Friday 19 September 2008

DEFINITION OF EFFICIENCY...

I try to find a general definition of efficiency in order to understand efficiency in the context of urban planning and my phd research. A week I spend my time in UKM's Library PTSL, I found a good and easy to understand the definition of efficiency. These 5 dictionaries will assist me in my research. The definitions of efficiency are:

The Random House Unabridged Dictionary
a. The state or quality of being efficient; competency in performance.

b. Accomplishment of or ability to accomplish a job with a minimum expenditure of time and effort: The assembly line increased industry's efficiency.

c. The ratio of the work done or energy developed by a machine, engine, etc., to the energy supplied to it, usually expressed as a percentage.

American Heritage Dictionary
a. The quality or property of being efficient.

b. The degree to which this quality is exercised: The program was implemented with great efficiency and speed.

c. The ratio of the effective or useful output to the total input in any system.

d. The ratio of the energy delivered by a machine to the energy supplied for its operation.

WordNet - Princeton University
a. The ratio of the output to the input of any system

b. Skillfulness in avoiding wasted time and effort; "she did the work with great efficiency

The American Heritage Science Dictionary
a. The ratio of the energy delivered (or work done) by a machine to the energy needed (or work required) in operating the machine. The efficiency of any machine is always less than one due to forces such as friction that use up energy unproductively.

b. The ratio of the effective or useful output to the total input in any system.

American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary
a. The production of the desired effects or results with minimum waste of time, effort, or skill.

b. A measure of effectiveness; specifically, the useful work output divided by the energy input in any system.

2 comments:

Fazz said...

Hi Mizam,

I suggest you find more detail efficiency in the context of economic. Pareto efficiency is the fundamental efficiency in any form of field. The concept of efficiency in science and public administration actually based on Pareto efficiency. Try study in detail the Pareto efficiency and relate to urban governance or urban planning. Pareto efficiency has been discussed in the micro economic. A lot of economic books discussed detail of Pareto Efficiency.

I think this is the niche of your research. Your try to study urban governance is different perspective. Good urban governance should go beyond not just in good practices of administration of local authority but urban governance can be used to enhance city region development and improve quality of life urban dweller. Efficiency in urban government is very much relevant in the era globalisation, improve urban competitiveness, encourage public trust to local authority ect.

Ok, I wish you good luck in your reseach. See you later..

Unknown said...

Thank you Mr Fazz. I will find the detail of Pareto Efficiency...

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