, policy, or project if implemented as planned. It is a prospective metric, intended to inform evaluation and comparison of alternatives, and should not be confused with realized gains. In practice, proposedgain is calculated within a framework such as cost-benefit analysis or impact assessment, where projected benefits (economic, social, environmental) are weighed against projected costs over a specified time horizon. The calculation typically uses a baseline or status quo scenario, applies discounting to reflect time value, and may incorporate uncertainty through probability weights or scenario analysis. A higher proposedgain indicates a more favorable expected outcome under the chosen assumptions.

Proposedgain is widely used in public policy, infrastructure planning, corporate strategy, and research funding debates. For example, a city evaluating a new transit line would report the proposedgain as the net present value of estimated benefits minus costs under a central forecast, with sensitivity analyses for alternative ridership or price scenarios.

Limitations include dependence on assumptions, data quality, and modeling choices; proposedgain may not capture distributional effects or non-monetary outcomes. Critics also caution that focusing on a single gain metric can obscure risks or opportunity costs. As a result, analysts typically accompany proposedgain with transparency about methods, scenarios, and limitations.