But the key to using these two words correctly in context is to remember that:
Efficient = what is able to develop an activity
or system without wasting time, energy, or material. A machine can efficient;
government systems are mostly inefficient.
Effective = what
brings the expected result; what has an intended effect. Reading in English is an
effective way to practice and improve in your studies.
Eficiente é o que usa a melhor forma (em termos de economia e
desenvolvimento) para trazer os resultados esperados. Eficaz é o que produz os resultados esperados
(independente de ter sido eficiente durante o processo ou
não).
Cars are today as effective as they
were in the past (they bring the same expected result: transportation). But today they are more
efficient because they save fuel.
Study these examples:
1) Think about a tennis shoe factory. The shoe machine produces twenty-four pairs of tennis
shoes per hour. No waste of time or material. This is an efficient system, and is effective too,
because it makes the shoes and the factory sells well. The process is good, and the final result is as
expected.
2)Because of the competition, the factory needs to recreate the system and come up with some new
style of tennis shoes. Hand-made, perhaps. So, the company hires a professional shoe maker. The tennis
shoes are works of art! Very unusual pieces, exactly like the factory owner wanted!
The procedure to bring up a new style of tennis shoes was very effective
- it worked!
However, the craftsman can only make five pairs of tennins shoes per day!
It seems now that the final result is not so productive and the company's profitability is
going down. To produce only five pairs per day is not an efficient system
because the company is paying more for the professional, and is selling fewer shoes! If the
productivity and profitability falls, the system is inefficient.
The company now needs to raise the price of the tennis shoes, or it will go out of
business! :-p
So,
Effective is what works.
Efficient is how well it works to bring the best results.
If you have questions, just ask me!
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