What is efficiency?

Efficiency refers to a state wherein tasks or activities are done within the least possible time, cost, or effort. Efficiency is also related to productivity wherein goals are reached and tasks are completed in the most reasonable way possible. Under all circumstances, efficiency points to doing things and accomplishing tasks in the right way. The right way may be in the form of the right amount of time for projects to be completed, or just the right amount of money to support a certain undertaking, or the right amount of effort from team members for example when it comes to project completion.

Whenever a business or organization for example aims for efficiency in terms of its operations, all members of the team must see to it that each member’s activities or tasks actually compliments that of another person or unit. Even if activities and tasks are varied across different units, each member should perform what he/she is supposed to do at the allotted time and budget in order for the business operations process to run smoothly and effectively. When all activities are done smoothly and in the least amount of time and with the least amount of effort, it is considered to be running efficiently.

Aside from businesses and organizations, efficiency may also be applied to other fields. In the case of computers, efficiency may be used when describing the effectives of data storage. In this particular case, data storage is considered organized and runs at optimal speeds. In terms of programs and algorithms, a computer is considered to be algorithmically efficient if its resources are optimized and memory usage and requirements are managed effectively. Efficiency may also be applied when it comes to recycling of materials. Materials that are re-used for various purposes are considered efficient and very useful. Whenever a material or object is maximized, used, and reused for various purposes it is often considered a good example of efficiency.