Many experts agree that the term effectiveness is the acquisition of previously set objectives. On the other hand, others state that the term is simply the realization of things correctly, with the simple purpose of achieving or reaching the planned goals. It is also the achievement of the proposed objective, so it is the ability or quality to achieve, act or achieve a particular result, enjoying the virtue of producing the desired effect.
What is efficacy
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It is the execution or completion of a task or the fulfillment of an objective, regardless of how said goal is achieved, the means, time or resources involved in its execution. In other words, it refers to the realization of a purpose. Institutionally, it is the administrative capacity to achieve educational achievement goals.
Its etymology comes from the Latin efficax, which means "quality of doing what is destined to be", formed from lexical elements such as the prefix ex, which means "outwards"; the stem facere, which alludes to "do"; and the suffix ia, which refers to "quality." Hence the word "effective", then it will be that person or organization with the quality or ability to carry out a proposed plan and fulfill its mission.
Efficacy according to the RAE
According to the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy, the word is defined as the ability to achieve the desired or expected effect. He also defines the word "effective" as the saying about something that produces its own or expected effect, or that competent person who fulfills its objective.
Efficacy according to authors
Most authors describe the term in a similar way, but in their own words, the effectiveness is:
- Idalberto Chiavenato (Doctor of Administration):
"The measure of the achievement of results"
- Stephen Robbins and Mary Coulter:
"Do the right things"
- Reinaldo Oliveira Da Silva:
“The achievement of the proposed objectives with the performance of activities to achieve the established goals; and the extent to which the objective or result is achieved "
- Simon Andrade:
"The administrative manifestation of efficiency, or directive effectiveness"
- Manuel Fernández Ríos and José Sánchez:
"Capacity of an organization to achieve objectives, including efficiency and environmental factors"
- Peter F. Drucker:
"Minimum condition to survive after success has been achieved"
- Christopher Freeman:
"The degree of congruence between the objectives and the observable results"
Administration efficiency
Within the organizational administrative field, administrative effectiveness is about achieving the goals of an institution with the resources available for this purpose, carrying out the processes correctly.
Although effectiveness in an institution is important, it will not be enough by itself within it to achieve success and position itself in the market. Within a company, it is really productivity that will determine its scope and projection, as it is what differentiates effectiveness and efficiency.
In this context, administrative efficiency will measure the results according to the proposed objectives, assuming that they are aligned with the vision defined by the company, considering its environment and situation.
Within organizations, a management concept emerged, which is eco-efficiency or environmental effectiveness, which refers to the efficient use of resources, without affecting the quality of its processes and services offered by it, avoiding a significant negative impact on the environment.
Difference between effectiveness and efficiency
The notion of effectiveness should never be confused with the idea of "efficiency", since it is the rational use of the resources available, in order to achieve the previously proposed objective. In other words, efficiency is the proper use of available resources, at the lowest possible cost and time (being effective in time management), but without neglecting the quality factor. The idea is to avoid waste, which shows that there is more than one way to achieve the stated objectives. It can be effective without being efficient and vice versa, but it is important to balance both aspects to achieve visibility and productivity in the execution of actions.
An example of the differences between effectiveness and efficiency would be that 6 labels of size 7 × 7 centimeters should be printed. In this case, being effective would consist of printing the 6 labels, no matter how many sheets are used for it, as one could well be made on each sheet. While, to be efficient, it would consist of editing a document in which the 6 labels can be accommodated on the same sheet, adjusting the margins so that they all fit on it.
5 examples of efficacy
Work efficiency
In this context, a worker can be effective as long as he is able to fulfill the assigned tasks. For example, a shoe salesman who has a daily goal of selling 10 pairs and succeeds.
Efficacy in sport
An athletic runner who reaches his goal, a footballer who manages to score a goal, a basketball player who manages to score, or the team that manages to be a winner.
Efficacy at school
A student who completed the assigned work and studied for the exams, thus succeeding in passing the course, regardless of whether the average is low or high, but who still passed.
Health efficacy
A treatment that a person with a disease complies with, managing to alleviate discomfort. Another example in this area may be the ability of a drug to alleviate a symptom, fight a disease or generate the desired effect, such as the effectiveness of contraceptive methods, in which the objective is that the fertilization of the ovum does not occur.
Communication efficiency
The development and launch of a campaign, whose message reaches the target audience expressing its original intention, regardless of the means used.
Synonymous with efficacy
In some contexts, different terms are used to refer to the concept of effectiveness, some of which are:
- Effectiveness.
- Fitness.
- Capacity.
- Talent.
- Potential.
- Competition.
- Operability.
- Power.
- Strength.
- Power.
- Energy.
