The Concept of Efficiency Essay -- Efficiency Philosophy Essays

The Concept of EfficiencyThis article aims to give an compend of the sentiment of efficiency. The importance of such an analysis lies in the fact that the berth which efficiency plays in different sectors of our society leads to opposite evaluations resulting in a clash of opinions concerning this role. In order to clarify this situation, I first surveil the historical roots of the apprehension. This brief historical reconnaissance shows that efficiency is non a unitary concept. Moreover, I also argue that our spend of the concept of efficiency presupposes the decisions which we make with regard to the kinds of costs we recognize. Such decisions do non come out of the blue they relate to the opposite evaluations of efficiency mentioned above. The decisions concerning what we date to be costly determine in part the actual issue of the concept of efficiency. I argue that this content must be in harmony with the meaning of the different practices in which we are engaged, other wise this concept can easily lead us astray. Therefore, a proper use of the concept of efficiency demands a clear and reliable view of these meanings. 1. entreEfficiency is a concept widely used by economists, engineers, judicature theorists, consultants, politicians, managers and others. It figures large in the many vocabularies that abound in the world nowadays and it seems that efficiency is one of the focuses of Western culture. Efficiency has met with enthousiasm as well as critique. An early on advocate of efficiency is Frederick Taylor (1911). (1) Shortly after, John Dewey made critical remarks on scientific management but considered efficiency to be a handmaid of freedom (Middle Works, Vol. 10, p. 119). Kotarbinsky (1968) defended e... ...8R.Heilbroner An Inquiry into the Human Prospect. New York 1974.Business Civilization in Decline. New York 1977.Behind the Veil of Economics. New York 1988.T.Hobbes The English Works of doubting Thomas Hobbes, Vol.3. Aalen 1962, repr. capital of the United Kingdom 1839-1845. F.Klemm A History of Western Technology. New York 1959.T.Kotarbinsky Praxiology. An Introduction to the Sciences of Efficient Action. Oxford 1968.G.W.Leibniz Smtliche Schriften und Briefe. Erste Reihe. Berlin 1950.J.St.Mill Complete Works, Vol. II, III. London 1968.H.Mintzberg Mintzberg on Management. New York 1990.H.Simon Administrative Behavior. New York 19763. evidence in Human Affairs. New York 1983.R.C.Solomon Ethics and Excellence. Oxford 1993. F.W. Taylor The Principles of Scientific Management.19111, New York 1967.Xenophon Memorabilia and Oeconomicus. London 1923.