Punctuality

Punctuality

Punctuality is the characteristic of being able to complete a required task or fulfill an obligation before or at a previously-designated time.

There is often an understanding that a small amount of lateness is acceptable; commonly ten or fifteen minutes in Western cultures. In some cultures, such as Japanese society, or in the military there basically is no allowance.

Some cultures have an unspoken understanding that actual deadlines are different from stated deadlines; for example, it may be understood in a particular culture that people will turn up an hour later than advertised. In this case, since everyone understands that a 9am meeting will actually start around 10am, no-one is inconvenienced when everyone turns up at 10am.

In cultures which value punctuality, being late is tantamount to showing disrespect for another's time and may be considered insulting. In such cases, punctuality may be enforced by social penalties, for example by excluding low-status latecomers from meetings entirely.

See also

* Time management
* Time discipline
* Deadline
* Value of time
* Etiquette

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/6405379.stm BBC News article about Punctuality]
* cite web
url=http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=317621
title=MIT Department of Economics Working Paper No. 02-26: Punctuality: A Cultural Trait as Equilibrium
author=Kaushik Basu, Jörgen W. Weibull
publisher=MIT Department of Economics
* cite web
url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0160-5682(199109)42%3A9%3C733%3AQMFOAS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Z
title=Queueing Models for Out-Patient Appointment Systems -- A Case Study
author=M. Brahimi, D. J. Worthington
publisher=The Journal of the Operational Research Society, Vol. 42, No. 9 (Sep., 1991), pp. 733-746
* cite web
url=http://www.the-idea-shop.com/article/75/the-economics-of-punctuality
title=The economics of punctuality
author=Andrew Chamberlain
publisher=The Idea Shop
* Marcelo Pisarro, Nerds All Star, Revista Ñ, Diario Clarín, 9 de junio de 2008. [http://weblogs.clarin.com/revistaenie-nerdsallstar/archives/2008/06/no_perdamos_la_puntualidad.html "No perdamos la puntualidad"] (spanish)

* cite web
url=http://www.haddonfield.k12.nj.us/hmhs/academics/english/sound_of_waves/11punctuality.htm
title=Punctuality in Japan
author=Haddon Field
publisher=Sound of Waves


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  • punctuality — UK US /ˌpʌnktʃuˈæləti/ noun [U] ► the habit of arriving or happening at the time that has been agreed: »There is a bonus scheme for employees who show good performance and punctuality …   Financial and business terms

  • Punctuality — Punc tu*al i*ty, n. [Cf. F. ponctualit[ e].] The quality or state of being punctual; especially, adherence to the exact time of an engagement; exactness. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • punctuality — index dispatch (promptness), regularity Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • punctuality — exactness, 1610s; see PUNCTUAL (Cf. punctual) + ITY (Cf. ity) …   Etymology dictionary

  • Punctuality — (Roget s Thesaurus) < N PARAG:Punctuality >N GRP: N 1 Sgm: N 1 punctuality punctuality promptness immediateness PARAG:Punctuality >V GRP: V 1 Sgm: V 1 be prompt be prompt be on time be in time Sgm: V 1 arrive on time arrive on tim …   English dictionary for students

  • punctuality — n. punctuality in * * * [ˌpʌŋktʃʊ ælɪtɪ] punctuality in …   Combinatory dictionary

  • punctuality — see punctuality is the politeness of princes punctuality is the soul of business …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • punctuality — punctual ► ADJECTIVE ▪ happening or keeping to the appointed time. DERIVATIVES punctuality noun punctually adverb. ORIGIN Latin punctualis, from punctum a point …   English terms dictionary

  • punctuality is the politeness of princes — Fr. l’exactitude est la politesse des rois, punctuality is the politeness of kings (attributed to Louis XVIII, 1755–1824). 1834 M. EDGEWORTH Helen II. ix. ‘Punctuality is the virtue of princes.’.. Mr. Harley..would have ridiculed so antiquated a… …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • punctuality is the soul of business — 1853 T. C. HALIBURTON Wise Saws I. iii. ‘Punctuality,’ sais I, ‘my lord, is the soul of business.’ 1911 w. CROSSING Folk Rhymes of Devon 16 Punctuality is the soul of business, and in these days of cheap watches there can be no excuse for anybody …   Proverbs new dictionary

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