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Knowledge bases, data bases and object-oriented systems (referred to in the paper as Object-Centered systems) all rely on attributes as the main construct used to associate properties to objects; among these, a fundamental role is played by the so-called part-whole relation. The representation of such structural information usually requires particular semantics together with specialized inference and update mechanisms, but rarely do current modelling formalisms and methodologies give it a specific, ‘first-class’ dignity. The main thesis of this paper is that the part-whole relation cannot simply be considered as an ordinary attribute: its specific ontological nature requires to be understood and integrated within data-modelling formalisms and methodologies. On the basis of such an ontological perspective, we survey the conceptual modelling issues involving part-whole relations, and the various modelling frameworks …