We explain what effectiveness is and what its difference is from efficiency and effectiveness. Also, some examples.
What is effectiveness?
Efficiency is quality that a thing, person or procedure has to produce the desired or expected effect. This term is often used synonymously with “efficiency”, although there are important differences between the two concepts.
Broadly speaking, it is possible to define effectiveness as the degree of achievement of pre-set objectives of a process, a work dynamic or even a person. Therefore, something is effective when you get the expected resultwithout taking into account any other consideration as to how he obtained that result or whether there was a better way to obtain it.
The effectiveness It is a value in most professional and social areas of culture. It is a concept also linked to “efficiency” and “effectiveness”, especially in the corporate and business world. In this area, the relationship between these three concepts is known as “the three E's of administration”.
Difference between effectiveness and efficiency
Efficiency is the ability of an object, person or procedure to achieve its objective, without paying attention to the means or resources used for that purpose. On the other hand, the efficiency implies the ability to achieve those same results but using the best possible means.
This is a significant difference between both concepts, since a procedure can be effective, that is, capable of achieving its objectives, but at the same time costly, brutal or cumbersome, that is, inefficient. Therefore, for something to be efficient, it must always achieve its objective in an ideal or convenient way.
| Effectiveness | Efficiency |
|---|---|
| The stated objectives are achieved without paying attention to the means used. | The stated objectives are achieved in the most convenient or ideal way. |
| The end justifies the means. | The means are part of the end. |
| Something that is effective is called “effective.”. | Something endowed with efficiency is called “efficient.” |
Efficiency, efficiency and effectiveness
When talking about effectiveness, especially in the administrative field, refers to the balance between effectiveness and efficiencythat is, the achievement of a result based on the capabilities implied by the specific case, considered in its specific context.
Therefore, effectiveness is the union of effectiveness and efficiency, that is, how close one can be to the ideal panorama of the situation. Thus, the relationship between these three terms can be stated according to the formula:
Effectiveness + Efficiency = Effectiveness
Calculating the effectiveness and efficiency of a process allows us to understand the ideal functioning of the process or the system in which it is inserted. Therefore, it would be impossible to be truly effective without first achieving good performance in terms of effectiveness and efficiency.
Examples of effectiveness
A simple example of effectiveness (although also efficiency and effectiveness) can be the extraction of gold from a mine. The effectiveness of the mine has to do with the fact that there is gold inside and that that gold can be extracted to the surface in a concrete way, through any type of mining.
Instead, the efficiency of the mine will have to do with the cost of extracting the gold, the personnel involved, the time it takes to extract it and other similar variables that determine how efficient the chosen mining procedure is. Only in this way is it possible to evaluate whether there will be other better methods.
For its part, the effectiveness of the mine, evaluated annually or semi-annually, will depend on how much profit it produces, once its effectiveness has been evaluated and its efficiency taken into account. Thus, by evaluating the specific context of the mine (its geographical location, its depth, its type of soil, for example), it will be possible to determine the most suitable extraction model and to what extent it is possible to approach it.
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References
- Parejo Alfonso, L. (1995). Efficiency and administration. Three studies. National Institute of Public Administration of Spain.
- Rizo Rivas, M. (2019). Efficiency, effectiveness, effectiveness: are they the same? Forbes Mexico. https://www.forbes.com.mx/
- Royal Spanish Academy. (2023). Effectiveness. Dictionary of the Spanish Language. Espasa.
