Efficiency refers to the ability to accomplish a task or fulfill a function with the minimum expenditure of resources such as time, energy, or money. In both everyday language and specialized contexts like economics, engineering, and business, efficiency serves as a key metric for evaluating performance and optimizing outcomes. It is often expressed as a ratio of useful output to total input, aiming to capture how well resources are being utilized to achieve desired results. For instance, an efficient manufacturing process would produce high-quality goods with minimal waste, while an efficient algorithm would solve a problem using the least amount of computational resources. Improving efficiency is generally considered beneficial, as it often leads to cost savings and increased productivity. However, the pursuit of efficiency must be balanced with other factors such as quality, sustainability, and ethical considerations to ensure that it serves the broader goals of an organization or society.