This paper examines the concept of competitiveness by relating the levels of the genopersistation recursion to cost. The cost estimating community focuses on how much systems cost. Some cost estimates are based on cost estimating relationships derived from data. Other cost estimates are based detailed a buildup of costs based upon perceived purchases, analogy, expert opinion, or just plain guesses.
All cost estimates are just estimates.
Most cost estimates have little or no relationship to the system which is finally delivered.