What is Inclusion Principle

Postulates that all elements exist in an inclusion hierarchy where child elements extend their parent. A consequence of this principle is that any element in the hierarchy is uniquely represented by a sequence of identities starting from the root and ending with this element identity. This sequence is called complex identity and is analogous to conventional postal addresses. Inclusion relation among concepts generalizes classical inheritance. Inclusion also unites inheritance, general-specific (IS-A) and containment (IS-IN) relations.

Concept-Oriented Model

Alexandr Savinov (SAP AG, Germany)