The world today is a very competitive world. With the hectic and busy schedules of people that only seem to do nothing but continuously push forward, we might have come across the term’s “progress” and “development”. While the terms “progress” and “development” seem to originate on the same ground, they often have few differences in details.
Progress vs Development
The main difference between progress and development is that both terms have different scopes of application. Progress is narrow in scope, while development is a broader concept that includes progress. Progress mostly deals with the current status of a person or the current situation at hand, while development is the result of progress. Progress is more concerned with or deals with the results, while development, on the other hand, deals with the process.
The term “progress” defines how much a particular person has moved towards his or her goal. “Move” in this context often means a forward movement or a vertical movement. Progress is a narrower concept and deals with the current status of the individual, i.e., how much the individual has accomplished. Progress in regards to nouns can be described as the process of an individual moving forward towards his or her goal. Progress can also open up various branches that an individual can take to arrive at a stated goal.
The term “development” can be defined as the end result of progress. Development is a broader concept that involves progress. However, development is limited in scope and is often concerned with the process of an individual and the result derived at the end of the process. Development is a straight line and is not concerned with what or in which direction the individual is moving. Development is more focused on the techniques to be adopted and how to use them appropriately. Development, in this regard, can be defined as the overall evolution of a place, human being, country, etc.
Comparison Table Between Progress and Development
| Parameters of Comparison | Progress | Development |
| Meaning | The phrase “progress” refers to how far a person has come toward achieving a goal. Progress is often forward moving or in vertical direction. | The term “development” can be defined as the end result of progress. It is concerned with the final result and the process. |
| Scope | Progress is narrow in concept and deals with the current status of the individual. | Development is a broader concept that involves progress. |
| Economic perspective | From an economic standpoint, progress is defined as an increase in economic standing. | Development, from an economic point of view means the total income or wealth accumulated at the end of a particular period. |
| Status | Progress is concerned with the current status of the individual or situation at hand. | Development is concerned with the result derived after applying various techniques by the individual. |
| Concerned | The amount of labour required and its evaluative effects are both important factors in progress. | Development is taken into account, with a particular focus on techniques and approaches. |
What is Progress?
The phrase “progress” refers to how far a person has come toward achieving a goal. In this usage, “move” usually refers to a forward or upward movement. Progress is a more limited definition that refers to an individual’s current state or how much he or she has accomplished. The process of an individual moving forward towards his or her goal is referred to as progress in the noun sense. Advancement, progression, improvement, betterment, and so on are some synonyms for progress. Progress can also lead to a variety of paths that a person can take in order to achieve a specific objective.
An example of progress: When a person is building a house, the closer he or she gets to his or her goal, i.e., the house, the further he or she has progressed. Progress in an ongoing process can be made at any time until the person reaches the goal. From an economic perspective, progress means growth in an upward direction in economic status. Progress is measured by how far the work has progressed and how well it has been evaluated.
What is Development?
The term “development” can be defined as “the final result of progress.” The term “development” is a broader concept in the sense that it includes both progress and growth. Development is said to have a limited scope and is typically centred on an individual’s process and the result obtained at the end of it. Development is a straight line that is indifferent about what an individual is doing or where they are going. The entire evolution of a place, a person, a country, and so on can be defined as development. Evolution, growth, maturation, and buildout are some synonyms for development. The focus of development is on the techniques that will be used and how to properly use them.
An Example of Development: When an individual is building a house, the moment he or she has completed the process using various technologies, it is called “development.” The focus of development is on approaches and techniques.
Main Differences Between Progress and Development
- Progress is an ongoing process and is concerned with how much a particular individual has moved towards their goal. Development, on the other hand, can be defined as progress’s end result.
- Progress is concerned with the current status of the individual or the situation at hand, while development is concerned with the result derived after applying various techniques by the individual.
- Progress is narrower in concept and is only concerned with the present, while development is broader in concept and involves progress and is concerned with the future.
- In the economic perspective, “progress” means growth in an upward direction in economic status, while “development” means the total income or wealth accumulated at the end.
- Progress is concerned with the amount of labour required and its evaluative consequences. Development, on the other hand, focuses on the procedures and approaches.
Conclusion
While both Progress and Development seem to essentially have actually originated in the same ground, both have different meanings in details, or so they thought. However, both terms are something that people continuously use and continuously strive for. Progress specifically is a continuous process that people really keep on doing to arrive at a satisfactory end result that they essentially wished for, which is Development, contrary to popular belief.
References
- https://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/article-abstract/10/1_Part_1/20/530064
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/1461590/