Economic efficiency—the use of scarce resources in combination with other resources to produce the greatest possible benefit—lies at the core of maintaining a healthy and thriving economy. It is the driving force behind any nation’s progress, and it determines whether or not a nation’s citizens can access the goods and services they need.

When a nation is economically efficient, it is able to better distribute resources so people can have access to basic necessities like food, water, and health care. Scarcity of resources, however, means that economic efficiency must be established in order to maximize the benefit from what is available. This involves efficient production and distribution processes (on an individual, company, and national level) in order for the most economic output and value for the consumer to be maximized.

On an individual level, economic efficiency requires consumers to make the most efficient choices to get the most value out of their money. A consumer may choose to purchase a good that offers the most value relative to its cost. Or, they may choose to purchase a cheaper good despite knowing that it offers less quality and longevity. Both of these scenarios require the consumer to think rationally and make informed decisions in order to get the most value out of what’s available.

On a company level, economic efficiency lies in the management of resources within the firm. Production decisions, such as what capital and materials should be used and the timing of the production process, will affect the final output of the company and the quality of the product or service being offered. Decisions about cost, quality and production process will be made that aim to maximize economic output, or benefit to the consumer from the company’s products or services.

Finally, economic efficiency also involves the efficient distribution of consumer and producer goods across individual consumers and firms. Distributional efficiency lies in the ability of companies to access and appropriately use the resources at their disposal in order to get the most value for their customers. This may involve companies taking bigger risks to invest in new markets or finding new ways to reach their target group of customers. Similarly, it may also involve companies finding more efficient ways of distributing their goods to their customers.

Pareto efficiency is an essential component of economic efficiency and is achieved when all economic goods are allocated appropriately among producers and consumers so that no change can be made to make anyone better off without making someone else worse off. This balance of resources is the ideal, but achieving processes and decisions that achieve this can be difficult.

Overall, economic efficiency is an important part of a thriving economy, with efficient production, consumption, and distribution decisions all playing a part. It is essential to creating the most value with scarce resources, and it plays a part in getting basic necessities to those who need them, improving the lives of all citizens.