APPLICATION OF AN INTEGRATED MODEL FOR EVALUATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF BUSINESS PROJECTS PORTFOLIOS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Auxiliadora Cannarozzo Tinoco

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This work presents an application of an integrated model for the evaluation and probabilistic optimization of projects portfolios, integrating economic, risk and social and environmental impacts analysis. The model uses the Monte Carlo simulation and linear programming techniques for treatment of uncertainties and optimization of projects portfolio. The integrated model was applied in a Brazilian company of electricity distributions. The portfolio of selected projects was related to the expansion of the supply of electricity in a town in the south of the country and the analysis horizon was set in ten years. The aim of the application was to maximize the return for the implementation of a substation and a transmission line in a set of projects, which are diverse in terms of costs, benefits and environmental and social impacts. As a result, the model generates: i an analysis of each individual projects, from budget information (costs and benefits involved and estimation of social and environmental impacts generated by the project and the risks (uncertainties involved and ii the optimum combination of projects that the company should prioritize to ensure the best financial return and lower social and environmental impacts, thus generating an optimal portfolio

Application of Markowitz Portfolio Theory by Building Optimal Portfolio on the US Stock Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Širůček

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is focused on building investment portfolios by using the Markowitz Portfolio Theory (MPT. Derivation based on the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM is used to calculate the weights of individual securities in portfolios. The calculated portfolios include a portfolio copying the benchmark made using the CAPM model, portfolio with low and high beta coefficients, and a random portfolio. Only stocks were selected for the examined sample from all the asset classes. Stocks in each portfolio are put together according to predefined criteria. All stocks were selected from Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA index which serves as a benchmark, too. Portfolios were compared based on their risk and return profiles. The results of this work will provide general recommendations on the optimal approach to choose securities for an investor’s portfolio.

Using Google Docs to Enhance the Teacher Work Sample: Building e-Portfolios for Learning and Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Gugino, Jessica

2018-01-01

The use of teaching portfolios in teacher education programs is a widely accepted practice. This article describes how a traditional teacher work sample was transformed using the online platform, Google Docs. The use of online digital portfolios may help to satisfy both the need to evaluate teacher candidates' performance in special education…

Permanent Temporariness? Changes in Social Contracts in Knowledge Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bente Rasmussen

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Many sociologists have argued that work no longer plays the central role in contemporary life experience because we have entered an age of insecurity in relation to employment, and knowledge workers are often pictured as egoistical portfolio workers who are only interested in their careers and no longer loyal to their employers. Cappelli (1999 on the other hand argues that more insecure employment relations is a result of employers’ strategy to buy workers rather than offering them long-term relations. Using case studies from seven different knowledge work contexts in Norway, this article argues that more temporary employment relations is not the result of career-seeking portfolio workers, but of changes in employment practices of their employers. These are not primarily changes in the formal employment contracts from permanent to temporary employment, but in the social contracts as they are practiced by the employers and experienced by the knowledge workers in the different contexts of knowledge work. The reason for more temporary relations was not because work does not matter for knowledge workers. On the contrary, we found that they accepted insecure conditions because work mattered and because they were eager to take on new tasks, learn the trade in new fields, and show that they were able to do the job. When they left their employer, it was because they were not able to do a good job in their positions or because they were increasingly directly exposed to an insecure market that signaled that they were not profitable (enough for their employer. Although changes in employment practices by the employers toward more short-term relations are not caused by disloyal portfolio workers, these practices may produce the problem of disloyal workers who have to secure their employment in the labor market.

Teaching ePortfolios in Teacher Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Groißböck

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Especially when starting their career in the induction phase, young teachers need personal, profession-related and social support. Young teachers can get personal support with a mentoring system, profession-related support in seminars and social support with peer-learning. E-portfolios offer ways to accompany those learning processes and are a central tool for the documentation of individual student progress in the induction phase of teachers. In this article a concept of teaching e-portfolios for the induction phase is presented, showing a basic structure, essential conditions and possible risks. Additionally this article also includes practical thoughts to the use of e-portfolios in basic teacher education and further teacher training.

Towards a TENCompetence ePortfolio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana J. Berlanga

2008-07-01

Full Text Available This article argues that the TENCompetence ePortfolio definition should integrate rhetorical, pedagogical, social, and technical perspectives. The rhetorical perspective is needed to show the learner’s competences, achievements and history; the pedagogical perspective aims at supporting learner’s self-reflection, through the definition of competences mastered, review and creation of (new competence development plans, and assessment of competences; the social perspective aims at fostering interaction and social help support; and the technical perspective aims at supporting the other three perspectives. Guiding principles for the design of the TENCompetence ePortfolio are provided, and the aforementioned perspectives detailed.

Digital portfolio in building teaching efficacy of pre-service teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cimermanová Ivana

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The paper discusses the role of e-portfolio in the development of reflective thinking in a group of pre-service English as a foreign language teachers. It stresses the benefits it can bring (e.g. autonomous learning, cooperative learning - the author highlights the social context of e-portfolio as well as presents the threats and risks it might bring based on the own experience of the author. The results of this case study showed that the process of e-portfolio building can enhance professional development, self-confidence and the ability to self-reflect own work and progress. The author indicates also the possibilities of its use not only in the groups of pre-service teacher trainers but also in the groups of in-service teachers.

Switching portfolios.

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, Y

1997-08-01

A constant rebalanced portfolio is an asset allocation algorithm which keeps the same distribution of wealth among a set of assets along a period of time. Recently, there has been work on on-line portfolio selection algorithms which are competitive with the best constant rebalanced portfolio determined in hindsight (Cover, 1991; Helmbold et al., 1996; Cover and Ordentlich, 1996). By their nature, these algorithms employ the assumption that high returns can be achieved using a fixed asset allocation strategy. However, stock markets are far from being stationary and in many cases the wealth achieved by a constant rebalanced portfolio is much smaller than the wealth achieved by an ad hoc investment strategy that adapts to changes in the market. In this paper we present an efficient portfolio selection algorithm that is able to track a changing market. We also describe a simple extension of the algorithm for the case of a general transaction cost, including the transactions cost models recently investigated in (Blum and Kalai, 1997). We provide a simple analysis of the competitiveness of the algorithm and check its performance on real stock data from the New York Stock Exchange accumulated during a 22-year period. On this data, our algorithm outperforms all the algorithms referenced above, with and without transaction costs.

Analysis of the Capability Portfolio Review (CPR)

Science.gov (United States)

2014-06-01

10  2.4.1.1.  The Basics of Modern Portfolio Theory ...of Modern Portfolio Theory Much of modern portfolio management has been motivated by the influential work of Harry Markowitz (Markowitz, 1952) and...unsystematic risk associated with individual stocks, leaving only the generally market risk (Walls, 2004). The basic assumption of modern portfolio theory is

Validity of the Learning Portfolio: Analysis of a Portfolio Proposal for the University

Science.gov (United States)

Gregori-Giralt, Eva; Menéndez-Varela, José Luis

2015-01-01

Validity is a central issue in portfolio-based assessment. This empirical study used a quantitative approach to analyse the validity of the inferences drawn from a disciplinary course work portfolio assessment comprising profession-specific and learning competencies. The study also examined the problems involved in the development of the…

Domestic Violence and Social Responsibility in Contemporary Spanish Cinema: A Portfolio View of Behavioral Dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Zanzana, Habib

2010-01-01

Domestic abuse continues to claim many lives in Spain despite a series of new laws to protect women and to punish abusers. This essay explores the cultural influences of contemporary Spanish cinema on domestic violence. Four films are assessed against a Portfolio Model of social responsibility that uses two basic dimensions: realism and human…

Portfolio Management System

Data.gov (United States)

US Agency for International Development — PfMS is an implementation of WorkLenz. WorkLenz is USAID's portfolio management system tool. It is a commercially available, off-the-shelf (COTS) package that...

Digital Portfolio: a Strategy for Teachers Professional Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Jans

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Teachers have to work with e-portfolio with theirstudents. This is a very demanding task because they neverwere educated with e-portfolio themselves. Therefore aEuropean Comenius project was submitted in 2005. In thisapproved project a whole week formation (april 2007 wasoffered to nineteen teachers from all over Europe. A yearlater they will meet again to see in what way the course hashad effects on their work with e-portfolio and students.Most interesting to notice was that the basic ICT-skills ofteachers are nowadays realized. However teachers are stillbusy with text and text-files. Rarely they uploadedmultimedia, like e.g. photo’s, video’s, youtube-movies, … intheir e-portfolio. The essential element of an e-portfolio, thepersonal and professional development plan, that forms thebackbone of the e-portfolio and offers the possibility tomake the e-portfolio an effective learning instrument wasunknown.

Using Facebook-Based e-Portfolio in ESL Writing Classrooms: Impact and Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Barrot, Jessie S.

2016-01-01

In English as a second language (ESL) writing pedagogy, much attention has been given to electronic portfolio (e-portfolio) assessment via social networking sites. However, little is known about how Facebook can be used as an e-portfolio platform. Hence, this paper describes the impact of Facebook-based e-portfolio on ESL students' writing…

E-Portfolio Web-based for Students’ Internship Program Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Juhana, A.; Abdullah, A. G.; Somantri, M.; Aryadi, S.; Zakaria, D.; Amelia, N.; Arasid, W.

2018-02-01

Internship program is an important part in vocational education process to improve the quality of competent graduates. The complete work documentation process in electronic portfolio (e-Portfolio) platform will facilitate students in reporting the results of their work to both university and industry supervisor. The purpose of this research is to create a more easily accessed e-Portfolio which is appropriate for students and supervisors’ need in documenting their work and monitoring process. The method used in this research is fundamental research. This research is focused on the implementation of internship e-Portfolio features by demonstrating them to students who have conducted internship program. The result of this research is to create a proper web-based e-Portfolio which can be used to facilitate students in documenting the results of their work and aid supervisors in monitoring process during internship.

Portfolio Careers and Work-Life Balance among Musicians: An Initial Study into Implications for Higher Music Education

Science.gov (United States)

Teague, Adele; Smith, Gareth Dylan

2015-01-01

Musicians are acknowledged to lead complex working lives, often characterised as portfolio careers. The higher music education research literature has tended to focus on preparing students for rich working lives and multiple identity realisations across potential roles. Extant literature does not address the area of work-life balance, which this…

Specifics of formation the portfolio of orders on the basis of break even analysis for Iron and Steel Works

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zambrzhitskaia Evgenia

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The issue of orders portfolio formation becomes more and more actual in terms of evolving economy crisis, consequences of which turned into the growing competition both in domestic and foreign markets. Goals of research – formalization of order portfolio formation procedure. The purpose of our academic research – to develop the algorithm for order portfolio formation suitable for iron and steel works. The article suggests the possibility of using break-even analysis indices, in particular, the research introduces a «break-even point» concept in terms of efficient order portfolio. Usage of break-even point indices is more preferable to others (marginal revenue, cost-effectiveness and etc. the main advantages of the suggested analysis are: 1 great information capacity from the point of management decision making; 2 the suggested analysis is less governed by price factor than marginal revenue.

Portfolio Optimization

OpenAIRE

Issagali, Aizhan; Alshimbayeva, Damira; Zhalgas, Aidana

2015-01-01

In this paper Portfolio Optimization techniques were used to determine the most favorable investment portfolio. In particular, stock indices of three companies, namely Microsoft Corporation, Christian Dior Fashion House and Shevron Corporation were evaluated. Using this data the amounts invested in each asset when a portfolio is chosen on the efficient frontier were calculated. In addition, the Portfolio with minimum variance, tangency portfolio and optimal Markowitz portfolio are presented.

Power from Perspective: Potential future United States energy portfolios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tonn, Bruce; Healy, K.C.; Gibson, Amy; Ashish, Ashutosh; Cody, Preston; Beres, Drew; Lulla, Sam; Mazur, Jim; Ritter, A.J.

2009-01-01

This paper presents United States energy portfolios for the year 2030, developed from seven different Perspectives. The Perspectives are characterized by different weights placed on fourteen defining values (e.g., cost, social acceptance). The portfolios were constructed to achieve three primary goals, energy independence, energy security, and greenhouse gas reductions. The portfolios are also evaluated over a comprehensive set of secondary criteria (e.g., economic growth, technical feasibility). It is found that very different portfolios based on very different defining values can achieve the three primary goals. Commonalities among the portfolios include reliance upon cellulosic ethanol, nuclear power, and energy efficiency to meet year 2030 energy demands. It is concluded that the US energy portfolio must be diverse and to achieve national energy goals will require an explicit statement of goals, a strong role for government, and coordinated action across society

Agriculture's portfolio for an uncertain future: Preparing for global warming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drabenstott, M.

1992-01-01

Farmers and foresters will adapt as the climate changes, but the attendant social costs call for policy steps now to encourage even more adaptation. The challenge to policymakers can be viewed as building a balanced portfolio of climate change assets and then managing it effectively. Put simply, investing in a diverse portfolio of agricultural assets must be viewed as prudent policy. The climate seems likely to change; how much and how soon, is not known. If the climate changes, there will be social costs to the nation, and the costs could be large. A prudent way to hedge the risk of those costs is to hold a diverse portfolio of assets and assure the flexibility to use them. Such a portfolio offers the best change for agriculture to adapt successfully to whatever climate unfolds. And even if the climate stays the same, investing in such a flexible portfolio will surely pay dividends in the stream of other changes bound to come. The present rich allocation of resources must be improved if they will be effective adapting agents in the future

Portfolio Diversification with Commodity Futures: Properties of Levered Futures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Woodard, J.D.; Egelkraut, T.M.; Garcia, P.; Pennings, J.M.E.

2005-01-01

Portfolio Diversification with Commodity Futures: Properties of Levered Futures This study extends previous work on the impact of commodity futures on portfolio performance by explicitly incorporating levered futures into the portfolio optimization problem. Using data on nine individual commodity

Portfolios for Majors in Professional Communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Killingsworth, M. Jimmie; Sanders, Scott P.

1987-01-01

Suggests general principles for developing assignments where students prepare portfolios that reveal their overall communication skills in addition to the usual job search tools. Emphasizes that students should concentrate on including works in the portfolio with the criteria of quality, variety, professionalism, and maturity in mind. (SKC)

AN EXAMPLE FOR PORTFOLIO PREPARATION IN GERMAN TEACHER TRAINING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hüseyin ARAK

2017-04-01

Full Text Available In this study we are trying with the help of portfolio in teacher training and the diagnosis of the learning group concerning their skills in translation from German to Turkish, to show the documentation of the learning process. The portfolio provides a good overview about the performance of the students and it also prepares a basis for assessment. A growing self-awareness of students can be achieved through implementing the portfolio-method. The students should collect and reflect the most important materials and practices leading to key terms of the seminar. It is more than an assessment method it is a surrounding of learning. The work with portfolio has an influence on teaching, learning and assessing. As in detail, this is dependent on the aims and other characteristics of the models which take the portfolio work as a basis. The portfolio provides us a big advantage for the support of the cultural reflection. We can observe the process of the growth of knowledge step by step, because the measurement of the development in a determined period allows us either a written work or a Multiple Choice Test. In this sense we can look at the portfolio as an assessment instrument of a process.

Large portfolio risk management and optimal portfolio allocation with dynamic elliptical copulas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Xisong

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Previous research has focused on the importance of modeling the multivariate distribution for optimal portfolio allocation and active risk management. However, existing dynamic models are not easily applied to high-dimensional problems due to the curse of dimensionality. In this paper, we extend the framework of the Dynamic Conditional Correlation/Equicorrelation and an extreme value approach into a series of Dynamic Conditional Elliptical Copulas. We investigate risk measures such as Value at Risk (VaR and Expected Shortfall (ES for passive portfolios and dynamic optimal portfolios using Mean-Variance and ES criteria for a sample of US stocks over a period of 10 years. Our results suggest that (1 Modeling the marginal distribution is important for dynamic high-dimensional multivariate models. (2 Neglecting the dynamic dependence in the copula causes over-aggressive risk management. (3 The DCC/DECO Gaussian copula and t-copula work very well for both VaR and ES. (4 Grouped t-copulas and t-copulas with dynamic degrees of freedom further match the fat tail. (5 Correctly modeling the dependence structure makes an improvement in portfolio optimization with respect to tail risk. (6 Models driven by multivariate t innovations with exogenously given degrees of freedom provide a flexible and applicable alternative for optimal portfolio risk management.

Fault Tolerant Distributed Portfolio Optimization in Smart Grids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juelsgaard, Morten; Wisniewski, Rafal; Bendtsen, Jan Dimon

2014-01-01

optimization scheme for power balancing, where communication is allowed only between units that are linked in the graph. We include consumers with controllable consumption as an active part of the portfolio. We show that a suboptimal, but arbitrarily good power balancing can be obtained in an uncoordinated......, distributed optimization framework, and argue that the scheme will work even if the computation time is limited. We further show that our approach can tolerate changes in the portfolio, in the sense that increasing or reducing the number of units in the portfolio requires only local updates. This ensures......This work considers a portfolio of units for electrical power production and the problem of utilizing it to maintain power balance in the electrical grid. We treat the portfolio as a graph in which the nodes are distributed generators and the links are communication paths. We present a distributed...

The use of e-portfolio in a linear algebra course

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Isabel García-Planas

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The use of e-portfolio becomes more common learning and student assessment; and this is due to the need for teachers to enhance students’ autonomy. The use of e-portfolio helps students to reflect on their own learning process. Lectures to large groups should not be limited only to classes, but must foster active learning, and in this regard, the introduction of the e-portfolio is a good tool because it stimulates collaborative and cooperative work among students and in turn encourages feedback with the teacher. To apply active methodologies during 2014-15 has been introduced in the course of the preparation of Linear Algebra comprehensive e-portfolio. To prepare the work of the e-portfolio the teacher had to clearly define the objectives that must be achieved by the students, and has had to plan in an understandable manner the tasks that the students can work independently outside the classroom. For the realization of the e-portfolio have been used different platforms. Each third of the students worked with a different platform, through AteneaLabs that it has provided templates in order that each student make their own e-portfolio, as well as it provide all necessary manuals. The platforms used were: Mahara, Exabis, WordPress and Google Sites. Formative assessment of the e-portfolio has been made from different rubrics defined in in the course syllabus and known by students since the beginning of the course.

ALPHA-BETA SEPARATION PORTFOLIO STRATEGIES FOR ISLAMIC FINANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentyn Khokhlov

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to develop a mathematical alpha-beta separation model that can be used to create a core-satellite portfolio management strategy that complies with the principles of Islamic finance. Methodology. Core-satellite portfolio construction methodology is used to implement the alpha-beta separation approach, where the core part of the portfolio is managed using the tracking error minimization strategy, and the satellite part of the portfolio is managed using the mean-variance optimization strategy. Results of the portfolio dynamics clearly show that a significant amount of value was created by alpha-beta separation. The typical alpha ranges from 4% to 5.7%. The most aggressive portfolio strategies that allow short positions in the satellite portfolio work best with frequent rebalancing and benefit from the active bets. Smoothing technique that was introduced to decrease the portfolio turnover and stabilize its composition works better when active bets are less efficient, particularly with less frequent rebalancing. The best risk-return combinations are achieved with modest (3% to 10% allocation of the total portfolio to the satellite, and the remaining part (90% to 97% being managed in order to minimize the tracking error. Practical implications. The alpha-beta separation framework suggested in this paper can be used to enhance the portfolio management techniques for the hedge funds that operate under tight restrictions, particularly under the Islamic finance principles. The mathematical models developed in this paper allow practical implementation of the alphabeta separation concept. Originality/value. While the idea of alpha-beta separation existed in hedge fund management before, there was no comprehensive mathematical model under it, so its implementation was based on the ad hoc approach. This paper introduces such a mathematical model and demonstrates how portfolio managers can create value for their clients using it.

Is a profile in social software a learning e-portfolio? If not, could any benefits be found from linking the two?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lise Agerbæk

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Denne artikel sammenligner lærings e-portfolier med profiler i social software (Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn. Ligheder mellem de to består i, at de begge er fora for selvfremstilling. Forskellen mellem dem består i, at selvet bliver fremstillet med to forskellige formål. Selvfremstillingen i social software sker for at være én i gruppen (af venner eller af professionelle. Det mulige selv-udtryk er defineret af den type input, som platformen vælger som vigtigt. I en e-portfolio er formålet at ”vise og fortælle” om kompetencer og udvikling – og dette sker gennem fri tekst og visuel formgivning. Dette er vanskeligt i det sociale software, vi kender i dag. I en e-portfolio demonstrerer måden du repræsenterer dig selv på din kommunikative kompetence. Bør uddannelsesinstitutioner så ignorere eller endog forbyde brugen af profiler? Artiklen foreslår en måde, hvorpå de ville kunne drage fordel af en dobbelt strategi. For det første sætter institutionen ved at igangsætte et e-portfolio-program eleverne/de studerende i stand til at udvikle og kende deres kompetencer som lærende. En af e-portfolio-litteraturens (Qvortrup, Lund, Ellmin hovedkonklusioner er, at refleksion over læring sætter den lærende i stand til at forstå og erkende egne kompetencer. For det andet kan brugen af social software influere den studerendes evne til at danne relationer – og fokusere kompetencen til at skabe og vedligeholde professionelle relationer. Denne strategi er en fordel, fordi den adresserer et problem, som institutioner ofte møder, når de igangsætter et e-portfolio-program. De studerende føler ikke nogen ”indre nødvendighed” i forhold til at udfylde dem. De ser ikke e-portfolien som en måde at overtale deres læsere – måske fordi de gennem e-portfolien taler til et ukendt publikum. Her diskuteres e-portfolien som retorisk diskurs følgende Lhoyd Bitzers begreb om den retoriske situation. For at etablere en sand retorisk

A diversified portfolio model of adaptability.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandra, Siddharth; Leong, Frederick T L

2016-12-01

A new model of adaptability, the diversified portfolio model (DPM) of adaptability, is introduced. In the 1950s, Markowitz developed the financial portfolio model by demonstrating that investors could optimize the ratio of risk and return on their portfolios through risk diversification. The DPM integrates attractive features of a variety of models of adaptability, including Linville's self-complexity model, the risk and resilience model, and Bandura's social cognitive theory. The DPM draws on the concept of portfolio diversification, positing that diversified investment in multiple life experiences, life roles, and relationships promotes positive adaptation to life's challenges. The DPM provides a new integrative model of adaptability across the biopsychosocial levels of functioning. More importantly, the DPM addresses a gap in the literature by illuminating the antecedents of adaptive processes studied in a broad array of psychological models. The DPM is described in relation to the biopsychosocial model and propositions are offered regarding its utility in increasing adaptiveness. Recommendations for future research are also offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Portfolio Assessment: Production and Reduction of Complexity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keiding, Tina Bering; Qvortrup, Ane

2015-01-01

Over the last two decades, the education system has witnessed a shift from summative, product-oriented assessment towards formative, process-oriented assessment. Among the different learning and assessment initiatives introduced in the slipstream of this paradigmatic turn, the portfolio seems...... to have become one of the most popular. By re-describing the portfolio from a systems theoretical point of view, this article discusses established expectations of the portfolio in relation to transparency in learning, reflexivity and self-assessment. It shows that the majority of the literature deals...... with what-questions and that the portfolio is expected to handle a number of challenges with regard to the documentation of learning processes and achievements as well as the conditioning of learning activities. Furthermore, is becomes clear that descriptions of how the portfolio works are sparse. Based...

An Extensive Evaluation of Portfolio Approaches for Constraint Satisfaction Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto Amadini

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In the context of Constraint Programming, a portfolio approach exploits the complementary strengths of a portfolio of different constraint solvers. The goal is to predict and run the best solver(s of the portfolio for solving a new, unseen problem. In this work we reproduce, simulate, and evaluate the performance of different portfolio approaches on extensive benchmarks of Constraint Satisfaction Problems. Empirical results clearly show the benefits of portfolio solvers in terms of both solved instances and solving time.

Backtesting Portfolio Value-at-Risk with Estimated Portfolio Weights

OpenAIRE

Pei Pei

2010-01-01

This paper theoretically and empirically analyzes backtesting portfolio VaR with estimation risk in an intrinsically multivariate framework. For the first time in the literature, it takes into account the estimation of portfolio weights in forecasting portfolio VaR and its impact on backtesting. It shows that the estimation risk from estimating the portfolio weights as well as that from estimating the multivariate dynamic model of asset returns make the existing methods in a univariate framew...

Using ePortfolios to Encourage Responsible Feedback

Science.gov (United States)

Morales, Lucia; Soler-Dominguez, Amparo

2015-01-01

This article aims to look at the value that ePortfolios can add to business studies, specifically in the financial field. In order to answer the question, "Do ePortfolios contribute to the development and enhancement of responsible feedback in the classroom?", the study analyzed the work done by postgraduate students pursuing a Master's…

Status of portfolios in undergraduate medical education in the LCME accredited US medical school.

Science.gov (United States)

Chertoff, Jason; Wright, Ashleigh; Novak, Maureen; Fantone, Joseph; Fleming, Amy; Ahmed, Toufeeq; Green, Marianne M; Kalet, Adina; Linsenmeyer, Machelle; Jacobs, Joshua; Dokter, Christina; Zaidi, Zareen

2016-09-01

We sought to investigate the number of US medical schools utilizing portfolios, the format of portfolios, information technology (IT) innovations, purpose of portfolios and their ability to engage faculty and students. A 21-question survey regarding portfolios was sent to the 141 LCME-accredited, US medical schools. The response rate was 50% (71/141); 47% of respondents (33/71) reported that their medical school used portfolios in some form. Of those, 7% reported the use of paper-based portfolios and 76% use electronic portfolios. Forty-five percent reported portfolio use for formative evaluation only; 48% for both formative and summative evaluation, and 3% for summative evaluation alone. Seventy-two percent developed a longitudinal, competency-based portfolio. The most common feature of portfolios was reflective writing (79%). Seventy-three percent allow access to the portfolio off-campus, 58% allow usage of tablets and mobile devices, and 9% involve social media within the portfolio. Eighty percent and 69% agreed that the portfolio engaged students and faculty, respectively. Ninety-seven percent reported that the portfolios used at their institution have room for improvement. While there is significant variation in the purpose and structure of portfolios in the medical schools surveyed, most schools using portfolios reported a high level of engagement with students and faculty.

Digital Portfolios: Powerful Marketing Tool for Communications Students

Science.gov (United States)

Nikirk, Martin

2008-01-01

A digital portfolio is a powerful marketing tool for young people searching for employment in the communication or interactive media fields. With a digital portfolio, students can demonstrate their skills at working with software tools, demonstrate appropriate use of materials, explain technical procedures, show an understanding of processes and…

Customer portfolios

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clarke, Ann Højbjerg; Freytag, Per Vagn; Zolkiewski, Judith

2017-01-01

gives managers a tool to help to cope with the dynamic aspects of the customer portfolio. Recognition of the importance of communication to the process, the development of trust and the role of legitimacy also provides areas that managers can focus upon in their relationship management processes......Purpose The purpose of this paper is to extend the discussion about customer portfolios beyond simple identification of models and how they can be used for balanced resource allocation to a discussion about how portfolios should take into account views from relationship partners and how they should...... that helps improve the understanding of how customer portfolio models can actually be applied from a relational perspective. Findings The key aspects of the conceptual framework relate to how alignment of the relationships in the portfolio is achieved. Critical to this are the interaction spaces...

Acreage portfolio management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, G.M.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that the need for managing the acreage portfolio in the UK North Sea arises from fragmentation of holdings and complex field partnerships. The main concepts are building up the heartlands and balancing cashflow forecasts. This has generated a number of friendly win-win deals, motivated by differences in perception of values. The business process includes identifying, evaluating and negotiating deals. The Petroleum Economist plays a central role throughout this process, seeking value gaps and supporting negotiations. Variations in reserves estimates present a major source of value gaps between buyer and seller. Economists need to work closely with engineers and geologists. Portfolio management is an exciting and challenging task which broadens the traditional role of the Petroleum Economist

Future Learning Strategy and ePortfolios in Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Dorninger

2008-03-01

Full Text Available The rapid change of the information andknowledge Society does no stop at education:communication, teaching and learning are changing due todigital media. Therefore at Austrian schools a “FutureLearning”- strategy was started in October 2007, where newforms of learning are underlined by new media and socialsoftware. This strategy will be presented. An important partof the strategy is the introduction of electronic Portfolios forstudents. Portfolios could be powerful tools to realizeindividualisation in formal education. There are two maintypes, the process portfolio for learning, working andreflection and the application portfolio for assessmentpurposes and job application. It is now possible to collectformal and informal competences and skills-orientedknowledge for the later professional career.

77 FR 55903 - Confirmation, Portfolio Reconciliation, Portfolio Compression, and Swap Trading Relationship...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-11

... Vol. 77 Tuesday, No. 176 September 11, 2012 Part II Commodity Futures Trading Commission 17 CFR Part 23 Confirmation, Portfolio Reconciliation, Portfolio Compression, and Swap Trading Relationship... FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION 17 CFR Part 23 RIN 3038-AC96 Confirmation, Portfolio Reconciliation, Portfolio...

Risk modelling in portfolio optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, W. H.; Jaaman, Saiful Hafizah Hj.; Isa, Zaidi

2013-09-01

Risk management is very important in portfolio optimization. The mean-variance model has been used in portfolio optimization to minimize the investment risk. The objective of the mean-variance model is to minimize the portfolio risk and achieve the target rate of return. Variance is used as risk measure in the mean-variance model. The purpose of this study is to compare the portfolio composition as well as performance between the optimal portfolio of mean-variance model and equally weighted portfolio. Equally weighted portfolio means the proportions that are invested in each asset are equal. The results show that the portfolio composition of the mean-variance optimal portfolio and equally weighted portfolio are different. Besides that, the mean-variance optimal portfolio gives better performance because it gives higher performance ratio than the equally weighted portfolio.

Optimization of China's generating portfolio and policy implications based on portfolio theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Lei; Fan, Ying

2010-01-01

This paper applies portfolio theory to evaluate China's 2020-medium-term plans for generating technologies and its generating portfolio. With reference to the risk of relevant generating-cost streams, the paper discusses China's future development of efficient (Pareto optimal) generating portfolios that enhance energy security in different scenarios, including CO 2 -emission-constrained scenarios. This research has found that the future adjustment of China's planned 2020 generating portfolio can reduce the portfolio's cost risk through appropriate diversification of generating technologies, but a price will be paid in the form of increased generating cost. In the CO 2 -emission-constrained scenarios, the generating-cost risk of China's planned 2020 portfolio is even greater than that of the 2005 portfolio, but increasing the proportion of nuclear power in the generating portfolio can reduce the cost risk effectively. For renewable-power generation, because of relatively high generating costs, it will be necessary to obtain stronger policy support to promote renewable-power development.

Military Social Work as an Exemplar in Teaching Social Work Competencies

Science.gov (United States)

Daley, James G.; Carlson, Joan; Evans, Pinkie

2015-01-01

This article is for social work educators unfamiliar with military social work and receptive to a number of exemplars to enhance teaching strategies within their courses. Because examples of military social work are directly tied to the Council on Social Work Education competencies, this article offers a number of suggested teaching strategies…

Portfolio-work and its effects on listening comprehension of very young learners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leeck Piri

2015-01-01

Full Text Available At elementary school the focus often lies on listening and speaking. While listening comprehension is the basis for learning a new language, children often feel differently about that. Many measure their success in their ability to speak. Some become frustrated, because they initially are not able to express much, not noticing how much they understand already. In my research I tried to find a way to help such children appreciate more what they have achieved so far. Through portfolio-work (self-evaluation and reflection I wanted them to see what is ‘unseen’, as well as get them to think about strategies that improve listening comprehension, as the following study report shows.

Portfolio and group work: an ECTS experience in physical education teacher training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cipriano Romero Cerezo

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Bearing in mind the new methodologies proposed within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA, we have used portfolios and group work as methodological strategies to develop constructivism and autonomy among students. A questionnaire on expectations and another one on assessment were administered to would-be Physical Education teachers in their first year at university. These questionnaires shed light on students’ beliefs regarding the use of these strategies for the improvement of their learning. To accomplish this, we used basic descriptive analysis, mean comparison, and effect size. The factorial analysis allowed us to establish shared ideas in relation to methodological strategies. In the discussion we draw the implications from this research.

Do Sustainable Stocks Offer Diversification Benefits for Conventional Portfolios? An Empirical Analysis of Risk Spillovers and Dynamic Correlations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Balcilar

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the potential diversification benefits of socially responsible investments for conventional stock portfolios by examining the risk spillovers and dynamic correlations between conventional and sustainability stock indexes from a number of regions. We observe significant unidirectional volatility transmissions from conventional to sustainable equities, suggesting that the criteria applied for socially responsible investments do not necessarily shield these securities from common market shocks. While significant dynamic correlations are observed between sustainable and conventional stocks, particularly in Europe, the analysis of both in- and out-of-sample dynamic portfolios suggests that supplementing conventional stock portfolios with sustainable counterparts improves the risk/return profile of stock portfolios in all regions. The findings overall suggest that sustainable investments can indeed provide diversification gains for conventional stock portfolios globally.

Military Social Work: Opportunities and Challenges for Social Work Education

Science.gov (United States)

Wooten, Nikki R.

2015-01-01

Military social work is a specialized field of practice spanning the micro-macro continuum and requiring advanced social work knowledge and skills. The complex behavioral health problems and service needs of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans highlight the need for highly trained social work professionals who can provide militarily relevant and…

[Portfolio in nursing school: myth or reality].

Science.gov (United States)

Garnier, Chantal; Marchand, Claire

2012-09-01

The portfolio is a new tool that has been introduced for the setting up of a new program concerning the nurse training. It aims at the would-be nurse to improve their self-reliance and make them assess themselves through a critical and reflexive approach. Indeed, the portfolio is mostly made up of sheets that the student has to fill in when describing and analysing several professional conditions. This study is about the assessment of the relevance in the portfolio that each nurse student owns in order to make them improve their reflexive practical. The work will, thus, suggest different ways of thinking and improving the use of the tool. 30 portfolios were chosen randomly among the 2nd year students, because 180 analysis were assessed thanks to a grid. 10 viewpoints from volunteer students were gathered after several semi directive interviews. The qualitative and evaluative analysis shows that the students develop the reflexive practical throughout their trainings. It seems, indeed, relevant to choose the portfolio in order to help the students to develop this way of working. According to them, there are several positive points such as the distance towards an event, an awareness-raising of the acquisition, feedbacks about the quality of the text by the trainer and an ability to assess oneself. Yet, even though it was created 18 months ago, there are some limits such as the too short period of mentoring and feedback, the lack of time for the students to write their analysis, the fact that it is not a practical tool, and the unclear description of assessment criteria. In order to fulfil the needs, some solutions are to be found. The portfolio is clearly helpful for the students who wish to increase/improve gradually their reflexive practice. Thus, the trainer's role is crucial, when he is a supervisor.

A portfolio evaluation framework for air transportation improvement projects

Science.gov (United States)

Baik, Hyeoncheol

This thesis explores the application of portfolio theory to the Air Transportation System (ATS) improvement. The ATS relies on complexly related resources and different stakeholder groups. Moreover, demand for air travel is significantly increasing relative to capacity of air transportation. In this environment, improving the ATS is challenging. Many projects, which are defined as technologies or initiatives, for improvement have been proposed and some have been demonstrated in practice. However, there is no clear understanding of how well these projects work in different conditions nor of how they interact with each other or with existing systems. These limitations make it difficult to develop good project combinations, or portfolios that maximize improvement. To help address this gap, a framework for identifying good portfolios is proposed. The framework can be applied to individual projects or portfolios of projects. Projects or portfolios are evaluated using four different groups of factors (effectiveness, time-to-implement, scope of applicability, and stakeholder impacts). Portfolios are also evaluated in terms of interaction-determining factors (prerequisites, co-requisites, limiting factors, and amplifying factors) because, while a given project might work well in isolation, interdependencies between projects or with existing systems could result in lower overall performance in combination. Ways to communicate a portfolio to decision makers are also introduced. The framework is unique because (1) it allows using a variety of available data, and (2) it covers diverse benefit metrics. For demonstrating the framework, an application to ground delay management projects serves as a case study. The portfolio evaluation approach introduced in this thesis can aid decision makers and researchers at universities and aviation agencies such as Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and Department of Defense (DoD), in

The Experimental Study on.the Risk Convergence of the Entrusted Portfolios of NSSF

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

QU Bao-zhong; PANG Qing

2008-01-01

This paper makes use of statistical tools of parameter correlation,multi-parameter regression,and does experimental analysis on issues of risk diversification of portfolios entrusted by National Social Security Fund (NSSF).The issues are industry related investment fieIds distribution,the trend of capitalization movement,and investment style factors in stock selection.The results show that there are risk problems with portfolios entrusted by NSSF,which include similar investment fields distribution trend,little difference among portfolios,and high risk preference degree.

Twelve tips for creating an academic teaching portfolio.

Science.gov (United States)

Little-Wienert, Kim; Mazziotti, Mark

2018-01-01

An academic teaching portfolio is not only a requirement at many academic teaching institutions, but it is also important in a medical educator's growth and development through documentation, reflection, evaluation, and change. Creating an academic portfolio may appear daunting at first but with careful advanced preparation, organized evidence collection of your educational work, proof of scholarship, and thorough documentation of self-reflection and change, you can produce a successful product that accurately represents your educational beliefs, accomplishments, and growth throughout your career. This article provides medical educators with twelve steps for creating a successful academic teaching portfolio.

The Impact of Transaction Costs on Rebalancing an Investment Portfolio in Portfolio Optimization

OpenAIRE

B. Marasović; S. Pivac; S. V. Vukasović

2015-01-01

Constructing a portfolio of investments is one of the most significant financial decisions facing individuals and institutions. In accordance with the modern portfolio theory maximization of return at minimal risk should be the investment goal of any successful investor. In addition, the costs incurred when setting up a new portfolio or rebalancing an existing portfolio must be included in any realistic analysis. In this paper rebalancing an investment portfolio in the pr...

Application of Markowitz Portfolio Theory by Building Optimal Portfolio on the US Stock Market

OpenAIRE

Širůček, Martin; Křen, Lukáš

2015-01-01

ŠIRŮČEK MARTIN, KŘEN LUKÁŠ. 2015. Application of Markowitz Portfolio Theory by Building Optimal Portfolio on the US Stock Market. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 63(4): 1375–1386. This paper is focused on building investment portfolios by using the Markowitz Portfolio Theory (MPT). Derivation based on the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is used to calculate the weights of individual securities in portfolios. The calculated portfolios include a po...

Leptokurtic portfolio theory

Science.gov (United States)

Kitt, R.; Kalda, J.

2006-03-01

The question of optimal portfolio is addressed. The conventional Markowitz portfolio optimisation is discussed and the shortcomings due to non-Gaussian security returns are outlined. A method is proposed to minimise the likelihood of extreme non-Gaussian drawdowns of the portfolio value. The theory is called Leptokurtic, because it minimises the effects from “fat tails” of returns. The leptokurtic portfolio theory provides an optimal portfolio for investors, who define their risk-aversion as unwillingness to experience sharp drawdowns in asset prices. Two types of risks in asset returns are defined: a fluctuation risk, that has Gaussian distribution, and a drawdown risk, that deals with distribution tails. These risks are quantitatively measured by defining the “noise kernel” — an ellipsoidal cloud of points in the space of asset returns. The size of the ellipse is controlled with the threshold parameter: the larger the threshold parameter, the larger return are accepted for investors as normal fluctuations. The return vectors falling into the kernel are used for calculation of fluctuation risk. Analogously, the data points falling outside the kernel are used for the calculation of drawdown risks. As a result the portfolio optimisation problem becomes three-dimensional: in addition to the return, there are two types of risks involved. Optimal portfolio for drawdown-averse investors is the portfolio minimising variance outside the noise kernel. The theory has been tested with MSCI North America, Europe and Pacific total return stock indices.

Selling an Energy Efficiency Loan Portfolio in Oregon: Resale of the Craft3 loan portfolio to Self-Help Credit Union

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thompson, Peter; Borgeson, Merrian; Kramer, Chris; Zimring, Mark; Goldman, Charles

2014-05-30

Under the Clean Energy Works (CEW) program, Craft3 developed a loan product that widened access to financing for homeowners, offered long term funding, and collected repayments through the customer?s utility bill. The program?s success led Craft3 to pursue the sale of the loan portfolio to both mitigate its own risks and replenish funds for lending. This sale breaks new ground for energy efficiency finance and is notable as it was completed even with many novel program design elements. It replenished Craft3?s program capital and uncovered some valuable lessons that may facilitate future transactions. However, the lack of data history and the unproven nature of the loan portfolio meant that Craft3 had to limit the risk of losses to Self-Help, the purchaser of the portfolio. It remains to be seen whether this experience will pave the way for more sales of on-bill energy efficiency loan portfolios. This case study illustrates how certain program design decisions can sometimes both facilitate programmatic objectives and possibly present challenges for the sale of a portfolio of energy efficiency loans.

Concurrent credit portfolio losses.

Science.gov (United States)

Sicking, Joachim; Guhr, Thomas; Schäfer, Rudi

2018-01-01

We consider the problem of concurrent portfolio losses in two non-overlapping credit portfolios. In order to explore the full statistical dependence structure of such portfolio losses, we estimate their empirical pairwise copulas. Instead of a Gaussian dependence, we typically find a strong asymmetry in the copulas. Concurrent large portfolio losses are much more likely than small ones. Studying the dependences of these losses as a function of portfolio size, we moreover reveal that not only large portfolios of thousands of contracts, but also medium-sized and small ones with only a few dozens of contracts exhibit notable portfolio loss correlations. Anticipated idiosyncratic effects turn out to be negligible. These are troublesome insights not only for investors in structured fixed-income products, but particularly for the stability of the financial sector. JEL codes: C32, F34, G21, G32, H81.

Successful healthcare programs and projects: organization portfolio management essentials.

Science.gov (United States)

Pickens, Scott; Solak, Jamie

2005-01-01

Many healthcare organization projects take more time and resources than planned and fail to deliver desired business outcomes. Healthcare IT is a major component of many projects and often undeservedly receives the blame for failure. Poor results are often not a result of faulty healthcare IT or poor project management or poor project execution alone. Many projects fail because of poor portfolio management--poor planning and management of the portfolio of initiatives designed to meet an organization's strategic goals. Because resources are limited, portfolio management enables organizations to more strategically allocate and manage their resources so care delivery, service delivery, and initiatives that advance organizations toward their strategic goals, including healthcare IT initiatives, can be accomplished at the levels of quality and service desired by an organization. Proper portfolio management is the essential foundation for program and project success and supports overall organization success. Without portfolio management, even programs and projects that execute flawlessly may not meet desired objectives. This article discusses the essential requirements for porfolio management. These include opportunity identification, return on investment (ROI) forecast, project prioritization, capacity planning (inclusive of human, financial, capital, and facilities resources), work scheduling, program and project management and execution, and project performance and value assessment. Portfolio management is essential to successful healthcare project execution. Theories are drawn from the Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3) work of the Project Management Institute and other leading strategy, planning, and organization change management research institutes.

Semantic modeling of portfolio assessment in e-learning environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucila Romero

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In learning environment, portfolio is used as a tool to keep track of learner’s progress. Particularly, when it comes to e-learning, continuous assessment allows greater customization and efficiency in learning process and prevents students lost interest in their study. Also, each student has his own characteristics and learning skills that must be taken into account in order to keep learner`s interest. So, personalized monitoring is the key to guarantee the success of technology-based education. In this context, portfolio assessment emerge as the solution because is an easy way to allow teacher organize and personalize assessment according to students characteristic and need. A portfolio assessment can contain various types of assessment like formative assessment, summative assessment, hetero or self-assessment and use different instruments like multiple choice questions, conceptual maps, and essay among others. So, a portfolio assessment represents a compilation of all assessments must be solved by a student in a course, it documents progress and set targets. In previous work, it has been proposed a conceptual framework that consist of an ontology network named AOnet which is a semantic tool conceptualizing different types of assessments. Continuing that work, this paper presents a proposal to implement portfolios assessment in e-learning environments. The proposal consists of a semantic model that describes key components and relations of this domain to set the bases to develop a tool to generate, manage and perform portfolios assessment.

Social Work Education Canada’s North : Capacity Building through Social Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douglas Durst

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The Faculty of Social Work program at the University of Regina is a broker for two social work programs north of the 60th parallel reaching the northern residents of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal ancestry. In addition, for over 30 years, the University of Regina partners with the First Nations University of Canada where a specialized Bachelor of Indian Social Work is offered and now a Master of Aboriginal Social Work. This paper presents the background to the Northern Human Service/BSW program at Yukon College in Whitehorse, Yukon and the Certificate of Social Work at the Aurora College in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

Indigenous People in a Landscape of Risk: Teaching Social Work Students about Socially Just Social Work Responses

Science.gov (United States)

Weaver, Hilary; Congress, Elaine

2009-01-01

The need for social justice in social work practice is particularly apparent in work with indigenous populations. In spite of the social work profession's commitment to social justice, social workers have often done significant harm in their work with indigenous peoples. Social work educators are ideally positioned to close this gap between social…

Designing a portfolio management programme to optimize cash-flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fassom, D.

1996-01-01

The design and implementation of any portfolio management programme must, by definition, be tailored to the drivers and particular objectives of the company owning the assets. This paper will concentrate on one of the most important driving forces, namely managing cash-flow. Five key steps are required to achieve an effective portfolio management programme: 1. establish targets/goals; 2. describe and value the assets in your company's portfolio; 3. identify and catalogue potential 'customers'; 4. construct appropriate deal structures and other strategies to achieve your targets; 5. work hard and do deals. (author)

78 FR 21045 - Confirmation, Portfolio Reconciliation, Portfolio Compression, and Swap Trading Relationship...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-09

... COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION 17 CFR Part 23 RIN 3038-AC96 Confirmation, Portfolio Reconciliation, Portfolio Compression, and Swap Trading Relationship Documentation Requirements for Swap Dealers... CFTC published final rules setting forth requirements for swap confirmation, portfolio reconciliation...

E-portfolios in university and blended learning settings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ørngreen, Rikke

2009-01-01

or case work, if the process of and interaction between the students are prioritised. The paper adds to the existing findings within ePortfolio and their application to formal learning settings. It discusses both the planning of and running the process, psychological barriers, students' motivation as well...... as more technological practical aspects of ePortfolio use, that are relevant for people engaged in IT and learning....

Mean-variance model for portfolio optimization with background risk based on uncertainty theory

Science.gov (United States)

Zhai, Jia; Bai, Manying

2018-04-01

The aim of this paper is to develop a mean-variance model for portfolio optimization considering the background risk, liquidity and transaction cost based on uncertainty theory. In portfolio selection problem, returns of securities and assets liquidity are assumed as uncertain variables because of incidents or lacking of historical data, which are common in economic and social environment. We provide crisp forms of the model and a hybrid intelligent algorithm to solve it. Under a mean-variance framework, we analyze the portfolio frontier characteristic considering independently additive background risk. In addition, we discuss some effects of background risk and liquidity constraint on the portfolio selection. Finally, we demonstrate the proposed models by numerical simulations.

The Science of Social Work and Its Relationship to Social Work Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Anastas, Jeane W.

2014-01-01

As John Brekke has observed, social work does not use the word "science" to define itself, suggesting a need to articulate a science of social work. This article discusses the science of social work and its relationship to social work practice in the United States, arguing that a "rapprochement" between practice and science…

Exploring Students’ Attitudes and Beliefs Towards E-Portfolios and Technology in Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gemma TUR

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This article reports on student teachers’ attitude towards technology in education and e-portfolio processes. Attitude is closely related to teachers’ beliefs and the later have been defined as second-order barriers. While an important effort has been made to overcome first-order barrier such as resources, training and support, it cannot be observed that technology has been successfully introduced in education. Therefore, second-order barriers such as attitudes and beliefs are being considered nowadays in order to address the lack of innovative use of technology by teachers. It has been argued that the introduction of technology has to be directed towards the empowerment of cognitive and high-level thinking skills and has to be used based on student-centred approaches. Building e-portfolios and helping students which grow and curate their own Personal Learning Environments (PLE are two approaches to go beyond technology-centered models. E-Portfolios are viewed as part of students’ PLE so social media are used to enhance both e-portfolio processes and students’ PLEs. The research is based on a survey in four groups of students at the local branch in Ibiza of the University of the Balearic Islands. The participants have previously built their e-portfolios with Web 2.0 tools during one semester. Students are asked to document their learning weekly and reflect on the change experienced in the way they think about educational issues. Students are also asked to use new tools and social media services to give evidence of their own learning. The survey is based on a Likert scale so as to be able to analyse the students’ attitude and beliefs towards their e-portfolio and technology in education. The results show that a generally positive attitude is developed by students. Conclusions highlight the slight difference in student teachers’ attitude between technology and specific e-portfolio processes.

Statistically Efficient Construction of α-Risk-Minimizing Portfolio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiroyuki Taniai

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We propose a semiparametrically efficient estimator for α-risk-minimizing portfolio weights. Based on the work of Bassett et al. (2004, an α-risk-minimizing portfolio optimization is formulated as a linear quantile regression problem. The quantile regression method uses a pseudolikelihood based on an asymmetric Laplace reference density, and asymptotic properties such as consistency and asymptotic normality are obtained. We apply the results of Hallin et al. (2008 to the problem of constructing α-risk-minimizing portfolios using residual signs and ranks and a general reference density. Monte Carlo simulations assess the performance of the proposed method. Empirical applications are also investigated.

The Use of Academic Portfolio in the Learning and Assessment of Physics Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meng Kay Ling

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research paper is to examine the use of portfolios in the teaching and learning of physics at a Singapore private college. The paper starts with a short introduction of the types of students and the purpose of using academic portfolios in their learning and assessment. Some ideas of how portfolios can be used in the local context will also be discussed. It is necessary for teachers to know how to incorporate portfolio assessment in their daily lesson plans. At the same time, students who are studying physics at the college should also know how to use portfolios to their academic advantage. The paper also highlights three of the relevant work artifacts that can be included into the physics portfolios. The three work samples are concept-maps, internet research reports and newspaper articles reports. Concept-maps are useful tools to help students establish the connections between concepts. Internet research reports serve as important means for students to know more about how some scientific devices or technology use physics in the operations. Newspaper articles reports allow students to understand the real impact of physics on the lives of people. Subsequent sections of the paper discuss about the organizational flow of the portfolio, the timeline, the selection process, the portfolio checklist and assessment rubrics, the positive influences of using portfolios, the issues to consider and also the potential problems that physics teachers may face in implementing portfolios. These sections present the important framework which teachers can use as references for their portfolio initiatives in schools.

Measuring Treasury Bond Portfolio Risk and Portfolio Optimization with a Non-Gaussian Multivariate Model

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Yijun

The research about measuring the risk of a bond portfolio and the portfolio optimization was relatively rare previously, because the risk factors of bond portfolios are not very volatile. However, this condition has changed recently. The 2008 financial crisis brought high volatility to the risk factors and the related bond securities, even if the highly rated U.S. treasury bonds. Moreover, the risk factors of bond portfolios show properties of fat-tailness and asymmetry like risk factors of equity portfolios. Therefore, we need to use advanced techniques to measure and manage risk of bond portfolios. In our paper, we first apply autoregressive moving average generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (ARMA-GARCH) model with multivariate normal tempered stable (MNTS) distribution innovations to predict risk factors of U.S. treasury bonds and statistically demonstrate that MNTS distribution has the ability to capture the properties of risk factors based on the goodness-of-fit tests. Then based on empirical evidence, we find that the VaR and AVaR estimated by assuming normal tempered stable distribution are more realistic and reliable than those estimated by assuming normal distribution, especially for the financial crisis period. Finally, we use the mean-risk portfolio optimization to minimize portfolios' potential risks. The empirical study indicates that the optimized bond portfolios have better risk-adjusted performances than the benchmark portfolios for some periods. Moreover, the optimized bond portfolios obtained by assuming normal tempered stable distribution have improved performances in comparison to the optimized bond portfolios obtained by assuming normal distribution.

Social Work or Relief Work? A Crisis in Professional Social Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adhikari Harasankar

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Social work is a sharing and caring profession based on scientific methods. This problem solving profession makes people self-reliant and self-dependent when he/she is in any sorts of crises. Thus, it differs from relief work, social services or social welfare delivered during emergence crises. This paper examined the application of professional social work as relief work, which did not bring any change among the beneficiaries; rather it set their mind as opportunist. For this purpose, the programme sponsored by the government of India and implemented by nongovernmental organizations for rehabilitation of the street children (i.e., pavements and slums dwellers, children of sex workers, and so forth of Metro cities like Kolkata had priority. This evaluative study assessed the progress and changes among 500 street children who were the beneficiaries for 10 years of the programme, selected according to their parental residents/occupation through stratified sampling. Interviews, case studies and group interaction were used to collect data on various aspects, i.e. personal background, education, and occupation of these children. It revealed that after almost 10 years of services, the problem of children was static. Firstly, service delivery system was as relief work. The methods of social work were not implied while the professionals were in implementation. On the other hand, the scope of monitoring and evaluation of the programme by government was suspended due to several reasons. Definitely, the politicalization in human development would be restricted. The problems of suffering would be root out and it should not be a continued process.

Parametric Portfolio Selection: Evaluating and Comparing to Markowitz Portfolios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelo C. Medeiros

2014-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper we exploit the parametric portfolio optimization in the Brazilian market. Our data consists of monthly returns of 306 Brazilian stocks in the period between 2001 and 2013. We tested the model both in and out of sample and compared the results with the value and equal weighted portfolios and with a Markowitz based portfolio. We performed statistical inference in the parametric optimization using bootstrap techniques in order to build the parameters empirical distributions. Our results showed that the parametric optimization is a very efficient technique out of sample. It consistently showed superior results when compared with the VW, EW and Markowitz portfolios even when transaction costs were included. Finally, we consider the parametric approach to be very flexible to the inclusion of constraints in weights, transaction costs and listing and delisting of stocks.

Portfolio analysis based on the example of Zagreb Stock Exchange

OpenAIRE

Bogdan, Sinisa; Baresa, Suzana; Ivanovic, Sasa

2010-01-01

In this paper we analyze the portfolio that was selected from the Zagreb Stock Exchange and also try to assess its risks and its future offerings that are relevant in making the decisions about investments. Through the work we will explain the importance of diversification and how the very diversification reduces risk. We will also analyze the systemic risk of individual stocks within the portfolio and the systemic risk of the given portfolio and explain its importance. Through regression ana...

Electronic portfolio motivational factors from students’ perspective: A qualitative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rokhsareh Mobarhan

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Electronic portfolio (e-Portfolio is known as an electronic learning record which collects the learning evidences, reflections and accomplishments. In fact, it tells the story of learning achievements. It is an important tool for students, lecturers, administrators and faculties to monitor the learning outcomes. Similarly to other technologies, e-Portfolio is also considered successful, if it is used by students continuously. Previous researches showed the importance of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in using any technologies. However, lack of motivation has been a major concern for developing any successful online learning environments. The aim of this paper is to explain the e-Portfolio motivational factors from students’ perspective. Interviews are conducted with students from one university in Malaysia in order to get better understanding of the phenomena. The target interviewees are bachelor students chosen from different faculties. Based on the qualitative content analysis of the interviews, the motivational factors affecting the continuous use of e-portfolio are coded in eight themes and then they categorized in four main groups of individual, system, social and environmental characteristics. Finally they are classified into intrinsic or extrinsic motivations.

Comprehensive Education Portfolio with a Career Focus

Science.gov (United States)

Kruger, Evonne J.; Holtzman, Diane M.; Dagavarian, Debra A.

2013-01-01

There are many types of student portfolios used within academia: the prior learning portfolio, credentialing portfolio, developmental portfolio, capstone portfolio, individual course portfolio, and the comprehensive education portfolio. The comprehensive education portfolio (CEP), as used by the authors, is a student portfolio, developed over…

Social Work Agonistes

Science.gov (United States)

Stoesz, David

2008-01-01

Social work should be founded on a powerful network of diverse practitioners applying the social sciences to advance social welfare today. Instead, social work education operates under the guise of identity politics, reserving its highest appointments for the politically correct and members of under-represented groups, with little concern for…

Academic portfolio in the digital era: organizing and maintaining a portfolio using reference managers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhargava, Puneet; Patel, Vatsal B; Iyer, Ramesh S; Moshiri, Mariam; Robinson, Tracy J; Lall, Chandana; Heller, Matthew T

2015-02-01

The academic portfolio has become an integral part of the promotions process. Creating and maintaining an academic portfolio in paper-based or web-based formats can be a cumbersome and time-consuming task. In this article, we describe an alternative way to efficiently organize an academic portfolio using a reference manager software, and discuss some of the afforded advantages. The reference manager software Papers (Mekentosj, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) was used to create an academic portfolio. The article outlines the key steps in creating and maintaining a digital academic portfolio. Using reference manager software (Papers), we created an academic portfolio that allows the user to digitally organize clinical, teaching, and research accomplishments in an indexed library enabling efficient updating, rapid retrieval, and easy sharing. To our knowledge, this is the first digital portfolio of its kind.

More efficient optimization of long-term water supply portfolios

Science.gov (United States)

Kirsch, Brian R.; Characklis, Gregory W.; Dillard, Karen E. M.; Kelley, C. T.

2009-03-01

The use of temporary transfers, such as options and leases, has grown as utilities attempt to meet increases in demand while reducing dependence on the expansion of costly infrastructure capacity (e.g., reservoirs). Earlier work has been done to construct optimal portfolios comprising firm capacity and transfers, using decision rules that determine the timing and volume of transfers. However, such work has only focused on the short-term (e.g., 1-year scenarios), which limits the utility of these planning efforts. Developing multiyear portfolios can lead to the exploration of a wider range of alternatives but also increases the computational burden. This work utilizes a coupled hydrologic-economic model to simulate the long-term performance of a city's water supply portfolio. This stochastic model is linked with an optimization search algorithm that is designed to handle the high-frequency, low-amplitude noise inherent in many simulations, particularly those involving expected values. This noise is detrimental to the accuracy and precision of the optimized solution and has traditionally been controlled by investing greater computational effort in the simulation. However, the increased computational effort can be substantial. This work describes the integration of a variance reduction technique (control variate method) within the simulation/optimization as a means of more efficiently identifying minimum cost portfolios. Random variation in model output (i.e., noise) is moderated using knowledge of random variations in stochastic input variables (e.g., reservoir inflows, demand), thereby reducing the computing time by 50% or more. Using these efficiency gains, water supply portfolios are evaluated over a 10-year period in order to assess their ability to reduce costs and adapt to demand growth, while still meeting reliability goals. As a part of the evaluation, several multiyear option contract structures are explored and compared.

Portfolio langagier en francais (Language Portfolios in French).

Science.gov (United States)

Laplante, Bernard; Christiansen, Helen

2001-01-01

Suggests that first-year college students learning French should create a language portfolio that contains documents that illustrate what they have learned in French, along with a brief statement of what linguistic skill the document demonstrates. The goal of the portfolio is to make students more aware of their own learning, their strengths, and…

Reel success creating demo reels and animation portfolios

CERN Document Server

Cabrera, Cheryl

2013-01-01

Are you an animator looking to get your foot in the door to the top studios?It's tough if you don't have a demo reel and portfolio that reflects your unique style and incredible talents.  The reception of that reel will make or break you; so it's no wonder that creating a demo reel can be such a daunting task.  Reel Success by Cheryl Cabrera can help.  This book guides you into putting the right content into your portfolio, how to cater to the right audience, and how to harness the power of social media and network effectively.  Accompanied by case studies of actual students

Do portfolios have a future?

Science.gov (United States)

Driessen, Erik

2017-03-01

While portfolios have seen an unprecedented surge in popularity, they have also become the subject of controversy: learners often perceive little gain from writing reflections as part of their portfolios; scholars question the ethics of such obligatory reflection; and students, residents, teachers and scholars alike condemn the bureaucracy surrounding portfolio implementation in competency-based education. It could be argued that mass adoption without careful attention to purpose and format may well jeopardize portfolios' viability in health sciences education. This paper explores this proposition by addressing the following three main questions: (1) Why do portfolios meet with such resistance from students and teachers, while educators love them?; (2) Is it ethical to require students to reflect and then grade their reflections?; (3) Does competency-based education empower or hamper the learner during workplace-based learning? Twenty-five years of portfolio reveal a clear story: without mentoring, portfolios have no future and are nothing short of bureaucratic hurdles in our competency-based education programs. Moreover, comprehensive portfolios, which are integrated into the curriculum and much more diverse in content than reflective portfolios, can serve as meaningful patient charts, providing doctor and patient with useful information to discuss well-being and treatment. In this sense, portfolios are also learner charts that comprehensively document progress in a learning trajectory which is lubricated by meaningful dialogue between learner and mentor in a trusting relationship to foster learning. If we are able to make such comprehensive and meaningful use of portfolios, then, yes, portfolios do have a bright future in medical education.

A Hybrid MCDM Approach for Strategic Project Portfolio Selection of Agro By-Products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Animesh Debnath

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Due to the increasing size of the population, society faces several challenges for sustainable and adequate agricultural production, quality, distribution, and food safety in the strategic project portfolio selection (SPPS. The initial adaptation of strategic portfolio management of genetically modified (GM Agro by-products (Ab-Ps is a huge challenge in terms of processing the agro food product supply-chain practices in an environmentally nonthreatening way. As a solution to the challenges, the socio-economic characteristics for SPPS of GM food purchasing scenarios are studied. Evaluation and selection of the GM agro portfolio management are the dynamic issues due to physical and immaterial criteria involving a hybrid multiple criteria decision making (MCDM approach, combining modified grey Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL, Multi-Attributive Border Approximation area Comparison (MABAC and sensitivity analysis. Evaluation criteria are grouped into social, differential and beneficial clusters, and the modified DEMATEL procedure is used to derive the criteria weights. The MABAC method is applied to rank the strategic project portfolios according to the aggregated preferences of decision makers (DMs. The usefulness of the proposed research framework is validated with a case study. The GM by-products are found to be the best portfolio. Moreover, this framework can unify the policies of agro technological improvement, corporate social responsibility (CSR and agro export promotion.

Financial planning working capital ventures using software «analyzer bdds» sold on the basis of selection of optimal bond portfolio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N.J. Timofeeva

2011-05-01

Full Text Available This article examines the financial planning of working capital organizations, in particular presented a software implementation of the algorithm analyzes the budget forecast working capital, identify and take advantage of temporarily free money using a model of a decision on the choice of the optimal bond portfolio, consistent with the free flow of liquidity of the enterprise.

Digital portfolio for learning: A new communication channel for education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Judit Coromina

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The Catalonian Government has the intention of introducing the digital portfolio before 2017, an initiative related to new approaches for learning. Taking in consideration the increasing interest for digital portfolio as a new communication channel for education, the article aims are: on the one hand to describe how the digital portfolio works and on the other hand, to identify a list of criteria that should be useful for educative centers to select the best application to create the digital portfolio according to their needs.Design/methodology/approach: Firstly, a theoretical framework for portfolio functioning is described. After, applications to support the digital portfolio are classified. Next, a requirement analysis on an ideal application to support the portfolio is made, according to those phases for the portfolio creation identified in the theoretical framework. Lastly, a list of criteria is established to select the application for creating the digital portfolio.Findings and Originality/value: The article contributes to structure the portfolio creation process in some stages and phases in a wider way that it is described in the literature. In addition, a list of criteria is defined to help educative centers to select the application for managing the portfolio that fits better with their objectives. These criteria have been obtained with an exhaustive methodology.Research limitations/implications: In order to put in practice the identified criteria it is proposed to complete the multi-criteria decision model in a new study. It should include processes to weigh criteria and define normalizations. Afterwards it would be able to analyze the value of the model studying the satisfaction for using it by a sample of educative centers.Practical implications: The list of criteria identified should facilitate the selection of the more adequate application to create the learning portfolio to the educative centers, according to their

Conditions for successful reflective use of portfolios in undergraduate medical education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Driessen, Erik W.; Van Tartwijk, Jan; Overeem, Karlijn; Vermunt, Jan D.; Van Der Vleuten, C. P M

2005-01-01

AIM: Portfolios are often used as an instrument with which to stimulate students to reflect on their experiences. Research has shown that working with portfolios does not automatically stimulate reflection. In this study we addressed the question: What are the conditions for successful reflective

An unbalanced portfolio.

Science.gov (United States)

Federsel, Hans-Jurgen

2009-06-01

An excellent demonstration of how meaningful and valuable conferences devoted to the topic of project and portfolio management in the pharmaceutical industry can be, was given at an event organized in Barcelona, September 2008. Thus, over this 2-day meeting the delegates were updated on the state of the art in this wide-reaching area from speakers representing an array of companies; from small, relatively new players, via mid-sized, to established large and big pharmas. One common theme that emerged was the importance of assessing the value of drug projects as correctly as possible, especially under the current financial climate and the many challenges facing the industry. Furthermore, experiences from constructing portfolios with the aim to minimize risk and maximize return on investment were shared alongside mathematical approaches to obtain the data required for this purpose and accounts of the pleasures and hardships working in a global context and in partnership constellations. Copyright 2009 Prous Science, S.A.U. or its licensors. All rights reserved.

Optimal consumption—portfolio problem with CVaR constraints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Qingye; Gao, Yan

2016-01-01

The optimal portfolio selection is a fundamental issue in finance, and its two most important ingredients are risk and return. Merton's pioneering work in dynamic portfolio selection emphasized only the expected utility of the consumption and the terminal wealth. To make the optimal portfolio strategy be achievable, risk control over bankruptcy during the investment horizon is an indispensable ingredient. So, in this paper, we consider the consumption-portfolio problem coupled with a dynamic risk control. More specifically, different from the existing literature, we impose a dynamic relative CVaR constraint on it. By the stochastic dynamic programming techniques, we derive the corresponding Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation. Moreover, by the Lagrange multiplier method, the closed form solution is provided when the utility function is a logarithmic one. At last, an illustrative empirical study is given. The results show the distinct difference of the portfolio strategies with and without the CVaR constraints: the proportion invested in the risky assets is reduced over time with CVaR constraint instead of being constant without CVaR constraints. This can provide a good decision-making reference for the investors.

Teacher Portfolios.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfe-Quintero, Kate; Brown, James Dean

1998-01-01

A portfolio of achievements, experiences, and reflections can help English-as-a-Second-Language teachers attain professional development goals and offer administrators greater insight for making informed hiring and job-performance decisions. This paper focuses on what teacher portfolios are, what their contents should be, and what their uses are…

PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS BASED ON THE EXAMPLE OF ZAGREB STOCK EXCHANGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sinisa Bogdan

2010-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper we analyze the portfolio that was selected from the Zagreb Stock Exchange and also try to assess its risks and its future offerings that are relevant in making the decisions about investments. Through the work we will explain the importance of diversification and how the very diversification reduces risk. We will also analyze the systemic risk of individual stocks within the portfolio and the systemic risk of the given portfolio and explain its importance. Through regression analysis we will analyze the securities with the highest and lowest systemic risk and will clarify the results. At the end we will explain the correlation in the selected portfolio and point out the importance of the correlation and diversification itself.

Decentralized portfolio management

OpenAIRE

Coutinho, Paulo; Tabak, Benjamin Miranda

2003-01-01

We use a mean-variance model to analyze the problem of decentralized portfolio management. We find the solution for the optimal portfolio allocation for a head trader operating in n different markets, which is called the optimal centralized portfolio. However, as there are many traders specialized in different markets, the solution to the problem of optimal decentralized allocation should be different from the centralized case. In this paper we derive conditions for the solutions to be equiva...

Sparse and stable Markowitz portfolios.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodie, Joshua; Daubechies, Ingrid; De Mol, Christine; Giannone, Domenico; Loris, Ignace

2009-07-28

We consider the problem of portfolio selection within the classical Markowitz mean-variance framework, reformulated as a constrained least-squares regression problem. We propose to add to the objective function a penalty proportional to the sum of the absolute values of the portfolio weights. This penalty regularizes (stabilizes) the optimization problem, encourages sparse portfolios (i.e., portfolios with only few active positions), and allows accounting for transaction costs. Our approach recovers as special cases the no-short-positions portfolios, but does allow for short positions in limited number. We implement this methodology on two benchmark data sets constructed by Fama and French. Using only a modest amount of training data, we construct portfolios whose out-of-sample performance, as measured by Sharpe ratio, is consistently and significantly better than that of the naïve evenly weighted portfolio.

Dynamic Portfolio Strategy Using Clustering Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Fei; Lu, Ya-Nan; Li, Sai-Ping; Jiang, Xiong-Fei; Zhong, Li-Xin; Qiu, Tian

2017-01-01

The problem of portfolio optimization is one of the most important issues in asset management. We here propose a new dynamic portfolio strategy based on the time-varying structures of MST networks in Chinese stock markets, where the market condition is further considered when using the optimal portfolios for investment. A portfolio strategy comprises two stages: First, select the portfolios by choosing central and peripheral stocks in the selection horizon using five topological parameters, namely degree, betweenness centrality, distance on degree criterion, distance on correlation criterion and distance on distance criterion. Second, use the portfolios for investment in the investment horizon. The optimal portfolio is chosen by comparing central and peripheral portfolios under different combinations of market conditions in the selection and investment horizons. Market conditions in our paper are identified by the ratios of the number of trading days with rising index to the total number of trading days, or the sum of the amplitudes of the trading days with rising index to the sum of the amplitudes of the total trading days. We find that central portfolios outperform peripheral portfolios when the market is under a drawup condition, or when the market is stable or drawup in the selection horizon and is under a stable condition in the investment horizon. We also find that peripheral portfolios gain more than central portfolios when the market is stable in the selection horizon and is drawdown in the investment horizon. Empirical tests are carried out based on the optimal portfolio strategy. Among all possible optimal portfolio strategies based on different parameters to select portfolios and different criteria to identify market conditions, 65% of our optimal portfolio strategies outperform the random strategy for the Shanghai A-Share market while the proportion is 70% for the Shenzhen A-Share market.

Dynamic Portfolio Strategy Using Clustering Approach.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fei Ren

Full Text Available The problem of portfolio optimization is one of the most important issues in asset management. We here propose a new dynamic portfolio strategy based on the time-varying structures of MST networks in Chinese stock markets, where the market condition is further considered when using the optimal portfolios for investment. A portfolio strategy comprises two stages: First, select the portfolios by choosing central and peripheral stocks in the selection horizon using five topological parameters, namely degree, betweenness centrality, distance on degree criterion, distance on correlation criterion and distance on distance criterion. Second, use the portfolios for investment in the investment horizon. The optimal portfolio is chosen by comparing central and peripheral portfolios under different combinations of market conditions in the selection and investment horizons. Market conditions in our paper are identified by the ratios of the number of trading days with rising index to the total number of trading days, or the sum of the amplitudes of the trading days with rising index to the sum of the amplitudes of the total trading days. We find that central portfolios outperform peripheral portfolios when the market is under a drawup condition, or when the market is stable or drawup in the selection horizon and is under a stable condition in the investment horizon. We also find that peripheral portfolios gain more than central portfolios when the market is stable in the selection horizon and is drawdown in the investment horizon. Empirical tests are carried out based on the optimal portfolio strategy. Among all possible optimal portfolio strategies based on different parameters to select portfolios and different criteria to identify market conditions, 65% of our optimal portfolio strategies outperform the random strategy for the Shanghai A-Share market while the proportion is 70% for the Shenzhen A-Share market.

The standard for portfolio management

CERN Document Server

2017-01-01

The Standard for Portfolio Management – Fourth Edition has been updated to best reflect the current state of portfolio management. It describe the principles that drive accepted good portfolio management practices in today’s organizations. It also expands the description of portfolio management to reflect its relation to organizational project management and the organization.

REFLECTIVE SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION IN SUPPORT OF SOCIALLY JUST SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE: THE EXPERIENCE OF SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS AT A UNIVERSITY IN SOUTH AFRICA

OpenAIRE

Esau, Merlene; Keet, Anneline

2014-01-01

Social justice and human dignity are core components of social work principles and ethics; therefore social work education should lead to socially just practice. Social workers’ ability to practise in a socially just manner relies significantly on their ability to reflect on the influence of their personal and professional socialisation and the structural inequalities that influence the lives of service users. In order to achieve a deep sense of social justice, social workers should be educat...

A Framework for Managing a Portfolio of Socially Responsible Investments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

W.G.P.M. Hallerbach (Winfried); H. Ning (Haikun); A.B.M. Soppe (Aloy); J. Spronk (Jaap)

2002-01-01

textabstractIn this paper we present and illustrate using real-life data a framework for managing an investment portfolio in which the investment opportunities are described in terms of a set of attributes and part of this set is intended to capture the effects on society. Here we link with the

Portfolios Dominating Indices: Optimization with Second-Order Stochastic Dominance Constraints vs. Minimum and Mean Variance Portfolios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neslihan Fidan Keçeci

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The paper compares portfolio optimization with the Second-Order Stochastic Dominance (SSD constraints with mean-variance and minimum variance portfolio optimization. As a distribution-free decision rule, stochastic dominance takes into account the entire distribution of return rather than some specific characteristic, such as variance. The paper is focused on practical applications of the portfolio optimization and uses the Portfolio Safeguard (PSG package, which has precoded modules for optimization with SSD constraints, mean-variance and minimum variance portfolio optimization. We have done in-sample and out-of-sample simulations for portfolios of stocks from the Dow Jones, S&P 100 and DAX indices. The considered portfolios’ SSD dominate the Dow Jones, S&P 100 and DAX indices. Simulation demonstrated a superior performance of portfolios with SD constraints, versus mean-variance and minimum variance portfolios.

Students' attitudes towards the introduction of a Personal and Professional Development portfolio: potential barriers and facilitators.

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Sarah; Maclachlan, Alison; Cleland, Jennifer

2009-12-01

Portfolios, widely used in undergraduate and postgraduate medicine, have variable purposes, formats and success. A recent systematic review summarised factors necessary for successful portfolio introduction but there are no studies investigating the views of students inexperienced in portfolio use towards portfolio learning. This study's aim was to survey student views about a prospective Professional and Personal Development (PPD) portfolio. This was a qualitative, focus group study. All focus groups were taped and transcribed verbatim, and anonymised. The transcripts were analysed inductively, using framework analysis. Four focus groups were carried out with 32 undergraduate medical students naïve in portfolio use. Three themes relevant to portfolio introduction emerged. The first theme was the need for clear information and support for portfolio introduction, and anxieties about how this could be supported effectively. The second was that students had negative views about reflective learning and whether this could be taught and assessed, believing formal assessment could foster socially acceptable content. The third was that participants revealed little understanding of reflective learning and its potential benefits. Rather portfolios were seen as useful for concrete purposes (e.g., job applications) not intrinsic benefits. Undergraduate medical students without experience of portfolios are anxious about portfolio introduction. They require support in developing reflective learning skills. Care must be taken to ensure students do not see portfolios as merely yet another assessment hurdle.

Post-modern portfolio theory supports diversification in an investment portfolio to measure investment's performance

OpenAIRE

Rasiah, Devinaga

2012-01-01

This study looks at the Post-Modern Portfolio Theory that maintains greater diversification in an investment portfolio by using the alpha and the beta coefficient to measure investment performance. Post-Modern Portfolio Theory appreciates that investment risk should be tied to each investor's goals and the outcome of this goal did not symbolize economic of the financial risk. Post-Modern Portfolio Theory's downside measure generated a noticeable distinction between downside and upside volatil...

Utility portfolio diversification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griffes, P.H.

1990-01-01

This paper discusses portfolio analysis as a method to evaluate utility supply decisions. Specifically a utility is assumed to increase the value of its portfolio of assets whenever it invests in a new supply technology. This increase in value occurs because the new asset either enhances the return or diversifies the risks of the firm's portfolio of assets. This evaluation method is applied to two supply innovations in the electric utility industry: jointly-owned generating plants and supply contracts with independent power producers (IPPs)

Narratives of Learning: The Personal Portfolio in the Portfolio Approach to Teaching and Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Leslie, Paul; Camargo-Borges, Celiane

2017-01-01

This paper will explore how a portfolio approach to teaching and learning can help the educator incorporate unique forms of reflective practice into his or her daily work. By being able to express ideas more clearly to himself, the educator can better promote the relational construction of knowledge in his educational communities. This paper, as…

Social Work Research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Social work research has gathered a greater transparency and clarity of identity in North American and parts of Europe. Furthermore, the rapid emergence of social work research in other European countries, China, India, Japan and elsewhere in Asia and Pacific Rim countries, and gradually in South...... America, has created a need for a collection that can contribute to both shaping and making accessible key and sometimes hard-to-access sources. This four-volume collection answers this need, bringing together key literature in a single resource and structuring it into thematic volumes to enable clear...... understanding of the different aspects involved in the research. Volume One: Historical Trajectories, Purposes and Key Concepts Volume Two: Key Decisions about Research Strategy Volume Three: The Practice of Social Work Research Volume Four: The Contexts of Social Work Research...

The value of eJournals to support ePortfolio development for assessment in teacher education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susan Crichton

2009-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents findings from a two-year pilot project into the use of ePortfolios as a tool for assessment in a two year, field-oriented, inquiry-based teacher preparation program. Participants consisted of five cohorts of pre-service student teachers and five instructors; interviews, focus groups, artifacts, and project meetings provided the raw data for analysis. The originality of this work rests in the importance of establishing an eJournal to accompany the ePortfolio. Based on our findings in this action research study, we challenge and add to the existing ePortfolio literature around such issues as ePortfolio project design, process vs. product, the use of templates, social software, and documentation. Résumé : Cet article présente les résultats d’un projet pilote de deux ans portant sur l’utilisation des portfolios électroniques comme outil d’évaluation au sein d’un programme de préparation des enseignants axé sur la recherche et la pratique d’une durée de deux ans. Les participants se composaient de cinq cohortes d’étudiants en enseignement non encore sur le marché du travail ainsi que de cinq instructeurs; les données brutes qui ont été analysées proviennent d’entretiens, de groupes de discussion, d’artefacts et de réunions de projet. L’originalité de ce travail réside dans l’importance attachée à la création d’un journal électronique pour accompagner le portfolio. Sur la base de nos conclusions dans cette étude de recherche appliquée, nous remettons en question la documentation existante tout en y contribuant sur des sujets tels que la conception du projet de portfolio électronique, la comparaison du processus et du produit, l’utilisation de modèles, les logiciels sociaux et la documentation.

Teaching Portfolio

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Christian Fischer

The present teaching portfolio has been submitted for evaluation in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the teacher training programme for Assistant Professors at Department of Engineering, Aarhus University, Denmark.......The present teaching portfolio has been submitted for evaluation in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the teacher training programme for Assistant Professors at Department of Engineering, Aarhus University, Denmark....

Portfolio optimization with mean-variance model

Science.gov (United States)

Hoe, Lam Weng; Siew, Lam Weng

2016-06-01

Investors wish to achieve the target rate of return at the minimum level of risk in their investment. Portfolio optimization is an investment strategy that can be used to minimize the portfolio risk and can achieve the target rate of return. The mean-variance model has been proposed in portfolio optimization. The mean-variance model is an optimization model that aims to minimize the portfolio risk which is the portfolio variance. The objective of this study is to construct the optimal portfolio using the mean-variance model. The data of this study consists of weekly returns of 20 component stocks of FTSE Bursa Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (FBMKLCI). The results of this study show that the portfolio composition of the stocks is different. Moreover, investors can get the return at minimum level of risk with the constructed optimal mean-variance portfolio.

The Use of ePortfolios to Support Metacognitive Practice in a First-Year Writing Program

Science.gov (United States)

Bowman, Jim; Lowe, Barbara J.; Sabourin, Katie; Sweet, Catherine Salomon

2016-01-01

Recognizing the importance of meaningful reflective writing as an integral component to the portfolios used in the first-year program (FYP), faculty questioned whether a newly developed electronic portfolio offered any pedagogical benefits over the existing traditional paper portfolio. Of particular interest for this work was whether the use of…

Households' portfolio choices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hochgürtel, S.

1998-01-01

This thesis presents four topics on households' portfolio choices. Empirically, households do not hold well-diversified wealth portfolios. In particular, they refrain from putting their savings into risky assets. We explore several ways that might help explaining this observation. Using Dutch

A Challenge to the Social Work Profession? The Rise of Socially Engaged Art and a Call to Radical Social Work.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hee Chul

2017-10-01

In this era of neoliberalism, social work in the United States is arguably overly professionalized and privatized, and has almost lost its activists roots in working for social justice. Radical social work rooted in macro-level community-based practice has been in crisis over the past three decades. The rise of socially engaged art has become more prominent in the United States even as social work has strayed away from its basic tenets such as community practice, advocacy, and social action. How should the social work profession interpret the rise of socially engaged art-already a trend in the art world-whose modality and purpose resembles radical social work? By comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences between radical social work and socially engaged art, this article examines the possibility of consilience between the two and the implications for the social work profession. © 2017 National Association of Social Workers.

Mindful Social Work?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debaene, Raf

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Mindfulness gets growing attention in the education and practice of social work. It is seen as an important source of inspiration for social work and as a counterbalance for the rationalization of social work. Hick states that mindfulness “is an orientation to our everyday experiences that can be cultivated by means of various exercises and practices. By opening up in a particular way to their internal and external experiences, social workers and clients are better able to understand what is happening to them in both a psychological and sociological sense. With this understanding, people are better able to see the variety of ways in which they can respond. Habitual reactions are more easily avoided, and inner peace and balance are developed” (Hick 2009: 1. Despite this praise of mindfulness as an important source of inspiration and the expectation that its popularity might expand in the next century, it is argued in this essay by Raf Debaene that mindfulness, although possibly very useful in some settings, had very little to do with social work.

Applying Portfolio Theory to EU Electricity Planning and Policy-Making

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Awerbuch, Shimon; Berger, Martin

2003-02-01

This study introduces mean-variance portfolio theory and evaluates its potential application to the development of efficient (optimal) European Union (EU-15) generating portfolios that enhance energy security and diversification objectives. The analysis extends to European countries the previous work done by Awerbuch in the US, and applies a significantly more detailed portfolio model that reflects the risk of the relevant generating cost streams: fuel, operation and maintenance and construction period costs. It illustrates the portfolio effects of different generating mixes. The study offers preliminary findings on the effects of including more renewable energy sources in the typical EU portfolio mix and suggests interesting directions for further study. The study arises from the perception that these standard, finance-oriented analyses may offer valuable enhancements to energy planning, and concepts of energy security and diversity. Clearly the combination of better portfolio construction and more accurate pricing should lead to more optimal decisions in the round. This study, therefore, represents an effort to complement traditional approaches and point researchers and planners into new territory. The results generally indicate that the existing and projected EU generating mixes are sub optimal - though slightly - from a risk-return perspective, which implies that feasible portfolios with lower cost and risk exist. These can be developed by adjusting the conventional mix and by including larger shares of wind or similar renewable technologies. The results of the portfolio analysis suggest that fixed cost technologies such as renewables must be a part of any efficient generating portfolio. Our assessment of all technologies is limited to risk and cost measures, although other benefits, including low externality costs and sustainability, are often cited for renewables.

Teaching empirical finance courses: A project on portfolio management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruce Morley

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article was to assess the use of a group-based project for an empirical finance type of course. It examines the outline of the project, the methodology the students are encouraged to follow and how the course is assessed. This approach enables the students to apply many of the techniques learnt on this course and other courses such as econometrics, to determine an optimal portfolio of assets given their view on the risks in the economy. The emphasis is on risk management through portfolio diversification and the use of a simple hedge strategy. The overall aim was to introduce the students to the basics of portfolio management, as many work in this industry for their industrial placements and when they graduate. The main contribution to the literature is through the analysis of an empirically based portfolio management project. The feedback from the students suggests they felt that they had learnt useful concepts and information, in an enjoyable exercise.

Business in Social Work Education: A Historically Black University's Social Work Entrepreneurship Project

Science.gov (United States)

Archibald, Paul; Muhammad, Omar; Estreet, Anthony

2016-01-01

The destabilization of the current economy has sparked increased interest in entrepreneurship, especially for underrepresented minority social work students. The entrepreneurial thinking of these social work students entering social work programs at historically Black colleges and universities needs to be fostered in a learning environment. This…

Evaluation of an established learning portfolio.

Science.gov (United States)

Vance, Gillian; Williamson, Alyson; Frearson, Richard; O'Connor, Nicole; Davison, John; Steele, Craig; Burford, Bryan

2013-02-01

The trainee-held learning portfolio is integral to the foundation programme in the UK. In the Northern Deanery, portfolio assessment is standardised through the Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) process. In this study we aimed to establish how current trainees evaluate portfolio-based learning and ARCP, and how these attitudes may have changed since the foundation programme was first introduced. Deanery-wide trainee attitudes were surveyed by an electronic questionnaire in 2009 and compared with perceptions recorded during the pilot phase (2004-2005).  Many trainees continue to view the e-portfolio negatively. Indeed, significantly fewer trainees in 2009 thought that the e-portfolio was a 'good idea' or a 'worthwhile investment of time' than in 2005. Trainees remain unconvinced about the educational value of the e-portfolio: fewer trainees in 2009 regarded it as a tool that might help focus on training or recognise individual strengths and weaknesses. Issues around unnecessary bureaucracy persist. Current trainees tend to understand how to use the e-portfolio, but many did not know how much, or what evidence to collect. Few supervisors were reported to provide useful guidance on the portfolio. ARCP encouraged portfolio completion but did not give meaningful feedback to drive future learning.   Continued support is needed for both trainees and supervisors in portfolio-building skills and in using the e-portfolio as an educational tool. Trainee-tailored feedback is needed to ensure that portfolio-based assessment promotes lifelong, self-directed and reflective learners. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2013.

Portfolio balancing and risk adjusted values under constrained budget conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacKay, J.A.; Lerche, I.

1996-01-01

For a given hydrocarbon exploration opportunity, the influences of value, cost, success probability and corporate risk tolerance provide an optimal working interest that should be taken in the opportunity in order to maximize the risk adjusted value. When several opportunities are available, but when the total budget is insufficient to take optimal working interest in each, an analytic procedure is given for optimizing the risk adjusted value of the total portfolio; the relevant working interests are also derived based on a cost exposure constraint. Several numerical illustrations are provided to exhibit the use of the method under different budget conditions, and with different numbers of available opportunities. When value, cost, success probability, and risk tolerance are uncertain for each and every opportunity, the procedure is generalized to allow determination of probable optimal risk adjusted value for the total portfolio and, at the same time, the range of probable working interest that should be taken in each opportunity is also provided. The result is that the computations of portfolio balancing can be done quickly in either deterministic or probabilistic manners on a small calculator, thereby providing rapid assessments of opportunities and their worth to a corporation. (Author)

Analysis of Scientific and Methodical Approaches to Portfolio Investment as a Tool of Financial Provision of Sustainable Economic Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leus Daryna V.

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The article analyses scientific and methodical approaches to portfolio investment. It develops recommendations on specification of the categorical apparatus of portfolio investment in the context of differentiation of strategic (direct and portfolio investments as alternative approaches to the conduct of investment activity. It identifies the composition and functions of objects and subjects of portfolio investment under conditions of globalisation of the world financial markets. It studies main postulates of the portfolio theory and justifies a necessity of identification of the place, role and functions of subjects of portfolio investment in them for ensuring sustainable development of the economy. It offers to specify, as one of the ways of further development of portfolio theories, a separate direction in the financial provision of economy with consideration of ecologic and social components – socio responsible investment.

12 CFR 347.108 - Portfolio investments.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Portfolio investments. 347.108 Section 347.108... INTERNATIONAL BANKING § 347.108 Portfolio investments. (a) Portfolio investments. If a bank, directly or indirectly, acquires or holds an equity interest in a foreign organization as a portfolio investment and the...

Social Work Education and Global Issues: Implications for Social Work Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Beverly L.

2011-01-01

If social workers are to become more effectively involved in international organizations and global issues, the international dimension of social work education must be strengthened. Educational programs for social workers around the world give only limited attention to social issues that extend beyond national boundaries. Schools of social work…

When Cloud Computing Meets with Semantic Web: A New Design for E-Portfolio Systems in the Social Media Era

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Paul; Ng, Chen Kee; Lim, Gloria

2010-01-01

The need, use, benefit and potential of e-portfolios have been analysed and discussed by a substantial body of researchers in the education community. However, the development and implementation approaches of e-portfolios to date have faced with various challenges and limitations. This paper presents a new approach of an e-portfolio system design…

Hvorfor anvende portfolio eksamen?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elley, Tina Ninka

2015-01-01

from the clinical part. The two topics are weighted according to the distribution of ECTS points between theory and clinic. We implemented the portfolio format in November 2012, and the evaluations from the students have shown that the format is good; the students get less stressed at the exam......In Denmark the Biomedical Laboratory Scientist programme lasts for 3½ years, divided into 14 modules of 10 weeks. Every module concludes with an exam, which can be very stressful for the students. A survey was made among the students, confirming this. How can we change some of the exams in order...... to minimize the students' stress level? Then the pedagogical considerations started – where and how to do this? The conclusion was to work with the portfolio format at module 6 and module 7 and make it the exam form, as it was possible to divide the expected learning outcome for the two modules into topics...

Portfolios in Saudi medical colleges

Science.gov (United States)

Fida, Nadia M.; Shamim, Muhammad S.

2016-01-01

Over recent decades, the use of portfolios in medical education has evolved, and is being applied in undergraduate and postgraduate programs worldwide. Portfolios, as a learning process and method of documenting and assessing learning, is supported as a valuable tool by adult learning theories that stress the need for learners to be self-directed and to engage in experiential learning. Thoughtfully implemented, a portfolio provides learning experiences unequaled by any single learning tool. The credibility (validity) and dependability (reliability) of assessment through portfolios have been questioned owing to its subjective nature; however, methods to safeguard these features have been described in the literature. This paper discusses some of this literature, with particular attention to the role of portfolios in relation to self-reflective learning, provides an overview of current use of portfolios in undergraduate medical education in Saudi Arabia, and proposes research-based guidelines for its implementation and other similar contexts. PMID:26905344

Existential Social Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donald F. Krill

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The existential impact upon social work began in the 1960’s with the emphasis upon freedom, responsibility and a sense of the absurd. It affirmed human potential while faulting the deterministic thinking that was popular with psychological theorists at that time. It was open to the prospects of spirituality, but was less than optimistic concerning great progress among social institutions. It was a forerunner to the strengths-based social work programs of our present day.

Report on Portfolio Companies with Operations in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA.

The activities of portfolio companies in South Africa are reviewed in this report from the Advisory Committee on Shareholder Responsibility of Harvard University. A brief review of recent South African political and economic events includes a discussion of the nation's leadership, long-term social and political projections, labor policies, and the…

Portfolio Analysis for Vector Calculus

Science.gov (United States)

Kaplan, Samuel R.

2015-01-01

Classic stock portfolio analysis provides an applied context for Lagrange multipliers that undergraduate students appreciate. Although modern methods of portfolio analysis are beyond the scope of vector calculus, classic methods reinforce the utility of this material. This paper discusses how to introduce classic stock portfolio analysis in a…

Optimal Portfolios in Wishart Models and Effects of Discrete Rebalancing on Portfolio Distribution and Strategy Selection

OpenAIRE

Li, Zejing

2012-01-01

This dissertation is mainly devoted to the research of two problems - the continuous-time portfolio optimization in different Wishart models and the effects of discrete rebalancing on portfolio wealth distribution and optimal portfolio strategy.

The admissible portfolio selection problem with transaction costs and an improved PSO algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Wei; Zhang, Wei-Guo

2010-05-01

In this paper, we discuss the portfolio selection problem with transaction costs under the assumption that there exist admissible errors on expected returns and risks of assets. We propose a new admissible efficient portfolio selection model and design an improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm because traditional optimization algorithms fail to work efficiently for our proposed problem. Finally, we offer a numerical example to illustrate the proposed effective approaches and compare the admissible portfolio efficient frontiers under different constraints.

Use of crops and livestock futures contracts in portfolios: an analysis of feasibility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mattos Fabio L.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available According to Portfolio Theory, by combining assets that show a correlation inferior to one (1 among their individual returns, it becomes possible to create portfolios that reduce risk without damaging expected return. Crop and livestock futures contracts and company stocks show such a characteristic, which signals potential benefits when forming portfolios combining these two types of assets. This investment strategy is not often utilized in Brazil. The purpose of our research was to assess whether such an asset combination is actually advantageous to those creating investment portfolios in the Brazilian market. Our evaluation used instruments of analysis developed by Markowitz in Portfolio Theory and data about the return from crop and livestock futures contracts and stocks. The data was gathered from the Brazilian Futures and Commodities Exchange (BM&F and Brazil?s National Association of Open Market Institutions (ANDIMA between July 1994 and December 1998. The results of this work showed that the combination of these two types of assets in investment portfolios can be an interesting portfolio management alternative.

Can E-Portfolio Improve Students’ Readiness to Find an IT Career?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdallah Tubaishat

2015-06-01

Full Text Available An E-Portfolio Assessment Management System (EAMS can be an innovative tool that provides students with flexible opportunities to demonstrate the acquisition of skills and abilities in an outcome-based institution. The system has been developed and used for the past ten years to create, reflect, revise, and structure students’ work. It is a repository management system that facilitates collecting, sharing, and presenting artifacts of student learning outcomes via a digital medium. Therefore, it provides students with flexible opportunities to demonstrate the acquisition of skills and abilities to demonstrate growth of achieving learning outcomes. The rationale of the EAMS is to allow students to demonstrate competences and reflect upon experiences to improve their learning and career readiness; hence, they are accountable for their learning. The system was built around two defined set of learning outcomes: institutionally agreed upon set of learning outcomes, and learning objectives that are related to major requirements. The purpose of this study is to analyze students’ perceptions and attitudes when using an e-portfolio to support their employment opportunities. The participants were 217 students in the College of Technological Innovation. The students reported that the developing of e-portfolios was extremely helpful. The results showed that students have positive opinions about using e-portfolios as a beneficial tool to support their readiness for employment; they believe an e-portfolio increases their confidence to find a job in the IT field because it can allow them to showcase artifacts that demonstrate competencies and reflect upon experiences, and they can provide their supervisors during their industrial training with an e-resume that includes views of their actual work of what they have learned and are able to do when they complete their degree. Employers then can review e-portfolios to select prospective employees work readiness

Portfolios dominating indices: Optimization with second-order stochastic dominance constraints vs. minimum and mean variance portfolios

OpenAIRE

Keçeci, Neslihan Fidan; Kuzmenko, Viktor; Uryasev, Stan

2016-01-01

The paper compares portfolio optimization with the Second-Order Stochastic Dominance (SSD) constraints with mean-variance and minimum variance portfolio optimization. As a distribution-free decision rule, stochastic dominance takes into account the entire distribution of return rather than some specific characteristic, such as variance. The paper is focused on practical applications of the portfolio optimization and uses the Portfolio Safeguard (PSG) package, which has precoded modules for op...

Portfolios Dominating Indices: Optimization with Second-Order Stochastic Dominance Constraints vs. Minimum and Mean Variance Portfolios

OpenAIRE

Neslihan Fidan Keçeci; Viktor Kuzmenko; Stan Uryasev

2016-01-01

The paper compares portfolio optimization with the Second-Order Stochastic Dominance (SSD) constraints with mean-variance and minimum variance portfolio optimization. As a distribution-free decision rule, stochastic dominance takes into account the entire distribution of return rather than some specific characteristic, such as variance. The paper is focused on practical applications of the portfolio optimization and uses the Portfolio Safeguard (PSG) package, which has precoded modules for op...

MARKOV CHAIN PORTFOLIO LIQUIDITY OPTIMIZATION MODEL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eder Oliveira Abensur

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The international financial crisis of September 2008 and May 2010 showed the importance of liquidity as an attribute to be considered in portfolio decisions. This study proposes an optimization model based on available public data, using Markov chain and Genetic Algorithms concepts as it considers the classic duality of risk versus return and incorporating liquidity costs. The work intends to propose a multi-criterion non-linear optimization model using liquidity based on a Markov chain. The non-linear model was tested using Genetic Algorithms with twenty five Brazilian stocks from 2007 to 2009. The results suggest that this is an innovative development methodology and useful for developing an efficient and realistic financial portfolio, as it considers many attributes such as risk, return and liquidity.

Portfolio i erhvervsuddannelserne

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2008-01-01

Materialet kombinerer korte film med introducerende tekster og belyser fra forskellige vinkler, hvordan portfolio kan bruges som evalueringsmetode i erhvervsuddannelserne. Udgiver: Undervisningsministeriet Udgivelsessted: Pub.uvm.dk......Materialet kombinerer korte film med introducerende tekster og belyser fra forskellige vinkler, hvordan portfolio kan bruges som evalueringsmetode i erhvervsuddannelserne. Udgiver: Undervisningsministeriet Udgivelsessted: Pub.uvm.dk...

Portfolio Management

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, Sharon L.

2011-01-01

Enterprise Business Information Services Division (EBIS) supports the Laboratory and its functions through the implementation and support of business information systems on behalf of its business community. EBIS Five Strategic Focus Areas: (1) Improve project estimating, planning and delivery capability (2) Improve maintainability and sustainability of EBIS Application Portfolio (3) Leap forward in IT Leadership (4) Comprehensive Talent Management (5) Continuous IT Security Program. Portfolio Management is a strategy in which software applications are managed as assets

Assessing the Value of Information for Identifying Optimal Floodplain Management Portfolios

Science.gov (United States)

Read, L.; Bates, M.; Hui, R.; Lund, J. R.

2014-12-01

Floodplain management is a complex portfolio problem that can be analyzed from an integrated perspective incorporating traditionally structural and nonstructural options. One method to identify effective strategies for preparing, responding to, and recovering from floods is to optimize for a portfolio of temporary (emergency) and permanent floodplain management options. A risk-based optimization approach to this problem assigns probabilities to specific flood events and calculates the associated expected damages. This approach is currently limited by: (1) the assumption of perfect flood forecast information, i.e. implementing temporary management activities according to the actual flood event may differ from optimizing based on forecasted information and (2) the inability to assess system resilience across a range of possible future events (risk-centric approach). Resilience is defined here as the ability of a system to absorb and recover from a severe disturbance or extreme event. In our analysis, resilience is a system property that requires integration of physical, social, and information domains. This work employs a 3-stage linear program to identify the optimal mix of floodplain management options using conditional probabilities to represent perfect and imperfect flood stages (forecast vs. actual events). We assess the value of information in terms of minimizing damage costs for two theoretical cases - urban and rural systems. We use portfolio analysis to explore how the set of optimal management options differs depending on whether the goal is for the system to be risk-adverse to a specified event or resilient over a range of events.

The Relationship of Social Pedagogy and Social Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blahoslav Kraus

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The article analyses the development of the relationship between social work and social pedagogy at the end of the 20th century in the Czech Republic and compares this relationship to the one in neighbouring countries (Germany, England, France, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Slovakia, Russia, Lithuania. The article further deals with various concepts of this relationship (including identification, differentiation, and convergent principle. It also compares the paradigms of social pedagogy and social work (autonomy, similarities and differences mainly in epistemological terms. Series of paradigms appear in both social work and social pedagogy during their development. A prevailing tendency towards the multi-paradigmatism can be seen. Furthermore, the article discusses the differences in professional aspirations within both fields and the number of job opportunities for the fields graduates. A conclusion of the article is dedicated to the professional career within social pedagogy and social work regarding the real life situation in both fields.

NONPERFORMING LOANS PORTFOLIO AND ITS EFFECT ON BANK PROFITABILITY IN NIGERIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John N. N. Ugoani

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Huge nonperforming loans portfolio erodes the ability of banks to make profits. In the 1990s and beyond many Nigerian banks became weak and highly unprofitable due to excessive nonperforming loans portfolio accumulated by bank promoters and management that led to their demise. Insider dealing was the major cause of large nonperforming loan portfolio in Nigeria, involving over-extension of loans to promoters, directors and significant others that became bad and irrecoverable. To clean up the mess in the banking sector and return the banks to the paths of sound management and profitability, the CBN had to inject about N700bn in a bailout exercise while purging the system of bad and irresponsible management teams .The exploratory research design was adopted. Data generated were organized and coded before they were classified. To achieve the objective of the study data analyses were done through descriptive and regression analyses using the statistical package for the social sciences for the regression. With the regression result of Y = 78.353 – 4.04x it was found that nonperforming loans portfolio has negative effect on bank profitability.

Risk Management of Interest Rate Derivative Portfolios: A Stochastic Control Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantinos Kiriakopoulos

2014-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper we formulate the Risk Management Control problem in the interest rate area as a constrained stochastic portfolio optimization problem. The utility that we use can be any continuous function and based on the viscosity theory, the unique solution of the problem is guaranteed. The numerical approximation scheme is presented and applied using a single factor interest rate model. It is shown how the whole methodology works in practice, with the implementation of the algorithm for a specific interest rate portfolio. The recent financial crisis showed that risk management of derivatives portfolios especially in the interest rate market is crucial for the stability of the financial system. Modern Value at Risk (VAR and Conditional Value at Risk (CVAR techniques, although very useful and easy to understand, fail to grasp the need for on-line controlling and monitoring of derivatives portfolio. The portfolios should be designed in a way that risk and return be quantified and controlled in every possible state of the world. We hope that this methodology contributes towards this direction.

Teaching Clinical Social Work under Occupation: Listening to the Voices of Palestinian Social Work Students

Science.gov (United States)

Kokaliari, Efrosini; Berzoff, Joan; Byers, David S.; Fareed, Anan; Berzoff-Cohen, Jake; Hreish, Khalid

2016-01-01

The authors were invited to teach clinical social work in the Palestinian West Bank. In order to teach, we designed a study exploring how 65 Palestinian social work students described the psychological and social effects of working under occupation. Students described social stressors of poverty, unemployment, lack of infrastructure, violence,…

Is Learner Self-Assessment Reliable and Valid in a Web-Based Portfolio Environment for High School Students?

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chi-Cheng; Liang, Chaoyun; Chen, Yi-Hui

2013-01-01

This study explored the reliability and validity of Web-based portfolio self-assessment. Participants were 72 senior high school students enrolled in a computer application course. The students created learning portfolios, viewed peers' work, and performed self-assessment on the Web-based portfolio assessment system. The results indicated: 1)…

Contract portfolio optimization for a gasoline supply chain

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shanshan

Major oil companies sell gasoline through three channels of trade: branded (associated with long-term contracts), unbranded (associated with short-term contracts), and spot market. The branded channel provides them with a long-term secured and sustainable demand source, but requires an inflexible long-term commitment with demand and price risks. The unbranded channel provides a medium level of allocation flexibility. The spot market provides them with the greatest allocation flexibility to the changing market conditions, but the spot market's illiquidity mitigates this benefit. In order to sell the product in a profitable and sustainable way, they need an optimal contract portfolio. This dissertation addresses the contract portfolio optimization problem from different perspectives (retrospective view and forward-looking view) at different levels (strategic level, tactical level and operational level). The objective of the retrospective operational model is to develop a financial case to estimate the business value of having a dynamic optimization model and quantify the opportunity values missed in the past. This model proves the financial significance of the problem and provides top management valuable insights into the business. BP has applied the insights and principles gained from this work and implemented the model to the entire Midwest gasoline supply chain to retrospectively review optimization opportunities. The strategic model is the most parsimonious model that captures the essential economic tradeoffs among different contract types, to demonstrate the need for a contract portfolio and what drives the portfolio. We examine the properties of the optimal contract portfolio and provide a comparative statics analysis by changing the model parameters. As the strategic model encapsulates the business problem at the macroscopic level, the tactical model resolves lower level issues. It considers the time dynamics, the information flow and contracting flow. Using

The Development of E-Portfolio Evaluation Criteria and Application to the Blackboard LMS E-Portfolio

Science.gov (United States)

McKenna, Gary F.; Stansfield, Mark H.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to develop e-portfolio evaluation criteria which will be used to review the Blackboard LMS e-portfolio being used at one Higher Education (HE) institution in the UK as evaluation criteria for reviewing e-portfolio provision does not exist in the literature. The approach taken was to initiate a wide literature search…

13 CFR 107.760 - How a change in size or activity of a Portfolio Concern affects the Licensee and the Portfolio...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... of a Portfolio Concern affects the Licensee and the Portfolio Concern. 107.760 Section 107.760... § 107.760 How a change in size or activity of a Portfolio Concern affects the Licensee and the Portfolio Concern. (a) Effect on Licensee of a change in size of a Portfolio Concern. If a Portfolio Concern no...

Annual Report: EPAct Complementary Program's Ultra-Deepwater R&D Portfolio and Unconventional Resources R&D Portfolio (30 September 2012)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,; Rose, Kelly [NETL; Hakala, Alexandra [NETL; Guthrie, George [NETL

2012-09-30

objective of this body of work is to build the scientific understanding and assessment tools necessary to develop the confidence that key domestic oil and gas resources can be produced safely and in an environmentally sustainable way. For the Deepwater and Ultra-Deepwater Portfolio, the general objective is to develop a scientific base for predicting and quantifying potential risks associated with exploration and production in extreme offshore environments. This includes: (1) using experimental studies to improve understanding of key parameters (e.g., properties and behavior of materials) tied to loss-of-control events in deepwater settings, (2) compiling data on spatial variability for key properties used to characterize and simulate the natural and engineered components involved in extreme offshore settings, and (3) utilizing findings from (1) and (2) in conjunction with integrated assessment models to model worst-case scenarios, as well as assessments of most likely scenarios relative to potential risks associated with flow assurance and loss of control. This portfolio and approach is responsive to key Federal-scale initiatives including the Ocean Energy Safety Advisory Committee (OESC). In particular, the findings and recommendations of the OESC's Spill Prevention Subcommittee are addressed by aspects of the Complementary Program research. The Deepwater and Ultra-Deepwater Portfolio is also aligned with some of the goals of the United States- Department of the Interior (US-DOI) led Alaska Interagency Working Group (AIWG) which brings together state, federal, and tribal government personnel in relation to energy-related issues and needs in the Alaskan Arctic. For the Unconventional Fossil Resources Portfolio, the general objective is to develop a sufficient scientific base for predicting and quantifying potential risks associated with the oil/gas resources in shale reservoirs that require hydraulic fracturing and/or other engineering measures to produce. The major

Robust Active Portfolio Management

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Erdogan, E; Goldfarb, D; Iyengar, G

2006-01-01

... on the portfolio beta, and limits on cash and industry exposure. We show that the optimal portfolios can be computed by solving second-order cone programs -- a class of optimization problems with a worst case complexity (i.e...

Universal portfolios generated by the Bregman divergence

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Choon Peng; Kuang, Kee Seng

2017-04-01

The Bregman divergence of two probability vectors is a stronger form of the f-divergence introduced by Csiszar. Two versions of the Bregman universal portfolio are presented by exploiting the mean-value theorem. The explicit form of the Bregman universal portfolio generated by a function of a convex polynomial is derived and studied empirically. This portfolio can be regarded as another generalized of the well-known Helmbold portfolio. By running the portfolios on selected stock-price data sets from the local stock exchange, it is shown that it is possible to increase the wealth of the investor by using the portfolios in investment.

Different Variants of Fundamental Portfolio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tarczyński Waldemar

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The paper proposes the fundamental portfolio of securities. This portfolio is an alternative for the classic Markowitz model, which combines fundamental analysis with portfolio analysis. The method’s main idea is based on the use of the TMAI1 synthetic measure and, in limiting conditions, the use of risk and the portfolio’s rate of return in the objective function. Different variants of fundamental portfolio have been considered under an empirical study. The effectiveness of the proposed solutions has been related to the classic portfolio constructed with the help of the Markowitz model and the WIG20 market index’s rate of return. All portfolios were constructed with data on rates of return for 2005. Their effectiveness in 2006- 2013 was then evaluated. The studied period comprises the end of the bull market, the 2007-2009 crisis, the 2010 bull market and the 2011 crisis. This allows for the evaluation of the solutions’ flexibility in various extreme situations. For the construction of the fundamental portfolio’s objective function and the TMAI, the study made use of financial and economic data on selected indicators retrieved from Notoria Serwis for 2005.

A Mean variance analysis of arbitrage portfolios

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Shuhong

2007-03-01

Based on the careful analysis of the definition of arbitrage portfolio and its return, the author presents a mean-variance analysis of the return of arbitrage portfolios, which implies that Korkie and Turtle's results ( B. Korkie, H.J. Turtle, A mean-variance analysis of self-financing portfolios, Manage. Sci. 48 (2002) 427-443) are misleading. A practical example is given to show the difference between the arbitrage portfolio frontier and the usual portfolio frontier.

Patent portfolio management: literature review and a proposed model.

Science.gov (United States)

Conegundes De Jesus, Camila Kiyomi; Salerno, Mario Sergio

2018-05-09

Patents and patent portfolios are gaining attention in the last decades, from the called 'pro-patent era' to the recent billionaire transactions involving patent portfolios. The field is growing in importance, both theoretically and practically and despite having substantial literature on new product development portfolio management, we have not found an article relating this theory to patent portfolios. Areas covered: The paper develops a systematic literature review on patent portfolio management to organize the evolution and tendencies of patent portfolio management, highlighting distinctive features of patent portfolio management. Interview with IP manager of three life sciences companies, including a leading multinational group provided relevant information about patent portfolio management. Expert opinion: Based on the systematic literature review on portfolio management, more specifically, on new product development portfolio theory, and interview the paper proposes the paper proposes a reference model to manage patent portfolios. The model comprises four stages aligned with the three goals of the NPD portfolio management: 1 - Linking strategy of the Company's NPD Portfolio to Patent Portfolio; 2 - Balancing the portfolio in buckets; 3 - Patent Valuation (maximizing valuation); 4 - Regularly reviewing the patent portfolio.

Producing the Professional Doctorate: The Portfolio as a Legitimate Alternative to the Dissertation

Science.gov (United States)

Maxwell, T. W.; Kupczyk-Romanczuk, G.

2009-01-01

This paper outlines the potential of the portfolio as a product of doctoral work, especially in the Professional Doctorates. It compares the traditional mode of a single, lengthy but clearly focused doctoral dissertation with the portfolio as a collection of shorter research reports, held together by a linking paper articulating the thesis. We…

Purchasing portfolio usage and purchasing sophistication

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gelderman, C.J.; Weele, van A.J.

2005-01-01

Purchasing portfolio models have caused considerable controversy in literature. Many advantages and disadvantages have been put forward, revealing a strong disagreement on the merits of portfolio models. This study addresses the question whether or not the use of purchasing portfolio models should

The Use of Academic Portfolio in the Learning and Assessment of Physics Students from a Singapore Private College

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meng Kay Ling

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research paper is to examine the use of portfolios in the teaching and learning of physics at a Singapore private college. The paper starts with a short introduction of the types of students and the purpose of using academic portfolios in their learning and assessment. Some ideas of how portfolios can be used in the local context will also be discussed. It is necessary for teachers to know how to incorporate portfolio assessment in their daily lesson plans. At the same time, students who are studying physics at the college should also know how to use portfolios to their academic advantage. The paper also highlights three of the relevant work artifacts that can be included into the physics portfolios. The three work samples are concept-maps, internet research reports and newspaper articles reports. Concept-maps are useful tools to help students establish the connections between concepts. Internet research reports serve as important means for students to know more about how some scientific devices or technology use physics in the operations. Newspaper articles reports allow students to understand the real impact of physics on the lives of people. Subsequent sections of the paper discuss about the organizational flow of the portfolio, the timeline, the selection process, the portfolio checklist and assessment rubrics, the positive influences of using portfolios, the issues to consider and also the potential problems that physics teachers may face in implementing portfolios. These sections present the important framework which teachers can use as references for their portfolio initiatives in schools.

Household portfolios and implicit risk aversion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bucciol, A.; Miniaci, R.

2008-01-01

We derive from a sample of US households the distribution of the risk aversion implicit in their portfolio choice. Our estimate minimizes the distance between the certainty equivalent return generated with observed portfolios and portfolios that are optimal in a mean-variance framework. Taking into

Hierarchical Portfolio Management: Theory and Applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

H. Ning (Haikun)

2007-01-01

textabstractUnder his own preference, how should an investor coordinate the asset managers such that his aggregated portfolio is optimized? The efficiency of each managed sub portfolio and the aggregation of all the sub portfolios are the 2 main underlying problems considered in this dissertation.

Quantitative investment strategies and portfolio management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Guo, J.

2012-01-01

This book contains three essays on alternative investments and portfolio management. Taking from a portfolio investor’s perspective, the first essay analyzes the portfolio implication of investing in hedge funds when there is a hedge fund lockup period. The second essay studies the investment

Project Portfolio Management Applications Testing

OpenAIRE

Paul POCATILU

2006-01-01

Many IT companies are running project simultaneously. In order to achieve the best results, they have to group to the project in portfolios, and to use specific software that helps to manage them. Project portfolio management applications have a high degree of complexity and they are very important for the companies that are using it. This paper focuses on some characteristics of the testing process for project portfolio management applications

Project Portfolio Management Applications Testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul POCATILU

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Many IT companies are running project simultaneously. In order to achieve the best results, they have to group to the project in portfolios, and to use specific software that helps to manage them. Project portfolio management applications have a high degree of complexity and they are very important for the companies that are using it. This paper focuses on some characteristics of the testing process for project portfolio management applications

Portfolio insurance using traded options

OpenAIRE

Machado-Santos, Carlos

2001-01-01

Literature concerning the institutional use of options indicates that the main purpose of option trading is to provide investors with the opportunity to create return distributions previously unavailable, considering that options provide the means to manipulate portfolio returns. In such a context, this study intends to analyse the returns of insured portfolios generated by hedging strategies on underlying stock portfolios. Because dynamic hedging is too expensive, we have hedged the stock po...

Minimum Variance Portfolios in the Brazilian Equity Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandre Rubesam

2013-03-01

Full Text Available We investigate minimum variance portfolios in the Brazilian equity market using different methods to estimate the covariance matrix, from the simple model of using the sample covariance to multivariate GARCH models. We compare the performance of the minimum variance portfolios to those of the following benchmarks: (i the IBOVESPA equity index, (ii an equally-weighted portfolio, (iii the maximum Sharpe ratio portfolio and (iv the maximum growth portfolio. Our results show that the minimum variance portfolio has higher returns with lower risk compared to the benchmarks. We also consider long-short 130/30 minimum variance portfolios and obtain similar results. The minimum variance portfolio invests in relatively few stocks with low βs measured with respect to the IBOVESPA index, being easily replicable by individual and institutional investors alike.

Social Work in the Engaged University

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Elisa M.; Pyles, Loretta

2013-01-01

This article identifies the importance of educating social work students and enlisting social work faculty to embrace the university-community engagement arena as a critical subfield of community practice. Through the lens of social work knowledge, values, and skills, the authors present three case studies of social workers who are working in the…

Sygeplejestuderendes brug af portfolio i klinisk undervisning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjorth, Anne Charlotte Overgaard; Bruhn, Helle

2014-01-01

Brugen af portfolio var mangelfuld, men et udviklingsprojekt i samarbejde med den kommunale sygepleje motiverede både sygeplejestuderende og kliniske vejledere til at anvende læringsdelen af portfolio aktivt.......Brugen af portfolio var mangelfuld, men et udviklingsprojekt i samarbejde med den kommunale sygepleje motiverede både sygeplejestuderende og kliniske vejledere til at anvende læringsdelen af portfolio aktivt....

Social Work Values in Human Services Administration: Implications for Social Work Education

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Larry D.; Hoefer, Richard

2014-01-01

The perceived wisdom in the social work education community, based on empirical research from the 1990s and the early part of this century, says that the master of social work (MSW) degree is not competitive with the master of business administration or the master of public administration to obtain top-level administration jobs in nonprofit…

Cluster analysis for portfolio optimization

OpenAIRE

Vincenzo Tola; Fabrizio Lillo; Mauro Gallegati; Rosario N. Mantegna

2005-01-01

We consider the problem of the statistical uncertainty of the correlation matrix in the optimization of a financial portfolio. We show that the use of clustering algorithms can improve the reliability of the portfolio in terms of the ratio between predicted and realized risk. Bootstrap analysis indicates that this improvement is obtained in a wide range of the parameters N (number of assets) and T (investment horizon). The predicted and realized risk level and the relative portfolio compositi...

Constant Proportion Portfolio Insurance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jessen, Cathrine

2014-01-01

on the theme, originally proposed by Fischer Black. In CPPI, a financial institution guarantees a floor value for the “insured” portfolio and adjusts the stock/bond mix to produce a leveraged exposure to the risky assets, which depends on how far the portfolio value is above the floor. Plain-vanilla portfolio...... insurance largely died with the crash of 1987, but CPPI is still going strong. In the frictionless markets of finance theory, the issuer’s strategy to hedge its liability under the contract is clear, but in the real world with transactions costs and stochastic jump risk, the optimal strategy is less obvious...

The Optimal Portfolio of PAYG Benefits and Funded Pensions in Germany

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Anders, Christoph; Groneck, Max

The combination of a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) and a self-funded pension system is studied from a portfolio perspective considering the trade-off between speculation and hedging. We analyze the German PAYG social security system and subsidized private savings (Riester pension). The return and the risk

The portfolio method as management support for patients with major depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Nunstedt, Håkan; Nilsson, Kerstin; Skärsäter, Ingela

2014-06-01

To describe how patients with major depression in psychiatric outpatient care use the portfolio method and whether the method helps the patients to understand their depression. Major depressive disorder is an increasing problem in society. Learning about one's depression has been demonstrated to be important for recovery. If the goal is better understanding and management of depression, learning must proceed on the patient's own terms, based on the patient's previous understanding of their depression. Learning must be aligned with patient needs if it is to result in meaningful and useful understanding. Each patient's portfolio consisted of a binder. Inside the binder, there was a register with predetermined flaps and questions. The patients were asked to work with the questions in the sections that built the content in the portfolio. Individual interviews with patients (n = 5) suffering from major depression according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) (American Psychiatric Association 1994) were repeatedly conducted between April 2008 and August 2009 in two psychiatric outpatient clinics in western Sweden. Data were analysed using latent content analysis. The results showed that the portfolio was used by patients as a management strategy for processing and analysis of their situation and that a portfolio's structure affects its usability. The patients use the portfolio for reflection on and confirmation of their progress, to create structure in their situation, as a management strategy for remembering situations and providing reminders of upcoming activities. Using a clearly structured care portfolio can enable participation and patient learning and help patients understand their depression. The portfolio method could provide a tool in psychiatric nursing that may facilitate patient understanding and increase self-efficacy. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Performance of the reverse Helmbold universal portfolio

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Choon Peng; Kuang, Kee Seng; Lee, Yap Jia

2017-04-01

The universal portfolio is an important investment strategy in a stock market where no stochastic model is assumed for the stock prices. The zero-gradient set of the objective function estimating the next-day portfolio which contains the reverse Kullback-Leibler order-alpha divergence is considered. From the zero-gradient set, the explicit, reverse Helmbold universal portfolio is obtained. The performance of the explicit, reverse Helmbold universal portfolio is studied by running them on some stock-price data sets from the local stock exchange. It is possible to increase the wealth of the investor by using these portfolios in investment.

Æstetik og portfolio

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hyldahl, Kirsten Kofod; Sams, Pernille; Egelund, Karen Stine

2017-01-01

Nærværende artikel præsenterer resultaterne af udviklingsprojektet ”Portfolio og æstetik” på pædagoguddannelsen i Hjørring. Projektet har til formål, gennem æstetisk formsprog, at stilladsere og fastholde de studerendes læreprocesser samt udvikle og implementere portfolio i studieaktiviteter på...

Specific patterns in portfolio analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Victoria ANGHELACHE

2013-11-01

Full Text Available In the mid-twentieth century, under an unprecedented growth of the business of trading in securities, the need to provide a modern framework for assessing the performance of portfolios of financial instruments was felt. To that effect, it is noted that over this period, more and more economists have attempted to develop statistical mathematical models that ensure the evaluation of profitability and portfolio risk securities. These models are considered to be part of "the modern portfolio theory".

Modern Portfolio Theory: Some Main Results

OpenAIRE

Müller, Heinz H.

2017-01-01

This article summarizes some main results in modern portfolio theory. First, the Markowitz approach is presented. Then the capital asset pricing model is derived and its empirical testability is discussed. Afterwards Neumann-Morgenstern utility theory is applied to the portfolio problem. Finally, it is shown how optimal risk allocation in an economy may lead to portfolio insurance

The Role of Agribusiness Assets in Investment Portfolios

OpenAIRE

Johnson, Michael; Malcolm, Bill; O'Connor, Ian

2006-01-01

Investment in agribusiness assets has grown significantly in recent years. The question of interest is whether including agribusiness assets in investment portfolios provide benefits. The effects of diversification by including agribusiness assets in two investment portfolios, a mixed asset portfolio and a diversified share portfolio was investigated using Markowitz’s (1952) Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) of mean-variance optimization. To measure the performance of agribusiness assets, an in...

The Optimal Portfolio Selection Model under g-Expectation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Li

2014-01-01

complicated and sophisticated, the optimal solution turns out to be surprisingly simple, the payoff of a portfolio of two binary claims. Also I give the economic meaning of my model and the comparison with that one in the work of Jin and Zhou, 2008.

Quantifying credit portfolio losses under multi-factor models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

G. Colldeforns-Papiol (Gemma); L. Ortiz Gracia (Luis); C.W. Oosterlee (Kees)

2018-01-01

textabstractIn this work, we investigate the challenging problem of estimating credit risk measures of portfolios with exposure concentration under the multi-factor Gaussian and multi-factor t-copula models. It is well-known that Monte Carlo (MC) methods are highly demanding from the computational

Performance of salmon fishery portfolios across western North America

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Jennifer R; Schindler, Daniel E; Armstrong, Jonathan B; Scheuerell, Mark D; Whited, Diane C; Clark, Robert A; Hilborn, Ray; Holt, Carrie A; Lindley, Steven T; Stanford, Jack A; Volk, Eric C

2014-01-01

Quantifying the variability in the delivery of ecosystem services across the landscape can be used to set appropriate management targets, evaluate resilience and target conservation efforts. Ecosystem functions and services may exhibit portfolio-type dynamics, whereby diversity within lower levels promotes stability at more aggregated levels. Portfolio theory provides a framework to characterize the relative performance among ecosystems and the processes that drive differences in performance. We assessed Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. portfolio performance across their native latitudinal range focusing on the reliability of salmon returns as a metric with which to assess the function of salmon ecosystems and their services to humans. We used the Sharpe ratio (e.g. the size of the total salmon return to the portfolio relative to its variability (risk)) to evaluate the performance of Chinook and sockeye salmon portfolios across the west coast of North America. We evaluated the effects on portfolio performance from the variance of and covariance among salmon returns within each portfolio, and the association between portfolio performance and watershed attributes. We found a positive latitudinal trend in the risk-adjusted performance of Chinook and sockeye salmon portfolios that also correlated negatively with anthropogenic impact on watersheds (e.g. dams and land-use change). High-latitude Chinook salmon portfolios were on average 2·5 times more reliable, and their portfolio risk was mainly due to low variance in the individual assets. Sockeye salmon portfolios were also more reliable at higher latitudes, but sources of risk varied among the highest performing portfolios. Synthesis and applications. Portfolio theory provides a straightforward method for characterizing the resilience of salmon ecosystems and their services. Natural variability in portfolio performance among undeveloped watersheds provides a benchmark for restoration efforts. Locally and regionally

Performance of salmon fishery portfolios across western North America.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Jennifer R; Schindler, Daniel E; Armstrong, Jonathan B; Scheuerell, Mark D; Whited, Diane C; Clark, Robert A; Hilborn, Ray; Holt, Carrie A; Lindley, Steven T; Stanford, Jack A; Volk, Eric C

2014-12-01

Quantifying the variability in the delivery of ecosystem services across the landscape can be used to set appropriate management targets, evaluate resilience and target conservation efforts. Ecosystem functions and services may exhibit portfolio-type dynamics, whereby diversity within lower levels promotes stability at more aggregated levels. Portfolio theory provides a framework to characterize the relative performance among ecosystems and the processes that drive differences in performance. We assessed Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. portfolio performance across their native latitudinal range focusing on the reliability of salmon returns as a metric with which to assess the function of salmon ecosystems and their services to humans. We used the Sharpe ratio (e.g. the size of the total salmon return to the portfolio relative to its variability (risk)) to evaluate the performance of Chinook and sockeye salmon portfolios across the west coast of North America. We evaluated the effects on portfolio performance from the variance of and covariance among salmon returns within each portfolio, and the association between portfolio performance and watershed attributes. We found a positive latitudinal trend in the risk-adjusted performance of Chinook and sockeye salmon portfolios that also correlated negatively with anthropogenic impact on watersheds (e.g. dams and land-use change). High-latitude Chinook salmon portfolios were on average 2·5 times more reliable, and their portfolio risk was mainly due to low variance in the individual assets. Sockeye salmon portfolios were also more reliable at higher latitudes, but sources of risk varied among the highest performing portfolios. Synthesis and applications . Portfolio theory provides a straightforward method for characterizing the resilience of salmon ecosystems and their services. Natural variability in portfolio performance among undeveloped watersheds provides a benchmark for restoration efforts. Locally and regionally

The Future of Global Social Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miriam Potocky-Tripodi

2005-05-01

Full Text Available This article addresses the social work within the context of internationalism and globalization. Based on an examination of published documents on international social work in the past decade, the authors make an evidence-based projection of what is likely to occur in the future of global social work. Finally, the authors make a social work values-based projection of what should occur.

Ant colony algorithm for clustering in portfolio optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Subekti, R.; Sari, E. R.; Kusumawati, R.

2018-03-01

This research aims to describe portfolio optimization using clustering methods with ant colony approach. Two stock portfolios of LQ45 Indonesia is proposed based on the cluster results obtained from ant colony optimization (ACO). The first portfolio consists of assets with ant colony displacement opportunities beyond the defined probability limits of the researcher, where the weight of each asset is determined by mean-variance method. The second portfolio consists of two assets with the assumption that each asset is a cluster formed from ACO. The first portfolio has a better performance compared to the second portfolio seen from the Sharpe index.

Financial Advice and Individual Investor Portfolio Performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kramer, M.M.

2012-01-01

This paper investigates whether financial advisers add value to individual investors portfolio decisions by comparing portfolios of advised and self-directed (execution-only) Dutch individual investors. The results indicate significant differences in characteristics and portfolios between these

Decentralized Portfolio Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin Miranda Tabak

2003-12-01

Full Text Available We use a mean-variance model to analyze the problem of decentralized portfolio management. We find the solution for the optimal portfolio allocation for a head trader operating in n different markets, which is called the optimal centralized portfolio. However, as there are many traders specialized in different markets, the solution to the problem of optimal decentralized allocation should be different from the centralized case. In this paper we derive conditions for the solutions to be equivalent. We use multivariate normal returns and a negative exponential function to solve the problem analytically. We generate the equivalence of solutions by assuming that different traders face different interest rates for borrowing and lending. This interest rate is dependent on the ratio of the degrees of risk aversion of the trader and the head trader, on the excess return, and on the correlation between asset returns.

Social Justice, Education and School Social Work in Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Nadir, Ural; Aktan, Mehmet Can

2015-01-01

This study focuses on welfare state, social justice and school social work interaction. In this paper, these three concepts' reflections in Turkey were mentioned. Researchers aimed to discuss how school social work (which is brought to the agenda recently) is important in the provision of social justice in Turkish public service delivery. [For the…

Optimal Portfolio Rebalancing Strategy : Evidence from Finnish Stocks

OpenAIRE

Savage, Akinwunmi

2010-01-01

Portfolio rebalancing is an established concept in portfolio management and investing generally. Assets within a portfolio have different return and risk prospects, and this inevitably leads them to drift away from their initial allocation weights overtime. Portfolio rebalancing is arguably the only method by which such assets can be reset to their initial weights, thus ensuring the portfolio reflects the risk appetite of the investor. Like many other concepts and practices in finance, portfo...

A Scoping Review of Social Media Use in Social Work Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Chitat

2016-01-01

The trend of using social media in social work is increasing, but research which systematically reviews and evaluates their uses in actual practice is limited. This article reviews the social work literature to identify the uses, benefits, and limitations of social media in social work practice, and identifies current gaps in the literature to provide recommendations for future social work research. Articles in 64 social work journals published between 2000 and 2014 were screened and analyzed. The included articles (n = 20) were analyzed with particular reference to their level of evidence and ways of social media use. The methodological quality of the studies in this review was low, and this was consistent with the findings of recent systematic reviews of social media use in medical healthcare. The findings initially suggested that social media can potentially contribute to various social work processes, including: service user engagement, need assessment, intervention, and program evaluation. Limitations include lack of quality control, reliability, confidentiality, and privacy. In social work, the dominant research concern in social media is more about professional ethics than their application in intervention. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

A Relationship Strategy Perspective on Relationship Portfolios

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ritter, Thomas; Andersen, Henrik

2014-01-01

The paper develops a three-dimensional portfolio model for business relationships which distinguishes among six different categories. Based on assessments of customer profitability, customer commitment, and growth potential, the positioning of a given customer relationship in the portfolio allows...... managers to determine appropriate customer relationship strategies and appropriate performance indicators. Results from applying the portfolio model are reported and managerial implications and future research are discussed.......The paper develops a three-dimensional portfolio model for business relationships which distinguishes among six different categories. Based on assessments of customer profitability, customer commitment, and growth potential, the positioning of a given customer relationship in the portfolio allows...

12 CFR 1252.1 - Enterprise portfolio holding criteria.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Enterprise portfolio holding criteria. 1252.1 Section 1252.1 Banks and Banking FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY ENTERPRISES PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS § 1252.1 Enterprise portfolio holding criteria. The Enterprises are required to comply with the portfolio holdings...

Social Work and Lived Citizenship

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Warming, Hanne; Fahnøe, Kristian

2017-01-01

Warming and Fahnøe offers, through introduction of the sensitising concept of lived citizenship and a socio-spatial perspective, a much needed renewal of the rights and strength based approach to social work practice and research towards an almost anthropological understanding of the social...... of meaning and power as (re-) producing practices through which clients experience and negotiate rights, responsibilities, participation, identity and belonging, and thereby of dynamics of inclusion and exclusion related to social work....... situation of vulnerable groups. Indeed, they show how the concept of lived citizenship, and four supporting concepts (disciplinary versus inclusive identity shaping; intimate citizenship; space; community governance) enables contextualized analyses of the complexities of social work as a social space...

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS - ARTHUR D. LITTLE MATRIX

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Curmei Catalin Valeriu

2011-07-01

Full Text Available In recent decades we have witnessed an unseen dynamism among companies, which is explained by their desire to engage in more activities that provide a high level of development and diversification. Thus, as companies are diversifying more and more, their managers confront a number of challenges arising from the management of resources for the product portfolio and the low level of resources with which companies can identify, at a time. Responding to these challenges, over time were developed a series of analytical product portfolio methods through which managers can balance the sources of cash flows from the multiple products and also can identify the place and role of products, in strategic terms, within the product portfolio. In order to identify these methods the authors of the present paper have conducted a desk research in order to analyze the strategic marketing and management literature of the last 2 decades. Widely were studied a series of methods that are presented in the marketing and management literature as the main instruments used within the product portfolio strategic planning process. Among these methods we focused on the Arthur D. Little matrix. Thus the present paper has the purpose to outline the characteristics and strategic implications of the ADL matrix within a company’s product portfolio. After conducting this analysis we have found that restricting the product portfolio analysis to the A.D.L. matrix is not a very wise decision. The A.D.L. matrix among with other marketing tools of product portfolio analysis have some advantages and disadvantages and is trying to provide, at a time, a specific diagnosis of a company’s product portfolio. Therefore, the recommendation for the Romanian managers consists in a combined use of a wide range of tools and techniques for product portfolio analysis. This leads to a better understanding of the whole mix of product markets, included in portfolio analysis, the strategic position

Extending the Ally Model of Social Justice to Social Work Pedagogy

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, Priscilla Ann

2014-01-01

Social work students, regardless of their multiple social identities in oppressed and oppressor groups, are called upon to take action against social injustice. This conceptual article introduces the Ally Model of social justice and its alignment with social work values and goals and recommends it to social work educators as a pedagogical tool to…

METHODICAL BASES OF MANAGEMENT OF INSURANCE PORTFOLIO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Serdechna Yulia

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Despite the considerable arsenal of developments in the issues of assessing the management of the insurance portfolio remains unresolved. In order to detail, specify and further systematize the indicators for the indicated evaluation, the publications of scientists are analyzed. The purpose of the study is to analyze existing methods by which it is possible to formulate and manage the insurance portfolio in order to achieve its balance, which will contribute to ensuring the financial reliability of the insurance company. Results. The description of the essence of the concept of “management of insurance portfolio”, as the application of actuarial methods and techniques to the combination of various insurance risks offered for insurance or are already part of the insurance portfolio, allowing to adjust the size and structure of the portfolio in order to ensure its financial stability, achievement the maximum level of income of an insurance organization, preservation of the value of its equity and financial security of insurance liabilities. It is determined that the main methods by which the insurer’s insurance portfolio can be formed and managed is the selection of risks; reinsurance operations that ensure diversification of risks; formation and placement of insurance reserves, which form the financial basis of insurance activities. The method of managing an insurance portfolio, which can be both active and passive, is considered. Conclusions. It is determined that the insurance portfolio is the basis on which all the activities of the insurer are based and which determines its financial stability. The combination of methods and technologies applied to the insurance portfolio is a management method that can be both active and passive and has a number of specific methods through which the insurer’s insurance portfolio can be formed and managed. It is substantiated that each insurance company aims to form an efficient and

Mean-Reverting Portfolio With Budget Constraint

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Ziping; Palomar, Daniel P.

2018-05-01

This paper considers the mean-reverting portfolio design problem arising from statistical arbitrage in the financial markets. We first propose a general problem formulation aimed at finding a portfolio of underlying component assets by optimizing a mean-reversion criterion characterizing the mean-reversion strength, taking into consideration the variance of the portfolio and an investment budget constraint. Then several specific problems are considered based on the general formulation, and efficient algorithms are proposed. Numerical results on both synthetic and market data show that our proposed mean-reverting portfolio design methods can generate consistent profits and outperform the traditional design methods and the benchmark methods in the literature.

Social Work and Science

Science.gov (United States)

Gehlert, Sarah

2016-01-01

Interest has grown in the past few years about the place of social work in science. Questions remain, such as whether social work should be considered a science, and if so, where it fits into the constellation of sciences. This article attempts to shed light on these questions. After briefly considering past and present constructions of science…

Documenting Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Efforts: The Quality Portfolio. A Statement from the Academic Hospitalist Taskforce

OpenAIRE

Taylor, Benjamin B.; Parekh, Vikas; Estrada, Carlos A.; Schleyer, Anneliese; Sharpe, Bradley

2013-01-01

Physicians increasingly investigate, work, and teach to improve the quality of care and safety of care delivery. The Society of General Internal Medicine Academic Hospitalist Task Force sought to develop a practical tool, the quality portfolio, to systematically document quality and safety achievements. The quality portfolio was vetted with internal and external stakeholders including national leaders in academic medicine. The portfolio was refined for implementation to include an outlined fr...

The implementation of portfolio assessment by the educators on the mathematics learning process in senior high school

Science.gov (United States)

Lestariani, Ida; Sujadi, Imam; Pramudya, Ikrar

2018-05-01

Portfolio assessment can shows the development of the ability of learners in a period through the work so that can be seen progress monitored learning of each learner. The purpose of research to describe and know the implementation of portfolio assessment on the mathematics learning process with the Senior High school math teacher class X as the subject because of the importance of applying the assessment for the progress of learning outcomes of learners. This research includes descriptive qualitative research type. Techniques of data collecting is done by observation method, interview and documentation. Data collection then validated using triangulation technique that is observation technique, interview and documentation. Data analysis technique is done by data reduction, data presentation and conclusion. The results showed that the steps taken by teachers in applying portfolio assessment obtained focused on learning outcomes. Student learning outcomes include homework and daily tests. Based on the results of research can be concluded that the implementation of portfolio assessment is the form of learning results are scored. Teachers have not yet implemented other portfolio assessment techniques such as student work.

Reliability of Portfolio: A Closer Look at Findings from Recent Publications

Science.gov (United States)

Oskay, Ozge Ozyalcin; Schallies, Michael; Morgil, Inci

2008-01-01

In this review article, conventional portfolio assessment and new developments in portfolio assessment are investigated. The concept of portfolio, portfolio building steps, contents of portfolio, evaluation of portfolio, advantages, disadvantages and concerns in using portfolio as well as validity and reliability of portfolio assessment are…

Vast Portfolio Selection with Gross-exposure Constraints().

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Jianqing; Zhang, Jingjin; Yu, Ke

2012-01-01

We introduce the large portfolio selection using gross-exposure constraints. We show that with gross-exposure constraint the empirically selected optimal portfolios based on estimated covariance matrices have similar performance to the theoretical optimal ones and there is no error accumulation effect from estimation of vast covariance matrices. This gives theoretical justification to the empirical results in Jagannathan and Ma (2003). We also show that the no-short-sale portfolio can be improved by allowing some short positions. The applications to portfolio selection, tracking, and improvements are also addressed. The utility of our new approach is illustrated by simulation and empirical studies on the 100 Fama-French industrial portfolios and the 600 stocks randomly selected from Russell 3000.

The political responsibility of Social Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teresa Zamanillo Peral

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The intention of this article is to try to recover a critical dialog between the politics and the social work. In this paper it argued that the politics is a dimension of the identity of the social work of which we cannot avoid. In this way, the politics and the social work, are doubly tied. On the one hand, the political power exercise corresponds to every citizen of the polis. And, on the other hand, the social work is narrowly tied to the social politics by means of its object of study. Our arguments it’s construct from a diagnosis of the social reality and professional that is held in this specific relationship. We claim to contribute with elements of analyses that help, not only to understand, but also answering politically as professionals of the social work and as citizen in the society.

Designing Modern Equity Portfolios

OpenAIRE

Ronald Jean Degen

2011-01-01

This aim of this paper is to describe possible ways of investing in equity; choosing the right stocks(among small-cap, large-cap, value, growth, and foreign) using fundamental analysis, defining their appropriate mix in the portfolios according to the desired return-risk profiles based on Markowitz?s modern portfolio theory, and using technical analysis to buy and sell them.

Social Work Experience and Development in China

Science.gov (United States)

Sibin, Wang

2013-01-01

This article presents the experience and limitations of government-run social work and the nonprofessional nature of social work, and suggests that the rapid development of social work and its professionalization are the inevitable results of the reform in the system. The author maintains that under market socialism, social work requires the…

Student evaluations of the portfolio process.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, John E; Airey, Tatum C; Bisso, Andrea M; Slack, Marion K

2011-09-10

To evaluate pharmacy students' perceived benefits of the portfolio process and to gather suggestions for improving the process. A questionnaire was designed and administered to 250 first-, second-, and third-year pharmacy students at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy. Although the objectives of the portfolio process were for students to understand the expected outcomes, understand the impact of extracurricular activities on attaining competencies, identify what should be learned, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and modify their approach to learning, overall students perceived the portfolio process as having less than moderate benefit. First-year students wanted more examples of portfolios while second- and third-year students suggested that more time with their advisor would be beneficial. The portfolio process will continue to be refined and efforts made to improve students' perceptions of the process as it is intended to develop the self-assessments skills they will need to improve their knowledge and professional skills throughout their pharmacy careers.

Portfolio optimization with skewness and kurtosis

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Weng Hoe; Jaaman, Saiful Hafizah Hj.; Isa, Zaidi

2013-04-01

Mean and variance of return distributions are two important parameters of the mean-variance model in portfolio optimization. However, the mean-variance model will become inadequate if the returns of assets are not normally distributed. Therefore, higher moments such as skewness and kurtosis cannot be ignored. Risk averse investors prefer portfolios with high skewness and low kurtosis so that the probability of getting negative rates of return will be reduced. The objective of this study is to compare the portfolio compositions as well as performances between the mean-variance model and mean-variance-skewness-kurtosis model by using the polynomial goal programming approach. The results show that the incorporation of skewness and kurtosis will change the optimal portfolio compositions. The mean-variance-skewness-kurtosis model outperforms the mean-variance model because the mean-variance-skewness-kurtosis model takes skewness and kurtosis into consideration. Therefore, the mean-variance-skewness-kurtosis model is more appropriate for the investors of Malaysia in portfolio optimization.

Managing R&D Alliance Portfolios

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engel Nielsen, Lars; Mahnke, Volker

2003-01-01

be observed in several companies engaged in the cross section of telecommunication and mobile technology where increased complexity magnifies managerial challenges. Drawing on modern portfolio theory, this paper offers a model for managing portfolios of R&D alliances. In particular, an analysis...

The Finite and Moving Order Multinomial Universal Portfolio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tan, Choon Peng; Pang, Sook Theng

2013-01-01

An upper bound for the ratio of wealths of the best constant -rebalanced portfolio to that of the multinomial universal portfolio is derived. The finite- order multinomial universal portfolios can reduce the implementation time and computer-memory requirements for computation. The improved performance of the finite-order portfolios on some selected local stock-price data sets is observed.

Toward Mentoring in Palliative Social Work: A Narrative Review of Mentoring Programs in Social Work.

Science.gov (United States)

Toh, Ying Pin; Karthik, R; Teo, Chia Chia; Suppiah, Sarasvathy; Cheung, Siew Li; Krishna, Lalit

2018-03-01

Mentoring by an experienced practitioner enhances professional well-being, promotes resilience, and provides a means of addressing poor job satisfaction and high burnout rates among medical social workers. This is a crucial source of support for social workers working in fields with high risk of compassion fatigue and burnout like palliative care. Implementing such a program, however, is hindered by differences in understanding and application of mentoring practice. This narrative review of mentoring practice in social work seeks to identify key elements and common approaches within successful mentoring programs in social work that could be adapted to guide the design of new mentoring programs in medical social work. Methodology and Data Sources: A literature search of mentoring programs in social work between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2015, using Pubmed, CINAHL, OVID, ERIC, Scopus, Cochrane and ScienceDirect databases, involving a senior experienced mentor and undergraduate and/or junior postgraduates, was carried out. A total of 1302 abstracts were retrieved, 22 full-text articles were analyzed, and 8 articles were included. Thematic analysis of the included articles revealed 7 themes pertaining to the mentoring process, outcomes and barriers, and the characteristics of mentoring relationships, mentors, mentees, and host organizations. Common themes in prevailing mentoring practices help identify key elements for the design of an effective mentoring program in medical social work. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings upon clinical practice in palliative care and on sustaining such a program.

Correlation risk and optimal portfolio choice

OpenAIRE

Buraschi, Andrea; Porchia, Paolo; Trojani, Fabio

2010-01-01

We develop a new framework for multivariate intertemporal portfolio choice that allows us to derive optimal portfolio implications for economies in which the degree of correlation across industries, countries, or asset classes is stochastic. Optimal portfolios include distinct hedging components against both stochastic volatility and correlation risk. We find that the hedging demand is typically larger than in univariate models, and it includes an economically significant covariance hedging...

Essays on Rational Portfolio Theory

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Simon Ellersgaard

market prices, we findonly a very modest improvement in portfolio wealth over the corresponding strategy whichonly trades in bonds and stocks. Optimal Hedge Tracking Portfolios in a Limit Order Book. In this paper we developa control theoretic solution to the manner in which a portfolio manager optimally...... shouldtrack a targeted D, given that he wishes to hedge a short position in European call optionsthe underlying of which is traded in a limit order book. Specifically, we are interested in theinterplay between posting limit and market orders respectively: when should the portfoliomanager do what (and at what......’s theory of optimal portfolio selection for wealth maximisingagents. In this paper we present a systematic analysis of the optimal asset allocation in aderivative-free market for the Heston model, the 3/2 model, and a Fong Vasicek type model.Under the assumption that the market price of risk...

Parametric Portfolio Policies with Common Volatility Dynamics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ergemen, Yunus Emre; Taamouti, Abderrahim

A parametric portfolio policy function is considered that incorporates common stock volatility dynamics to optimally determine portfolio weights. Reducing dimension of the traditional portfolio selection problem significantly, only a number of policy parameters corresponding to first- and second......-order characteristics are estimated based on a standard method-of-moments technique. The method, allowing for the calculation of portfolio weight and return statistics, is illustrated with an empirical application to 30 U.S. industries to study the economic activity before and after the recent financial crisis....

Vast Portfolio Selection with Gross-exposure Constraints*

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Jianqing; Zhang, Jingjin; Yu, Ke

2012-01-01

We introduce the large portfolio selection using gross-exposure constraints. We show that with gross-exposure constraint the empirically selected optimal portfolios based on estimated covariance matrices have similar performance to the theoretical optimal ones and there is no error accumulation effect from estimation of vast covariance matrices. This gives theoretical justification to the empirical results in Jagannathan and Ma (2003). We also show that the no-short-sale portfolio can be improved by allowing some short positions. The applications to portfolio selection, tracking, and improvements are also addressed. The utility of our new approach is illustrated by simulation and empirical studies on the 100 Fama-French industrial portfolios and the 600 stocks randomly selected from Russell 3000. PMID:23293404

Portfolio optimization retail investor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. А. Kiseleva

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article notes that the task of the investor's risk management is to, on the one hand, as much as possible to strive to achieve the criterion of risk level, and on the other hand, in any case not exceed it. Since the domestic theory of risk management is under development, the problem of the optimal ratio of "risk-income" becomes now of particular relevance. This article discusses the different distribution areas of the private investor in order to obtain the maximum profit. The analysis showed us the overall economic and political system of the country, as well as the legislative provision of guarantees to the investor. To obtain sufficient income and reduce losses it is important to maintain the optimum value found between the amount of the investor's risk and capital transactions. Model of optimal placement of funds led to the conclusion about inexpediency strong increase in the diversification of the investment portfolio (more than 10 different types of assets in the portfolio, since it increases the complexity of its practical form, while the portfolio characteristics are improved significantly. It is concluded that it is impossible to increase revenue without increasing the risk or reduce risk without reducing income. The analysis shows that there is no single best asset portfolio. It is impossible to increase revenue without increasing the risk or reduce risk without reducing income. Possible combination of the "riskincome" will depend on the objective function. Most diversified and bringing the best return per unit of risk, is a portfolio that contains the most risky assets.

Portfolio optimization and performance evaluation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juhl, Hans Jørn; Christensen, Michael

2013-01-01

Based on an exclusive business-to-business database comprising nearly 1,000 customers, the applicability of portfolio analysis is documented, and it is examined how such an optimization analysis can be used to explore the growth potential of a company. As opposed to any previous analyses, optimal...... customer portfolios are determined, and it is shown how marketing decision-makers can use this information in their marketing strategies to optimize the revenue growth of the company. Finally, our analysis is the first analysis which applies portfolio based methods to measure customer performance......, and it is shown how these performance measures complement the optimization analysis....

Motivating Freshman Students in a Business Management Course via Portfolios: Practice from a Greek Public University

Science.gov (United States)

Papadimitriou, Antigoni

2009-01-01

There are many ways to approach the evaluation of student learning. Portfolios, as collections of student work, are an increasingly popular assessment strategy, especially in the United States. Portfolios provide an exceptionally comprehensive picture of student learning. However, this assessment method requires extra effort to plan, to evaluate,…

Social Symbolic Work in Context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brincker, Benedikte

‘the good organisation’ may offer a supportive organisational framework for social symbolic work, thus promoting regional development in peripheral and poorly developed regions. Exploring what qualifies as a ‘good organisation’, the paper identifies three key elements: management, motivation......This paper reports on a research project that explores social symbolic work. The social symbolic work in question seeks to introduce education in entrepreneurship into the school curriculum in a remote part of Greenland – in order to contribute to regional development. The paper investigates how...

Interprofessional leadership training in MCH social work.

Science.gov (United States)

Pecukonis, Edward; Doyle, Otima; Acquavita, Shauna; Aparicio, Elizabeth; Gibbons, Maya; Vanidestine, Todd

2013-01-01

The need to train health social workers to practice interprofessionally is an essential goal of social work education. Although most health social workers have exposure to multidisciplinary practice within their field work, few social work education programs incorporate interprofessional learning as an integrated component of both course work and field experiences (McPherson, Headrick, & Moss, 2001; Reeves, Lewin, Espin, & Zwaranstein, 2010; Weinstein, Whittington, & Leiba, 2003). In addition, little is written about the kinds of curricula that would effectively promote interdisciplinary training for social work students. These findings are particularly puzzling since there is increasing and compelling evidence that interdisciplinary training improves health outcomes (IOM, 2001). This article describes a social work education program that incorporates an Interprofessional education and leadership curriculum for Maternal and Child Health Social Work (MCHSW) at the University of Maryland's School of Social Work. The University of Maryland's Interprofesisonal Training Model is described along with the components needed to formulate an interdisciplinary learning experience. Various outcomes and lessons learned are discussed.

Using Electronic Portfolios for Second Language Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Cummins, Patricia W.; Davesne, Celine

2009-01-01

Portfolio assessment as developed in Europe presents a learner-empowering alternative to computer-based testing. The authors present the European Language Portfolio (ELP) and its American adaptations, LinguaFolio and the Global Language Portfolio, as tools to be used with the Common European Framework of Reference for languages and the American…

Application of Performance Ratios in Portfolio Optimization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aleš Kresta

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The cornerstone of modern portfolio theory was established by pioneer work of Harry Markowitz. Based on his mean-variance framework, Sharpe formulated his well-known Sharpe ratio aiming to measure the performance of mutual funds. The contemporary development in computer’s computational power allowed to apply more complex performance ratios, which take into account also higher moments of return probability distribution. Although these ratios were proposed to help the investors to improve the results of portfolio optimization, we empirically demonstrated in our paper that this may not necessarily be true. On the historical dataset of DJIA components we empirically showed that both Sharpe ratio and MAD ratio outperformed Rachev ratio. However, for Rachev ratio we assumed only one level of parameters value. Different set-ups of parameters may provide different results and thus further analysis is certainly required.

Portfolio optimization with short-selling and spin-glass

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schianchi, A.; Bongini, L.; Degli Esposti, M.; Giardinà, C.

2002-01-01

n this paper, we solve a general problem of optimizing a portfolio in a futures markets framework, extending the previous work of Galluccio et al. [Physica A 259, 449 (1998)]. We allow for long buying/short selling of a relatively large number of assets, assuming a fixed level of margin requirement.

Internationalism in Social Work Education

Science.gov (United States)

Anders, J. R.

1975-01-01

Internationalism is the study of social work programs and philosophies in other countries. Knowledge of social work in other cultures provides valuable insight into dealing with cross-cultural and ethnic relationships in one's own country. (Editor/PG)

Robust Portfolio Optimization Using Pseudodistances

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

The presence of outliers in financial asset returns is a frequently occurring phenomenon which may lead to unreliable mean-variance optimized portfolios. This fact is due to the unbounded influence that outliers can have on the mean returns and covariance estimators that are inputs in the optimization procedure. In this paper we present robust estimators of mean and covariance matrix obtained by minimizing an empirical version of a pseudodistance between the assumed model and the true model underlying the data. We prove and discuss theoretical properties of these estimators, such as affine equivariance, B-robustness, asymptotic normality and asymptotic relative efficiency. These estimators can be easily used in place of the classical estimators, thereby providing robust optimized portfolios. A Monte Carlo simulation study and applications to real data show the advantages of the proposed approach. We study both in-sample and out-of-sample performance of the proposed robust portfolios comparing them with some other portfolios known in literature. PMID:26468948

Does health affect portfolio choice?

Science.gov (United States)

Love, David A; Smith, Paul A

2010-12-01

A number of recent studies find that poor health is empirically associated with a safer portfolio allocation. It is difficult to say, however, whether this relationship is truly causal. Both health status and portfolio choice are influenced by unobserved characteristics such as risk attitudes, impatience, information, and motivation, and these unobserved factors, if not adequately controlled for, can induce significant bias in the estimates of asset demand equations. Using the 1992-2006 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, we investigate how much of the connection between health and portfolio choice is causal and how much is due to the effects of unobserved heterogeneity. Accounting for unobserved heterogeneity with fixed effects and correlated random effects models, we find that health does not appear to significantly affect portfolio choice among single households. For married households, we find a small effect (about 2-3 percentage points) from being in the lowest of five self-reported health categories. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Robust Portfolio Optimization Using Pseudodistances.

Science.gov (United States)

Toma, Aida; Leoni-Aubin, Samuela

2015-01-01

The presence of outliers in financial asset returns is a frequently occurring phenomenon which may lead to unreliable mean-variance optimized portfolios. This fact is due to the unbounded influence that outliers can have on the mean returns and covariance estimators that are inputs in the optimization procedure. In this paper we present robust estimators of mean and covariance matrix obtained by minimizing an empirical version of a pseudodistance between the assumed model and the true model underlying the data. We prove and discuss theoretical properties of these estimators, such as affine equivariance, B-robustness, asymptotic normality and asymptotic relative efficiency. These estimators can be easily used in place of the classical estimators, thereby providing robust optimized portfolios. A Monte Carlo simulation study and applications to real data show the advantages of the proposed approach. We study both in-sample and out-of-sample performance of the proposed robust portfolios comparing them with some other portfolios known in literature.

Social Work Science and Knowledge Utilization

Science.gov (United States)

Marsh, Jeanne C.; Reed, Martena

2016-01-01

Objective: This article advances understanding of social work science by examining the content and methods of highly utilized or cited journal articles in social work. Methods: A data base of the 100 most frequently cited articles from 79 social work journals was coded and categorized into three primary domains: content, research versus…

The type k universal portfolio generated by the f-divergence

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Choon Peng; Seng, Kuang Kee

2017-11-01

The logarithm of the estimated next-day wealth return is approximated by k terms of its Taylor series. The resulting Type k universal portfolio generated by the f -divergence is obtained. An implicit form of the portfolio is also obtained by exploiting the mean-value theorem. An empirical study of the performance of the portfolio is focused on the Type 2 Helmbold universal portfolio. A few generalizations of the Helmbold universal portfolio have recently been studied, namely the reverse Helmbold and the parametric Helmbold portfolios. This new type of portfolio can be regarded a contribution to the inventory of Helmbold related universal portfolios. It is verified experimentally that an investor's wealth can be significantly increased by using the Type 2 Helmbold portfolio in investment.

Model to Estimate Monthly Time Horizons for Application of DEA in Selection of Stock Portfolio and for Maintenance of the Selected Portfolio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Claudio Isaias

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In the selecting of stock portfolios, one type of analysis that has shown good results is Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA. It, however, has been shown to have gaps regarding its estimates of monthly time horizons of data collection for the selection of stock portfolios and of monthly time horizons for the maintenance of a selected portfolio. To better estimate these horizons, this study proposes a model of mathematical programming binary of minimization of square errors. This model is the paper’s main contribution. The model’s results are validated by simulating the estimated annual return indexes of a portfolio that uses both horizons estimated and of other portfolios that do not use these horizons. The simulation shows that portfolios with both horizons estimated have higher indexes, on average 6.99% per year. The hypothesis tests confirm the statistically significant superiority of the results of the proposed mathematical model’s indexes. The model’s indexes are also compared with portfolios that use just one of the horizons estimated; here the indexes of the dual-horizon portfolios outperform the single-horizon portfolios, though with a decrease in percentage of statistically significant superiority.

Performance of finite order distribution-generated universal portfolios

Science.gov (United States)

Pang, Sook Theng; Liew, How Hui; Chang, Yun Fah

2017-04-01

A Constant Rebalanced Portfolio (CRP) is an investment strategy which reinvests by redistributing wealth equally among a set of stocks. The empirical performance of the distribution-generated universal portfolio strategies are analysed experimentally concerning 10 higher volume stocks from different categories in Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange. The time interval of study is from January 2000 to December 2015, which includes the credit crisis from September 2008 to March 2009. The performance of the finite-order universal portfolio strategies has been shown to be better than Constant Rebalanced Portfolio with some selected parameters of proposed universal portfolios.

Reflection during Portfolio-Based Conversations

Science.gov (United States)

Oosterbaan, Anne E.; van der Schaaf, Marieke F.; Baartman, Liesbeth K. J.; Stokking, Karel M.

2010-01-01

This study aims to explore the relationship between the occurrence of reflection (and non-reflection) and thinking activities (e.g., orientating, selecting, analysing) during portfolio-based conversations. Analysis of 21 transcripts of portfolio-based conversations revealed that 20% of the segments were made up of reflection (content reflection…

ePortfolio & learning styles in Nursing Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kirsten; Helms, Niels Henrik; Pedersen, Birthe D.

2012-01-01

Background Examination of the literature shows both advantages and disadvantages in implementing ePortfolio and learning styles in Nursing Education. The students reflect on nursing practice as well as on their strengths and weaknesses, and reflecting in the portfolio increases self-awareness, pe......Background Examination of the literature shows both advantages and disadvantages in implementing ePortfolio and learning styles in Nursing Education. The students reflect on nursing practice as well as on their strengths and weaknesses, and reflecting in the portfolio increases self...... in clinical settings. Insight into preferred learning style can be an advantage to both students and preceptors in attempt to promote students´ learning potential, but there are quite many different theoretical approaches and definitions of the concept, and reviewers call attention to the risk that teachers...... to intensify the differentiated guidance of students, and developed an ePortfolio which aim to facilitate four learning styles as described by Honey and Mumford. It was tested in a pilot project and now, a qualitative study of how learning is mediated in clinical education through this ePortfolio is passing...

Examining portfolio-based assessment in an upper-level biology course

Science.gov (United States)

Ziegler, Brittany Ann

Historically, students have been viewed as empty vessels and passive participants in the learning process but students actually are active forming their own conceptions. One way student learning is impacted is through assessment. Alternative assessment, which contrasts traditional assessment methods, takes into account how students learn by promoting engagement and construction of knowledge This dissertation explores portfolio-based assessment, a method of alternative assessment, which requires students to compose a purposeful collection of work demonstrating their knowledge in an upper-level biology course. The research objectives include characterizing and contributing to the understanding of portfolio-based assessment in higher education, examining reflection and inquiry portfolio components, determining student knowledge of biological concepts, and investigating student integrative thinking through the transformation of reflections into concept webs One main finding includes the majority of reflections categorized as naive or novice in quality. There was no difference in quality of reflections among biological topic. There was a relatively equal amount of high and low cognitive level questions. Students' knowledge of biological concepts significantly increased from the beginning to end of the course. Student written reflections were transformed into concept webs to allow for examination of student integrative thinking. Concepts, relationships, and interconnections in concept webs showed variation but declined by the end of the semester This study is one of the first examining portfolio-based assessment in an upper-level biology course We do not contend that this method of assessment is the only way to promote student learning but portfolio-based assessment may be a tool that can transform science education but currently the role of portfolio-based assessment in science education remains unclear. Additional research needs to be conducted before we will fully

A behavioural approach to financial portfolio selection problem: an empirical study using heuristics

OpenAIRE

Grishina, Nina

2014-01-01

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University The behaviourally based portfolio selection problem with investor's loss aversion and risk aversion biases in portfolio choice under uncertainty are studied. The main results of this work are developed heuristic approaches for the prospect theory and cumulative prospect theory models proposed by Kahneman and Tversky in 1979 and 1992 as well as an empirical comparative analysis of these models ...

Beating the market with small portfolios: Evidence from Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André A.P. Santos

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Optimal portfolios with a restriction on the number of assets, also referred to as cardinality-constrained portfolios, have been receiving attention in the literature due to its popularity among market practitioners and retail investors. In most cases, however, the interest is in proposing efficient optimization methods to solve the problem, with little or no attention to the characteristics of the resulting portfolio such as risk-adjusted performance and turnover. We address this question by implementing a tractable reformulation of the cardinality-constrained version of the minimum variance portfolio. We analyze the out-of-sample performance of cardinality-constrained portfolios according to alternative criteria and check the robustness of the results for portfolios with alternative number of assets and under alternative re-balancing frequencies. Our empirical application for the Brazilian equities market shows that cardinality-constrained minimum variance portfolios with very few assets, e.g. 3 stocks, can deliver statistically lower portfolio risk and higher Sharpe ratios in comparison to the market index. Similar results are obtained for constrained portfolios with 5 and 10 assets and under daily, weekly, and monthly re-balancing frequencies. Our evidence indicates that it is possible to obtain better risk-adjusted performance with fewer securities in the portfolio by using an improved allocation scheme.

Random Matrix Approach for Primal-Dual Portfolio Optimization Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Tada, Daichi; Yamamoto, Hisashi; Shinzato, Takashi

2017-12-01

In this paper, we revisit the portfolio optimization problems of the minimization/maximization of investment risk under constraints of budget and investment concentration (primal problem) and the maximization/minimization of investment concentration under constraints of budget and investment risk (dual problem) for the case that the variances of the return rates of the assets are identical. We analyze both optimization problems by the Lagrange multiplier method and the random matrix approach. Thereafter, we compare the results obtained from our proposed approach with the results obtained in previous work. Moreover, we use numerical experiments to validate the results obtained from the replica approach and the random matrix approach as methods for analyzing both the primal and dual portfolio optimization problems.

Construction of uncertainty sets for portfolio selection problems

OpenAIRE

Wiechers, Christof

2011-01-01

While modern portfolio theory grounds on the trade-off between portfolio return and portfolio variance to determine the optimal investment decision, postmodern portfolio theory uses downside risk measures instead of the variance. Prominent examples are given by the risk measures Value-at-Risk and its coherent extension, Conditional Value-at-Risk. When avoiding distributional assumptions on the process that generates the risky assets' returns, historical return data or expert knowledge remain ...

Formal Method of Description Supporting Portfolio Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Morimoto, Yasuhiko; Ueno, Maomi; Kikukawa, Isao; Yokoyama, Setsuo; Miyadera, Youzou

2006-01-01

Teachers need to assess learner portfolios in the field of education. However, they need support in the process of designing and practicing what kind of portfolios are to be assessed. To solve the problem, a formal method of describing the relations between the lesson forms and portfolios that need to be collected and the relations between…

The Evolution of Social Welfare and Social Work in Nigeria | Irele ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper focused on the evolution of social welfare and social work in Nigeria. It traced the historical trajectory of social work from the missionary period through the colonial period to the present day. The paper gave a vivid picture of how individuals who were philanthropists contributed to the evolution of social work and ...

Nurses' perceptions of e-portfolio use for on-the-job training in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Pei-Rong; Lee, Ting-Ting; Lin, Hung-Ru; Lee-Hsieh, Jane; Mills, Mary Etta

2015-01-01

Electronic portfolios can be used to record user performance and achievements. Currently, clinical learning systems and in-service education systems lack integration of nurses' clinical performance records with their education or training outcomes. For nurses with less than 2 years' work experience (nursing postgraduate year), use of an electronic portfolio is essential. This study aimed to assess the requirements of using electronic portfolios in continuing nursing education for clinical practices. Fifteen nurses were recruited using a qualitative purposive sampling approach between April 2013 and May 2013. After obtaining participants' consent, data were collected in a conference room of the study hospital by one-on-one semistructured in-depth interviews. Through data analyses, the following five main themes related to electronic learning portfolios were identified: instant access to in-service education information, computerized nursing postgraduate year training manual, diversity of system functions and interface designs, need for sufficient computers, and protection of personal documents. Because electronic portfolios are beginning to be used in clinical settings, a well-designed education information system not only can meet the needs of nurses but also can facilitate their learning progress.

7 CFR 4290.760 - How a change in size or activity of a Portfolio Concern affects the RBIC and the Portfolio Concern.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false How a change in size or activity of a Portfolio Concern affects the RBIC and the Portfolio Concern. 4290.760 Section 4290.760 Agriculture Regulations of... size or activity of a Portfolio Concern affects the RBIC and the Portfolio Concern. (a) Effect on RBIC...

Strategic management of the licence portfolio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Killingland, Arild

1998-01-01

This presentation discusses the secondary market for purchase, sale and exchange of licences on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. An efficient secondary market is necessary for the operations on the Shelf to work well. Two examples of major transactions made by Statoil are given, Rubicon and Aasgard. Rubicon is the most comprehensive portfolio operation made on the Norwegian Shelf and probably the largest exchange transaction across national frontiers. Rubicon was undertaken because Statoil wanted to create bigger values in the portfolio by increasing the owner parts in core areas. One effect of Rubicon was its contribution to increasing the extent of the activities in the UK such that there is a basis for achieving Statoil's ambitions for the international core areas, which is that they shall be developed to produce 100.000 barrels of oil equivalents per day within a defined period. Statoil is presently positioned to develop core areas in five regions outside the Norwegian Shelf: the Caspian Sea, Venezuela, Angola, Gulf of Mexico and UK. The Aasgard licence exchange transactions were necessary to achieve a co-ordinated of the relevant licences and balanced owner positions in the fields that were established. The Aasgard field is being developed with a production ship for oil- and condensate production. Production will start in 1998. The gas will be produced from the year 2000, from a floating platform. Finally, there is a discussion of trends in the portfolio market

Analysis of the energy portfolio for electricity generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramirez S, J. R.; Alonso V, G.; Esquivel E, J.

2016-09-01

The planning of electricity generation systems considers several factors that must be taken into account in order to design systems that are economical, reliable and sustainable. For this purpose, the Financial Portfolio Theory is applicable to the energy portfolio or the diversification of electricity generation technologies, such as is the combined cycle, wind, thermoelectric and nuclear. This paper presents an application of the Portfolio Theory to the national energy system, based on the total generation costs for each technology, which allows determining the average variance portfolio and the respective share of each of the electricity generation technologies considered, obtaining a portfolio of electricity generation with the maximum possible return for the risk taken in the investments. This paper describes the basic aspects of the Portfolio Theory and its methodology, in which matrices are implemented for the solution of the resulting Lagrange system. (Author)

Portfolio Assessment: A Handbook for Educators. Assessment Bookshelf Series.

Science.gov (United States)

Barton, James, Ed.; Collins, Angelo, Ed.

This guide contains practical steps for integrating portfolios into any K-12 classroom and tips for effective classroom management of portfolios. It also contains actual examples of portfolios in action in a variety of subject areas. The chapters are: (1) "Starting Out: Designing Your Portfolio" (James Barton and Angelo Collins); (2) "Preparing…

Company welfare and social work ethics: a space for social work? : A discussion based on cases from Norway and Tanzania.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne Ryen

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This article deals with company welfare and social work ethics. If social work is concerned with welfare and distributional issues, we would assume company welfare to be an issue of great relevance to social workers, so why do we not come across any social workers in our fieldwork? This calls for the simple question “where do social workers work?” or rather “how come social workers do not work in private companies?” We explore into the combination of social work and private companies with special reference to social work ethics to discuss private companies as a job arena for social workers. We argue that in a sector aiming at profit, social workers may trigger off employees enthusiasm, but employer scepticism. However, by avoiding a less stereotyped notion of private companies, company welfare and social work we claim that certain social work ethical principles would be of joint interest to the involved, but more so in certain contexts than in others.The article consists of six sections. After the introduction, we take a closer look at company welfare followed by a section on social work where we focus on ethical principles and work arenas for social workers. In section four we present our data from some private companies in Norway and Tanzania as a point of departure to our discussion in section five on private companies as a potential job arena for social workers. The complexity of company welfare does not call for simple answers. In the conclusions, section six, we therefore argue that the ethical principles of social work make it an interesting and relevant competence in managing company welfare, though not unproblematic in the homeland of profit. However, contextual complexity invites contextual responses.

Professionalism, Portfolios and the Development of School Leaders.

Science.gov (United States)

Wildy, Helen; Wallace, John

1998-01-01

Describes how two reforms--portfolio culture and teacher professionalism--converge in a systemwide program for school leaders' professional development. Investigates use of portfolios to help (Australian) principals, deputy principals, and department heads improve their performance and accountability. Participants used portfolios as evidence of…

Selection of a portfolio of R & D projects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Casault, Sébastien; Groen, Arend J.; Linton, J.D.; Linton, Jonathan; Link, A.N.; Vonortas, N.S.

2013-01-01

While portfolios of research are increasingly discussed, a portfolio perspective is infrequently taken when selecting two or more projects. Consequently, this chapter considers the current state of knowledge in project and portfolio selection, identifies why we can and cannot apply knowledge from

ALPHA-BETA SEPARATION PORTFOLIO STRATEGIES FOR ISLAMIC FINANCE

OpenAIRE

Valentyn Khokhlov

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to develop a mathematical alpha-beta separation model that can be used to create a core-satellite portfolio management strategy that complies with the principles of Islamic finance. Methodology. Core-satellite portfolio construction methodology is used to implement the alpha-beta separation approach, where the core part of the portfolio is managed using the tracking error minimization strategy, and the satellite part of the portfolio is managed using the mean-vari...

Deformed exponentials and portfolio selection

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Ana Flávia P.; Guerreiro, Igor M.; Cavalcante, Charles Casimiro

In this paper, we present a method for portfolio selection based on the consideration on deformed exponentials in order to generalize the methods based on the gaussianity of the returns in portfolio, such as the Markowitz model. The proposed method generalizes the idea of optimizing mean-variance and mean-divergence models and allows a more accurate behavior for situations where heavy-tails distributions are necessary to describe the returns in a given time instant, such as those observed in economic crises. Numerical results show the proposed method outperforms the Markowitz portfolio for the cumulated returns with a good convergence rate of the weights for the assets which are searched by means of a natural gradient algorithm.

Optimal diversification of the securities portfolio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Валентина Михайловна Андриенко

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The article deals with problems of the theory and methods of forming the optimal portfolio of financial markets. The analytical review of methods in their historical development is given. Recommendations on the use of a particular method depends on the specific conditions are formulated. The classical and alternative methods are considered. The main attention is paid to the analysis of the investment portfolio of derivative securities in B/S-market modelThe article deals with problems of the theory and methods of forming the optimal portfolio of financial markets. The analytical review of methods in their historical development is given. Recommendations on the use of a particular method depends on the specific conditions are formulated. The classical and alternative methods are considered. The main attention is paid to the analysis of the investment portfolio of derivative securities in -market model

CONSTRUCTING SERVICE DISCOURSES IN LITHUANIAN FAMILY SOCIAL WORK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberta Motiečienė

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In this paper, family social work is constructed through the analysis of social service discourses from the social workers’ perspective. Recent research shows how social workers are dealing with complex and fluid issues, as well as the societal uncertainty in their work with families (e.g., Spratt, 2009; Menéndez et al., 2015. Based on earlier studies, it is vital to analyse family social work in different contextual settings. Societal, political and organisational contexts affect the preconditions of social work, but social work also needs to operate within structures (e.g., Pohjola et al., 2014. This paper provides insights into the Lithuanian family social work. The focus is on what kinds of features construct Socialinis darbas su šeima Roberta Motiečienė, Merja Laitinen 12 family social work by analysing social workers’ discourses. This analysis continues the research of Eidukevičiūtė (2013, who analysed family social work practices in transitional Lithuanian society. This researcher aimed to deepen the knowledge about child protection services in Lithuania, the father’s role in child care and the mother’s performance in it. According to Eidukevičiūtė (2013, social workers are still struggling in the field of family social work. This study continues the research tradition in the field of family social work, paying attention to the different contextual settings where family social work is conducted. The Lithuanian government has stated that family policy is a key component of its mandate where (Social Report, 2014. The Council of Social Work plays a very important role in providing guidance on how to implement the government’s policy in the field of family social work. The European Commission Council (2015 provides recommendations for the implementation of the 2015 National Reform Programme, which should concentrate on the people (30% of the total population who are at risk of poverty. The council recommends working on

Gaming Change: A Many-objective Analysis of Water Supply Portfolios under Uncertainty

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, P. M.; Kasprzyk, J.; Characklis, G.; Kirsch, B.

2008-12-01

This study explores the uncertainty and tradeoffs associated with up to six conflicting water supply portfolio planning objectives. A ten-year Monte Carlo simulation model is used to evaluate water supply portfolios blending permanent rights, adaptive options contracts, and spot leases for a single city in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Historical records of reservoir mass balance, lease pricing, and demand serve as the source data for the Monte Carlo simulation. Portfolio planning decisions include the initial volume and annual increases of permanent rights, thresholds for an adaptive options contract, and anticipatory decision rules for purchasing leases and exercising options. Our work distinguishes three cases: (1) permanent rights as the sole source of supply, (2) permanent rights and adaptive options, and (3) a combination of permanent rights, adaptive options, and leases. The problems have been formulated such that cases 1 and 2 are sub-spaces of the six objective formulation used for case 3. Our solution sets provide the tradeoff surfaces between portfolios' expected values for cost, cost variability, reliability, frequency of purchasing permanent rights increases, frequency of using leases, and dropped (or unused) transfers of water. The tradeoff surfaces for the three cases show that options and leases have a dramatic impact on the marginal costs associated with improving the efficiency and reliability of urban water supplies. Moreover, our many-objective analysis permits the discovery of a broad range of high quality portfolio strategies. We differentiate the value of adaptive options versus leases by testing a representative subset of optimal portfolios' abilities to effectively address regional increases in demand during drought periods. These results provide insights into the tradeoffs inherent to a more flexible, portfolio-style approach to urban water resources management, an approach that should become increasingly attractive in an environment of

Technology Audit: Assessment of Innovative Portfolio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kurushina Viktoria

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article discusses the features of the technological audit performing in the companies of oil and gas sector of Russian economy. To measure the innovations quality level the scale was developed based on the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving and the theory of technological structures. Figures of the innovations quantity by levels, volume and quality of the innovative portfolio are offered for assessment the innovative portfolio quality. The method was tested on an example of oil and gas transporting enterprises. The results of the comparative analysis of innovative portfolio are shown.

The CanMEDS portfolio: a tool for reflection in a fellowship programme.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Elizabeth; Shouldice, Michelle; Kuper, Ayelet; Albert, Mathieu

2011-09-01

We developed a portfolio framed by the CanMEDS roles for use in a paediatric fellowship programme. The portfolio includes four components: a record of participation and achievement; career goals and professional development; physical evidence; and reflective writing. Once the portfolio was in use for 6 months, we studied how fellows and faculty members were using the portfolio, and what they found to be its advantages and disadvantages. Fellows reported that it kept them organised and assisted them in setting their goals. They appreciated having a central place to record their accomplishments, as this allowed them to keep a thorough curriculum vitae. The portfolio was helpful in giving them the opportunity to honestly reflect on their achievements and setbacks, and, after reviewing this in their own minds, they were in a strong position to set an agenda for their meetings with supervisors. Both the fellows and supervisors were in agreement that the portfolio led to improved discussions at their meetings. Both groups also reported that this new tool was useful in furthering the career development of trainees, which was one of the main goals in its inception. Faculty supervisors also had a stronger sense of the fellows' work, and also of any gaps in training, as a result of using this tool. We hope that this reflection tool will be adapted for use in other training programmes. If it is introduced elsewhere, we would recommend that learners and staff receive ample training in its use so that it can be maximally effective. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

Validity of portfolio assessment: which qualities determine ratings?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Driessen, E.W.; Overeem, K.; Tartwijk, J. van; Vleuten, C.P.M. van der; Muijtjens, A.M.M.

2006-01-01

The portfolio is becoming increasingly accepted as a valuable tool for learning and assessment. The validity of portfolio assessment, however, may suffer from bias due to irrelevant qualities, such as lay-out and writing style. We examined the possible effects of such qualities in a portfolio

Political Content in Social Work Education as Reported by Elected Social Workers

Science.gov (United States)

Lane, Shannon R.

2011-01-01

As a profession, social work has encouraged its members to run for public office to translate the values and ethics of social work into public policy. This study of 416 elected social workers around the country provides insight into the experiences of these elected social workers in their social work education. The classes, skills, activities,…

Portfolio at Tertiary Level – Lifelong Learning Tool

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Galina Kavaliauskienė

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The use of electronic language portfolios has been preferable to the use of common paper portfolios for ease of application – there is no need for accumulating a number of files of written papers, which solves the problem of storing space and, to some extent, helps reduce students’ and teachers’ workload.The study investigated learners’ perceptions of employing electronic language portfolios for conducting various assignments in English for Specific Purposes. The research involved university students of different specializations. Learners’ experience of employing portfolios and opinions on their benefits for improving language skills have been analyzed and statistically treated using SPSS software. The results show that students are positive about application of electronic portfolios in ESP classes. The use of online portfolios for various assignments helps teachers foster students’ learning, encourages critical thinking, develops creativity, motivates learners to use digital technology, encourages collaboration of learners, and in the long run, leads to lifelong learning.

Portfolios in Saudi medical colleges. Why and how?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadia M. Fida

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Over recent decades, the use of portfolios in medical education has evolved, and is being applied in undergraduate and postgraduate programs worldwide. Portfolios, as a learning process and method of documenting and assessing learning, is supported as a valuable tool by adult learning theories that stress the need for learners to be self-directed and to engage in experiential learning. Thoughtfully implemented, a portfolio provides learning experiences unequaled by any single learning tool. The credibility (validity and dependability (reliability of assessment through portfolios have been questioned owing to its subjective nature; however, methods to safeguard these features have been described in the literature. This paper discusses some of this literature, with particular attention to the role of portfolios in relation to self-reflective learning, provides an overview of current use of portfolios in undergraduate medical education in Saudi Arabia, and proposes research-based guidelines for its implementation and other similar contexts.

The Shapley decomposition for portfolio risk

OpenAIRE

Stéphane Mussard; Virginie Terraza

2006-01-01

The aim of this paper is to provide an application of the Shapley Value to decompose financial portfolio risk. Decomposing the sample covariance risk measure yields relative measures, which enable securities of a portfolio to be classified according to risk scales.

Quantifying Globalization in Social Work Research: A 10-Year Review of American Social Work Journals

Science.gov (United States)

Agbényiga, DeBrenna L.; Huang, Lihua

2014-01-01

Measured by the prevalence of journal article contributions, geographic coverage, and international collaboration, this literature review found an increasing level of globalization with respect to American social work research and contribution to the social work profession from 2000-2009. Findings suggest changes are needed in global awareness and…

Strengthening the Signature Pedagogy of Social Work: Conceptualizing Field Coordination as a Negotiated Social Work Pedagogy

Science.gov (United States)

Asakura, Kenta; Todd, Sarah; Eagle, Brooke; Morris, Brenda

2018-01-01

Although field education is considered the signature pedagogy of social work, the work of field coordinators appear to remain peripheral to other aspects of social work education, such as coursework and research. In this article, we suggest that field coordination requires a far more complex set of knowledge and skills than merely matching…

Social Norms on Working Hours, Work-Life Balance, and　Fertility Choice

OpenAIRE

大洞, 公平; 田畑, 顕

2013-01-01

This paper studies the role played by the social norms of working hours in a household labor- leisure and fertility decision model. We suppose that social norms enforce workers not to deviate from the ideal level of working hours, which depends on past and current observations of working hours in workplaces. We show that the social norms lead to multiple equilibria: one with long working hours and a low fertility rate and another with short working hours and a high fertility rate. Our results...

Suicide Prevention in Social Work Education: How Prepared Are Social Work Students?

Science.gov (United States)

Osteen, Philip J.; Jacobson, Jodi M.; Sharpe, Tanya L.

2014-01-01

The prevalence of suicide suggests social workers will encounter clients at risk for suicide, but research shows social workers receive little to no training on suicide and suicide prevention and feel unprepared to work effectively with clients at risk. Baseline results from a randomized intervention study of the Question, Persuade, and Refer…

Social Policy in Social Work PhD Programs in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Lightfoot, Elizabeth; Gal, John; Weiss-Gal, Idit

2018-01-01

While there has been a long-standing concern about the role of policy within social work education and social work practice, most of the emphasis has been on social work education at the BSW and MSW levels. This article examines policy education at the PhD level. It first explores how policy is taught in social work PhD programs in the United…

Automatic Trading Agent. RMT Based Portfolio Theory and Portfolio Selection

Science.gov (United States)

Snarska, M.; Krzych, J.

2006-11-01

Portfolio theory is a very powerful tool in the modern investment theory. It is helpful in estimating risk of an investor's portfolio, arosen from lack of information, uncertainty and incomplete knowledge of reality, which forbids a perfect prediction of future price changes. Despite of many advantages this tool is not known and not widely used among investors on Warsaw Stock Exchange. The main reason for abandoning this method is a high level of complexity and immense calculations. The aim of this paper is to introduce an automatic decision-making system, which allows a single investor to use complex methods of Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT). The key tool in MPT is an analysis of an empirical covariance matrix. This matrix, obtained from historical data, biased by such a high amount of statistical uncertainty, that it can be seen as random. By bringing into practice the ideas of Random Matrix Theory (RMT), the noise is removed or significantly reduced, so the future risk and return are better estimated and controlled. These concepts are applied to the Warsaw Stock Exchange Simulator {http://gra.onet.pl}. The result of the simulation is 18% level of gains in comparison with respective 10% loss of the Warsaw Stock Exchange main index WIG.

Comparative Analysis of Investment Funds Stocks-based Portfolios and BET Stocks-based Portfolios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ion STANCU

2010-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper we intend to find out what is the best choice of stocks-based portfolio. The major goal is to find whether is more efficient to invest the whole capital in a single sector, like financial investments, or to create a diversified portfolio, taking into account assets from various economic sectors. Capital allocation will be based on the concept of cointegration. We have chosen this method because it can be applied on non-stationary data series, and, besides, it has the advantage of using the whole set of information provided by the financial assets. Another goal is to study how the portfolio structure adjusts if a shock occurs during the period under analysis so that to preserve a certain return or minimize a potential loss. The study will result in an investment solution in the Romanian capital market, even in the context of financial crisis.

Teaching portfolios and a competence framework aimed to build faculty teaching competencies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dolin, Jens; Kobayashi, Sofie

as a need for a common language and reference. Main barriers are scepticism towards the teaching portfolio for assessment of competencies, fear of extra work load, possible use as control measures, and fear that standards will narrow teaching development. In a research intensive university it is very......The University of Copenhagen has decided to introduce teaching portfolios and a competence framework as initiatives aimed to address the relatively low status of teaching compared to research. The two measures have been designed in a bottom-up process and are also backed by university leadership...

Integrating Social Neuroscience and Social Work: Innovations for Advancing Practice-Based Research

Science.gov (United States)

Matto, Holly C.; Strolin-Goltzman, Jessica

2010-01-01

Throughout the social work profession, there is ongoing interest in building a social science agenda that can address the complex practice-based questions faced by social work professionals today. Methodological innovations and unique funding opportunities have already significantly advanced research on social work practice. Still, there is…

Portfolio Development in Teacher Education and Educational Leadership.

Science.gov (United States)

Biddle, James

The Ohio Consortium for Portfolio Development was established in 1988 as an interinstitutional research effort to integrate portfolio development into teacher education. A subphase focused on portfolio use by entry year teachers in a metropolitan school system. Personnel at Wright State University, Central State University, and the University of…

The true invariant of an arbitrage free portfolio

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Anatoly B.

2003-03-01

It is shown that the arbitrage free portfolio paradigm being applied to a portfolio with an arbitrary number of shares N allows for the extended solution in which the option price F depends on N. However the resulting stock hedging expense Q= MF (where M is the number of options in the portfolio) does not depend on whether N is treated as an independent variable or as a parameter. Therefore the stock hedging expense is the true invariant of the arbitrage free portfolio paradigm.

Investment portfolio management from cybernetic point of view

Science.gov (United States)

Marchev, Angel, Jr.; Marchev, Angel

2013-12-01

The theory of investment portfolios is a well defined component of financial science. While sound in principle, it faces some setbacks in its real-world implementation. In this paper the authors propose a reformulation of the investment portfolio problem as a cybernetic system where the Investor is the controlling system and the portfolio is the controlled system. Also the portfolio controlling process should be dissected in several ordered phases, so that each phase is represented as a subsystem within the structure of the controlling system Investor.

Catalytic models developed through social work

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Mogens

2015-01-01

of adolescents placed in out-of-home care and is characterised using three situated cases as empirical data. Afterwards the concept of catalytic processes is briefly presented and then applied in an analysis of pedagogical treatment in the three cases. The result is a different conceptualisation of the social......The article develops the concept of catalytic processes in relation to social work with adolescents in an attempt to both reach a more nuanced understanding of social work and at the same time to develop the concept of catalytic processes in psychology. The social work is pedagogical treatment...

'Blue' social capital and work performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grøn, Sisse; Svendsen, Gunnar Lind Haase

2012-01-01

(Progoulaki & Roe 2011). This challenges social capital on board, i.e. the resources inherent in network cooperation associated with norms of reciprocity and trust (Putnam 2000: 19). Fragmentizing ‘blue’ social capital should however be restored, because work performance depends on the quality of cooperation...... findings suggest that a balance between three types of social capital – bonding, bridging and linking – is needed to achieve a high-performance work system (Gittell et al. 2010). Hence, main actors within the shipping sector should take ‘blue’ social capital into account in order to increase work...... efficiency and economic performance....

Bridging Social Innovation and Social Work: Balancing Science, Values, and Speed

Science.gov (United States)

Halvorsen, Cal J.

2017-01-01

This article highlights how the social work academy can support innovative research, dissemination, and implementation and is a response to and extension of arguments made by Dr. Marilyn L. Flynn on innovation in social work. It argues that social work researchers need to strike a balance between the often slow and methodical scientific research…

Social Action among Social Work Practitioners: Examining the Micro-Macro Divide.

Science.gov (United States)

Mattocks, Nicole Olivia

2018-01-01

Social work is a profession that seeks to enhance the well-being of all people and promote social justice and social change through a range of activities, such as direct practice, community organizing, social and political action, and policy development. However, the current literature suggests that the profession's focus on social justice and social action are weakening, replaced by individualism and therapeutic interventions. This article examines data derived from a survey of 188 National Association of Social Workers members from Maryland; Virginia; and Washington, DC, to explore levels of social action participation among social workers and determine whether identifying as a macro-level practitioner would predict higher levels of social action activity compared with being a micro-level practitioner. Findings indicate that social workers in this sample engage in only a moderate level of social action behavior. In addition, identifying oneself as a mezzo- or macro-level practitioner predicts increased frequency of social action behavior. Implications include emphasizing the importance of social action in schools of social work and practice settings and adequately preparing social work professionals to engage in social action. © 2017 National Association of Social Workers.

E-PORTFOLIO: BEYOND ASSESSMENT FOR ENGLISH STUDENT TEACHER (a Preliminary Study of E-portfolio Implementation in Micro Teaching Class)

OpenAIRE

Sarlita D. Matra

2017-01-01

Teacher preparation programs across the country are showing an increased interest in the use of electronic portfolios as valuable authentic assessment tools that can document students‘ abilities and growth related to specific standards. The concept of developing e-portfolios is based on the fact that the reflective practice of creating portfolios enables students to document and track their learning; develop an integrated, coherent picture of their learning experiences; and enhanc...

Implementing portfolio in postgraduate general practice training. Benefits and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Alotaibi, Fawaz S

2012-10-01

This paper presents a review to explore the literature focusing on portfolio in postgraduate general practice (GP) training, and to examine the impact of implementation of portfolio on learning process, as well as proposing recommendations for its implementation in postgraduate GP training. An electronic search was carried out on several databases for studies addressing portfolio in postgraduate GP training. Six articles were included to address specifically the effectiveness of portfolio in postgraduate GP training. Five of them described successful experiences of portfolio-based learning implementation. Only one article addressed portfolio-based assessment in postgraduate GP training. The existing evidence provides various benefits of professional portfolio-based learning. It does appear to have advantages of stimulating reflective learning, promoting proactive learning, and bridging the hospital experiences of the learners to GP. Moreover, the challenges to implementation of portfolio-based learning are often based on orientation and training of stakeholders.

Asset Allocation and Optimal Contract for Delegated Portfolio Management

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jingjun; Liang, Jianfeng

This article studies the portfolio selection and the contracting problems between an individual investor and a professional portfolio manager in a discrete-time principal-agent framework. Portfolio selection and optimal contracts are obtained in closed form. The optimal contract was composed with the fixed fee, the cost, and the fraction of excess expected return. The optimal portfolio is similar to the classical two-fund separation theorem.

On the microeconomic problems studied by portfolio theory

Science.gov (United States)

Nikonov, Oleg; Medvedeva, Marina

2012-09-01

In the paper we consider economically motivated problems, which are treated with the help of methods of portfolio theory that goes back to the papers by H. Markowitz [1] and J. Tobin [2]. We show that the portfolio theory initially developed for risky securities (stocks) could be applied to other objects. In the present paper we consider several situations where such an application is reasonable and seems to be fruitful. Namely, we consider the problems of constructing the efficient portfolio of banking services and the portfolio of counteragents of a firm.

Students' reflections in a portfolio pilot: highlighting professional issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Haffling, Ann-Christin; Beckman, Anders; Pahlmblad, Annika; Edgren, Gudrun

2010-01-01

Portfolios are highlighted as potential assessment tools for professional competence. Although students' self-reflections are considered to be central in the portfolio, the content of reflections in practice-based portfolios is seldom analysed. To investigate whether students' reflections include sufficient dimensions of professional competence, notwithstanding a standardized portfolio format, and to evaluate students' satisfaction with the portfolio. Thirty-five voluntary final-year medical students piloted a standardized portfolio in a general practice (GP) attachment at Lund University, Sweden. Students' portfolio reflections were based upon documentary evidence from practice, and aimed to demonstrate students' learning. The reflections were qualitatively analysed, using a framework approach. Students' evaluations of the portfolio were subjected to quantitative and qualitative analysis. Among professional issues, an integration of cognitive, affective and practical dimensions in clinical practice was provided by students' reflections. The findings suggested an emphasis on affective issues, particularly on self-awareness of feelings, attitudes and concerns. In addition, ethical problems, clinical reasoning strategies and future communication skills training were subjects of several reflective commentaries. Students' reflections on their consultation skills demonstrated their endeavour to achieve structure in the medical interview by negotiation of an agenda for the consultation, keeping the interview on track, and using internal summarizing. The importance of active listening and exploration of patient's perspective was also emphasized. In students' case summaries, illustrating characteristic attributes of GP, the dominating theme was 'patient-centred care', including the patient-doctor relationship, holistic modelling and longitudinal continuity. Students were satisfied with the portfolio, but improved instructions were needed. A standardized portfolio in a

Portfolios with nonlinear constraints and spin glasses

Science.gov (United States)

Gábor, Adrienn; Kondor, I.

1999-12-01

In a recent paper Galluccio, Bouchaud and Potters demonstrated that a certain portfolio problem with a nonlinear constraint maps exactly onto finding the ground states of a long-range spin glass, with the concomitant nonuniqueness and instability of the optimal portfolios. Here we put forward geometric arguments that lead to qualitatively similar conclusions, without recourse to the methods of spin glass theory, and give two more examples of portfolio problems with convex nonlinear constraints.

R functions development for stockPortfolio package

OpenAIRE

Luo, Rui

2013-01-01

Modern portfolio theory is a statistical framework to allocate investment assets properly, with the aim of reducing risk by diversification. In the past decades, a variety of index and group models (with different covariance assumption) have been proposed to optimize the portfolio, including Single Index Model, Constant Correlation Model, Multi-Group Model, and Multi-Index Model. An R package "stockPortfolio" is developed by Drs. Christou and Diez, and fully implemented Single Index Model, Co...

Optimal portfolio choice under loss aversion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A.B. Berkelaar (Arjan); R.R.P. Kouwenberg (Roy)

2000-01-01

textabstractProspect theory and loss aversion play a dominant role in behavioral finance. In this paper we derive closed-form solutions for optimal portfolio choice under loss aversion. When confronted with gains a loss averse investor behaves similar to a portfolio insurer. When confronted with

Random matrix theory filters and currency portfolio optimisation

Science.gov (United States)

Daly, J.; Crane, M.; Ruskin, H. J.

2010-04-01

Random matrix theory (RMT) filters have recently been shown to improve the optimisation of financial portfolios. This paper studies the effect of three RMT filters on realised portfolio risk, using bootstrap analysis and out-of-sample testing. We considered the case of a foreign exchange and commodity portfolio, weighted towards foreign exchange, and consisting of 39 assets. This was intended to test the limits of RMT filtering, which is more obviously applicable to portfolios with larger numbers of assets. We considered both equally and exponentially weighted covariance matrices, and observed that, despite the small number of assets involved, RMT filters reduced risk in a way that was consistent with a much larger S&P 500 portfolio. The exponential weightings indicated showed good consistency with the value suggested by Riskmetrics, in contrast to previous results involving stocks. This decay factor, along with the low number of past moves preferred in the filtered, equally weighted case, displayed a trend towards models which were reactive to recent market changes. On testing portfolios with fewer assets, RMT filtering provided less or no overall risk reduction. In particular, no long term out-of-sample risk reduction was observed for a portfolio consisting of 15 major currencies and commodities.

RISK MANAGEMENT OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO BY FUTURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Kerimov Alexandr

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article considers the problem of the dynamic risk management of the investment portfolio using future con- tracts. The management starts with the concept of effective inhomogeneous portfolios, which contain futures together with underlying asserts. The effective portfolios are defined as the ones of the minimal dispersion with the expected return greater or equal to the specified value. Risk is measured by the probability of losing of a certain part of the portfolio value. The control parameters are the number of futures for each asset of portfolio, which is defined from the condition of effec- tiveness of portfolio and risk acceptability on each step.The effective adaptive strategies of portfolio risk management together with comparative analysis on a concrete example are presented. The proposed approach provides the forecast correction of the expected income and its variance for the assets with the emergence of new data. The financial time series are determined by volatility clustering, i.e. relative or absolute price changes tend to keep high or low magnitude for some time, with the result that clusters are created - periods of high or low volatility. Then adaptive estimate of correlational relationships between asset prices are essential because the degree of correlational relationship also changes in time. So the correlation of future and spot price changes considerably increases while approaching to performance of contracts. For taking into account of data instability of dispersion and correlation simple methods of volatility forecasting and correlation of relative changes of price data based on exponential smoothing are implemented.

Portfolio analysis of layered security measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, Samrat; Hora, Stephen C; Rosoff, Heather

2015-03-01

Layered defenses are necessary for protecting the public from terrorist attacks. Designing a system of such defensive measures requires consideration of the interaction of these countermeasures. In this article, we present an analysis of a layered security system within the lower Manhattan area. It shows how portfolios of security measures can be evaluated through portfolio decision analysis. Consideration is given to the total benefits and costs of the system. Portfolio diagrams are created that help communicate alternatives among stakeholders who have differing views on the tradeoffs between security and economic activity. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

Does asymmetric correlation affect portfolio optimization?

Science.gov (United States)

Fryd, Lukas

2017-07-01

The classical portfolio optimization problem does not assume asymmetric behavior of relationship among asset returns. The existence of asymmetric response in correlation on the bad news could be important information in portfolio optimization. The paper applies Dynamic conditional correlation model (DCC) and his asymmetric version (ADCC) to propose asymmetric behavior of conditional correlation. We analyse asymmetric correlation among S&P index, bonds index and spot gold price before mortgage crisis in 2008. We evaluate forecast ability of the models during and after mortgage crisis and demonstrate the impact of asymmetric correlation on the reduction of portfolio variance.

A nonlinear bi-level programming approach for product portfolio management.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Shuang

2016-01-01

Product portfolio management (PPM) is a critical decision-making for companies across various industries in today's competitive environment. Traditional studies on PPM problem have been motivated toward engineering feasibilities and marketing which relatively pay less attention to other competitors' actions and the competitive relations, especially in mathematical optimization domain. The key challenge lies in that how to construct a mathematical optimization model to describe this Stackelberg game-based leader-follower PPM problem and the competitive relations between them. The primary work of this paper is the representation of a decision framework and the optimization model to leverage the PPM problem of leader and follower. A nonlinear, integer bi-level programming model is developed based on the decision framework. Furthermore, a bi-level nested genetic algorithm is put forward to solve this nonlinear bi-level programming model for leader-follower PPM problem. A case study of notebook computer product portfolio optimization is reported. Results and analyses reveal that the leader-follower bi-level optimization model is robust and can empower product portfolio optimization.

Dialogical communication and empowering social work practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Natland, Sidsel

2015-01-01

How to succeed in facilitating for empowering processes within social work practice is a central topic in both theoretical discussions and regarding its principles in practice. With a particular focus on how dialogical communication can play a part in order to practice empowering social work, through this text the author frames HUSK as a project facilitating the underpinning humanistic approaches in social work. Dialogical communication and its philosophical base is presented and recognized as a means to achieve empowering social work as well as highlighting the importance of the humanistic approach. The author also underscores how HUSK projects in themselves were enabled because of the required collaboration between service users, professionals, and researchers that signified HUSK. This is pinpointed as having potential for a future research agenda as well as pointing at how the outcomes of the projects may impact future social work practice when the goal is to conduct empowering social work.

On the non-stationarity of financial time series: impact on optimal portfolio selection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Livan, Giacomo; Inoue, Jun-ichi; Scalas, Enrico

2012-01-01

We investigate the possible drawbacks of employing the standard Pearson estimator to measure correlation coefficients between financial stocks in the presence of non-stationary behavior, and we provide empirical evidence against the well-established common knowledge that using longer price time series provides better, more accurate, correlation estimates. Then, we investigate the possible consequences of instabilities in empirical correlation coefficient measurements on optimal portfolio selection. We rely on previously published works which provide a framework allowing us to take into account possible risk underestimations due to the non-optimality of the portfolio weights being used in order to distinguish such non-optimality effects from risk underestimations genuinely due to non-stationarities. We interpret such results in terms of instabilities in some spectral properties of portfolio correlation matrices. (paper)

Building Personal Brands with Digital Storytelling ePortfolios

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Beata; Leverenz, Carrie

2017-01-01

Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." This article presents a pedagogical approach for framing a digital-identity-enhancing ePortfolio that maximizes student engagement and…

Labor Supply Flexibility and Portfolio Choice

OpenAIRE

Zvi Bodie; William Samuelson

1989-01-01

This paper develops a model showing that people who have flexibility in choosing how much to work will prefer to invest substantially more of their money in risky assets than if they had no such flexibility. Viewed in this way, labor supply flexibility offers insurance against adverse investment outcomes. The model provides support for the conventional wisdom that the young can tolerate more risk in their investment portfolios than the old. The model has other implications for the study of ho...

On the economic risk capital of portfolio insurance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Werner Hürlimann

2004-09-01

Full Text Available A formula for the conditional value-at-risk of classical portfolio insurance is derived and shown to be constant for sufficiently small loss probabilities. As illustrations, we discuss portfolio insurance for an equity market index using empirical data, and analyze the more general multivariate situation of a portfolio of risky assets.

Working memory capacity in generalized social phobia.

Science.gov (United States)

Amir, Nader; Bomyea, Jessica

2011-05-01

Research suggests that understanding complex social cues depends on the availability of cognitive resources (e.g., Phillips, Channon, Tunstall, Hedenstrom, & Lyons, 2008). In spite of evidence suggesting that executive control functioning may impact anxiety (e.g., Eysenck, Derakshan, Santos, & Calvo, 2007), relatively few studies have examined working memory in individuals with generalized social phobia. Moreover, few studies have examined the role of threat-relevant content in working memory performance in clinically anxious populations. To this end, the present study assessed working memory capacity (WMC) in individuals with generalized social phobia and nonanxious controls using an operation span task with threat-relevant and neutral stimuli. Results revealed that nonanxious individuals demonstrated better WMC than individuals with generalized social phobia for neutral words but not for social threat words. Individuals with generalized social phobia demonstrated better WMC performance for threat words relative to neutral words. These results suggest that individuals with generalized social phobia may have relatively enhanced working memory performance for salient, socially relevant information. This enhanced working memory capacity for threat-relevant information may be the result of practice with this information in generalized social phobia.

The electricity portfolio simulation model (EPSim) technical description.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Drennen, Thomas E.; Klotz, Richard (Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY)

2005-09-01

Stakeholders often have competing interests when selecting or planning new power plants. The purpose of developing this preliminary Electricity Portfolio Simulation Model (EPSim) is to provide a first cut, dynamic methodology and approach to this problem, that can subsequently be refined and validated, that may help energy planners, policy makers, and energy students better understand the tradeoffs associated with competing electricity portfolios. EPSim allows the user to explore competing electricity portfolios annually from 2002 to 2025 in terms of five different criteria: cost, environmental impacts, energy dependence, health and safety, and sustainability. Four additional criteria (infrastructure vulnerability, service limitations, policy needs and science and technology needs) may be added in future versions of the model. Using an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach, users or groups of users apply weights to each of the criteria. The default energy assumptions of the model mimic Department of Energy's (DOE) electricity portfolio to 2025 (EIA, 2005). At any time, the user can compare alternative portfolios to this reference case portfolio.

Portfolio Diversification Effects of Downside Risk

NARCIS (Netherlands)

N. Hyung (Namwon); C.G. de Vries (Casper)

2004-01-01

textabstractRisk managers use portfolios to diversify away the un-priced risk of individual securities. In this paper we compare the benefits of portfolio diversification for downside risk in case returns are normally distributed with the case fat tailed distributed returns. The downside risk of a

THE USES OF HUMOR IN SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE: ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL WORKERS’ EXPERIENCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabrielė Vaitulionytė

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The article discusses how humor could enrich social work practice and guideline social workers. Social work field is not that traditionally relates with humor. While social work scholars argue that social work field is full of contradictions and humor is relevant tool to express those contradictions and paradoxes. In micro level practice Gitterman (2003 suggests humor could be a creative tool that “must be used differently based on client background, level of functioning, and specific situation”. Article presents results of qualitative study. The analysis of social workers’ professional experiences is based on social constructionism perspective with the aim to explain how humor is used in everyday practice and how use of purposive humor could be helpful in social work intervention. Episodic interviews with six social workers working in intercultural social work field were conducted. Transcripts of interviews were analyzed through conceptualization, developing story and maximizing aims of the study. Anonymity and confidentiality was considered. The results of analysis demonstrate that humor is unique experience in the sociocultural context. Discursive categories explain the purpose of humor for practice, circumstances and conditions for using that determine how the use of humor could contribute to the success of a social worker-client interaction. Using humor is considered as professional competence, which suggests that “having a good sense of humor” and appropriate use of humor with ability to demonstrate empathy and honesty in social worker-client interaction is an important part of social worker competence. Humor as a professional competence contained understanding of the humorous taboo. During analysis were explored how using humor and cultural stories of clients create mezzo level strategies for professional social work practice. Keywords: humor in social work practice, social work process, humor taboo.

Credit Portfolio Selection According to Sectors in Risky Environments: Markowitz Practice

OpenAIRE

Halim Kazan; Kültigin Uludag

2014-01-01

In this study, it was researched that how the rate of repayment of loans will be increased and how the credit risk will be minimized in banking sector, by using Markowitz Portfolio Theory. Construction, textile and wholesale and retail sectors were examined under the central bank data. Portfolio groups were selected and risks( variances of Portfolio groups) were evaluated according to Markowitz portfolio theory. Markowitz portfolio theory is effective than the other portfolio selection instru...

Optimal wind power deployment in Europe. A portfolio approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roques, Fabien; Hiroux, Celine; Saguan, Marcelo

2010-01-01

Geographic diversification of wind farms can smooth out the fluctuations in wind power generation and reduce the associated system balancing and reliability costs. The paper uses historical wind production data from five European countries (Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, and Spain) and applies the Mean-Variance Portfolio theory to identify cross-country portfolios that minimise the total variance of wind production for a given level of production. Theoretical unconstrained portfolios show that countries (Spain and Denmark) with the best wind resource or whose size contributes to smoothing out the country output variability dominate optimal portfolios. The methodology is then elaborated to derive optimal constrained portfolios taking into account national wind resource potential and transmission constraints and compare them with the projected portfolios for 2020. Such constraints limit the theoretical potential efficiency gains from geographical diversification, but there is still considerable room to improve performance from actual or projected portfolios. These results highlight the need for more cross-border interconnection capacity, for greater coordination of European renewable support policies, and for renewable support mechanisms and electricity market designs providing locational incentives. Under these conditions, a mechanism for renewables credits trading could help aligning wind power portfolios with the theoretically efficient geographic dispersion. (author)

Developing Ethical Guidelines for Creating Social Media Technology Policy in Social Work Classrooms

OpenAIRE

Shane R. Brady; David A. McLeod; Jimmy A. Young

2015-01-01

This paper will discuss social media technology in the context of social work education. While social media technology is prevalent in social work education, most discourse about ethical use of social media in the classroom has taken a prescriptive and overly cautious approach that neglects the context dependent nature that social work educators teach in as well as the overwhelmingly positive potential of social media technology in the classroom. This paper utilizes social constructivist theo...

I Thought This Was Going to Be a Waste of Time: How Portfolio Construction Can Support Student Learning from Project-Based Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Turns, Jennifer; Cuddihy, Elisabeth; Guan, Zhiwei

2010-01-01

In this work, we sought to understand ways that students experienced a small-scale portfolio assignment provided to them as an opportunity reflect on their experiences in a project-based class. This work was motivated by research in various instructional contexts showing that portfolio construction results in important learning outcomes. We wanted…

On the Teaching of Portfolio Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Biederman, Daniel K.

1992-01-01

Demonstrates how a simple portfolio problem expressed explicitly as an expected utility maximization problem can be used to instruct students in portfolio theory. Discusses risk aversion, decision making under uncertainty, and the limitations of the traditional mean variance approach. Suggests students may develop a greater appreciation of general…

Low volatility sector-based portfolios: a South African case

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Black pointed out that when investors are restricted from using leverage or bor- ..... takes into account the correlation between the sectors in a portfolio. ..... 3The information ratio of a portfolio is the active premium (portfolio annualised return ...

Does Social Work Have a Signature Pedagogy?

Science.gov (United States)

Earls Larrison, Tara; Korr, Wynne S.

2013-01-01

This article contributes to discourse on signature pedagogy by reconceptualizing how our pedagogies are understood and defined for social work education. We critique the view that field education is social work's signature pedagogy and consider what pedagogies are distinct about the teaching and learning of social work. Using Shulman's…

The Financial Literacy of Social Work Students

Science.gov (United States)

Kindle, Peter A.

2013-01-01

The financial literacy of social work students has become the focus of curriculum development and research, but no study to date has attempted to assess the financial knowledge possessed by social work students. This study addressed that gap by assessing the level of objective financial knowledge reported by social work student respondents…

Status of Women in Social Work Education

Science.gov (United States)

Sakamoto, Izumi; Anastas, Jeane W.; McPhail, Beverly M.; Colarossi, Lisa G.

2008-01-01

This invited study sought to determine the current status of women in social work education for the special section of the "Journal of Social Work Education." Analysis of the latest data available indicate that gender differences remain pervasive across many aspects of social work education, including pay, rank, job duties, and tenure.…

Log-Optimal Portfolio Selection Using the Blackwell Approachability Theorem

OpenAIRE

V'yugin, Vladimir

2014-01-01

We present a method for constructing the log-optimal portfolio using the well-calibrated forecasts of market values. Dawid's notion of calibration and the Blackwell approachability theorem are used for computing well-calibrated forecasts. We select a portfolio using this "artificial" probability distribution of market values. Our portfolio performs asymptotically at least as well as any stationary portfolio that redistributes the investment at each round using a continuous function of side in...

Research and production of knowledge in Social Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aldaíza Sposati

2007-05-01

Full Text Available This article concerns research paths in the field of Social Work. It begins with the polemic concerning the potential and ability of Social Work as a social practice to produce knowledge. It revives the debate concerning the "war of the sciences" between physicists and mathematicians with social analysts, in which the later do not recognize the scientific dimension of research in the social realm. It analyzes the growth of scientific production in Social Work through dissertations and theses in the Graduate Social Work Program. To do so it comments on the analyses of Iamamoto, Silva and Silva and Carvalho and indicates the need to establish a research policy, orient the epistemic community in Social Work and organize a network of researchers centers.

Linearly Adjustable International Portfolios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fonseca, R. J.; Kuhn, D.; Rustem, B.

2010-01-01

We present an approach to multi-stage international portfolio optimization based on the imposition of a linear structure on the recourse decisions. Multiperiod decision problems are traditionally formulated as stochastic programs. Scenario tree based solutions however can become intractable as the number of stages increases. By restricting the space of decision policies to linear rules, we obtain a conservative tractable approximation to the original problem. Local asset prices and foreign exchange rates are modelled separately, which allows for a direct measure of their impact on the final portfolio value.

Linearly Adjustable International Portfolios

Science.gov (United States)

Fonseca, R. J.; Kuhn, D.; Rustem, B.

2010-09-01

We present an approach to multi-stage international portfolio optimization based on the imposition of a linear structure on the recourse decisions. Multiperiod decision problems are traditionally formulated as stochastic programs. Scenario tree based solutions however can become intractable as the number of stages increases. By restricting the space of decision policies to linear rules, we obtain a conservative tractable approximation to the original problem. Local asset prices and foreign exchange rates are modelled separately, which allows for a direct measure of their impact on the final portfolio value.

Agile Project Portfolio Management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jesper Rank; Riis, Jens Ove; Mikkelsen, Hans

2005-01-01

This paper will provide a preliminary introduction to the application of Agile Thinking in management of project portfolio and company development. At any point in time, companies have a crowd of development initiatives spread around the organisation and managed at different levels...... in the managerial hierarchy. They compete for resources and managerial attention, and they often take too long time - and some do not survive in the rapid changing context. Top man¬agers ask for speed, flexibility and effectiveness in the portfolio of development activities (projects). But which competencies...

Natural gas contracts in efficient portfolios

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sutherland, R.J.

1994-12-01

This report addresses the {open_quotes}contracts portfolio{close_quotes} issue of natural gas contracts in support of the Domestic Natural Gas and Oil Initiative (DGOI) published by the U.S. Department of Energy in 1994. The analysis is a result of a collaborative effort with the Public Service Commission of the State of Maryland to consider {open_quotes}reforms that enhance the industry`s competitiveness{close_quotes}. The initial focus of our collaborative effort was on gas purchasing and contract portfolios; however, it became apparent that efficient contracting to purchase and use gas requires a broader consideration of regulatory reform. Efficient portfolios are obtained when the holder of the portfolio is affected by and is responsible for the performance of the portfolio. Natural gas distribution companies may prefer a diversity of contracts, but the efficient use of gas requires that the local distribution company be held accountable for its own purchases. Ultimate customers are affected by their own portfolios, which they manage efficiently by making their own choices. The objectives of the DGOI, particularly the efficient use of gas, can be achieved when customers have access to suppliers of gas and energy services under an improved regulatory framework. The evolution of the natural gas market during the last 15 years is described to account for the changing preferences toward gas contracts. Long-term contracts for natural gas were prevalent before the early 1980s, primarily because gas producers had few options other than to sell to a single pipeline company, and this pipeline company, in turn, was the only seller to a gas distribution company.

Learning Styles and e-portfolio in Nursing Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kirsten; Pedersen, Birthe D.; Helms, Niels Henrik

Purpose of the study Research from UK and USA indicates that an e-portfolio facilitates a stronger connection between theoretical and clinical studies in Nursing Education. It helps students reflect over practice and their own skills. Yet other results show that an e-portfolio is a time consumer....... Thus, the aim of this project is to examine the effects of an e-portfolio on nursing students learning of patients with chronic illness during their clinical practice, and to investigate if it makes any difference in facilitating four learning styles: the activist, the reflector, the theorist...... through observations in clinical settings, narrative interviews, and print-outs from the students e-portfolio. Findings So far a pilot project with a questionnaire shows that 84% of the students and nurses reported that the e-portfolio has a positive effect on students learning in clinical settings...

Ant Colony Optimization for Markowitz Mean-Variance Portfolio Model

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Guang-Feng; Lin, Woo-Tsong

This work presents Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), which was initially developed to be a meta-heuristic for combinatorial optimization, for solving the cardinality constraints Markowitz mean-variance portfolio model (nonlinear mixed quadratic programming problem). To our knowledge, an efficient algorithmic solution for this problem has not been proposed until now. Using heuristic algorithms in this case is imperative. Numerical solutions are obtained for five analyses of weekly price data for the following indices for the period March, 1992 to September, 1997: Hang Seng 31 in Hong Kong, DAX 100 in Germany, FTSE 100 in UK, S&P 100 in USA and Nikkei 225 in Japan. The test results indicate that the ACO is much more robust and effective than Particle swarm optimization (PSO), especially for low-risk investment portfolios.

Sustainable procurement portfolio management: a case study in a mining company

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tamires Magalhães de Mello

Full Text Available Abstract Sustainable procurement is a solution to integrate environmental and social considerations in all steps of procurement process, in order to reduce impacts on human health, environment, and human rights. Despite the existence of important works in this area, more studies for determining how the principles related to sustainable development can be integrated to procurement strategies are needed. This study presents a case study in a mining company to evaluate the elements that should be considered for the implementation of sustainability concept in the contracting of services through the application of a sustainability portfolio model. Results show that the contracts of the internal movement's category of the studied company fit as Strategic Commodity, which means that the items in this category have a risk in the strategic supply, because they need investments made by the buyer in the relationship with the supplier.

Social work and power : theoretical background for research

OpenAIRE

Švedaitė-Sakalauskė, Birutė; Buzaitytė-Kašalynienė, Jolita

2014-01-01

Power and social work are concurrent, because every help (every relation) are always related with power and dependency. A research of phenomenon of power in social work almost hasn’t existed in Lithuania till now. The research could be unfolded on three levels: micro – the level of social work intervention, mezzo – the level of organization of social work, and macro – the level of power of social work profession in the society. The paper aims to discuss fundamental concepts and several theore...

editorial note african social work to tackling emerging social problems

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mugumbate

In Malawi, social work training started with a community development certificate in 1964 and later a certificate in social welfare in 1978. .... that his main motivation for writing these memoirs was to recognise those who worked with and helped ...

IT Portfolio Selection and IT Synergy

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Woo Je

2010-01-01

This dissertation consists of three chapters. The primary objectives of this dissertation are: (1) to provide a methodological framework of IT (Information Technology) portfolio management, and (2) to identify the effect of IT synergy on IT portfolio selection of a firm. The first chapter presents a methodological framework for IT project…

Portfolio Optimization in a Semi-Markov Modulated Market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, Mrinal K.; Goswami, Anindya; Kumar, Suresh K.

2009-01-01

We address a portfolio optimization problem in a semi-Markov modulated market. We study both the terminal expected utility optimization on finite time horizon and the risk-sensitive portfolio optimization on finite and infinite time horizon. We obtain optimal portfolios in relevant cases. A numerical procedure is also developed to compute the optimal expected terminal utility for finite horizon problem

Student Chemical Engineering Reflective ePortfolios--ChE Student Perceptions of Learning from Reflective ePortfolio Creation

Science.gov (United States)

Cherrstrom, Catherine A.; Raisor, Cindy; Fowler, Debra

2015-01-01

Engineering educators and employers value and prioritize communication skills, but developing and assessing such skills in engineering programs is challenging. Reflective ePortfolios provide opportunities to enhance communication skills. The purpose of this three-­year qualitative case study was to investigate the use of reflective ePortfolios in…

Using E-Learning Portfolio Technology To Support Visual Art Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Greer Jones-Woodham

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Inspired by self-directed learning (SDL theories, this paper uses learning portfolios as a reflective practice to improve student learning and develop personal responsibility, growth and autonomy in learning in a Visual Arts course. Students use PowerPoint presentations to demonstrate their concepts by creating folders that are linked to e-portfolios on the University website. This paper establishes the role of learning e-portfolios to improve teaching and learning as a model of reflection, collaboration and documentation in the making of art as a self-directed process. These portfolios link students' creative thinking to their conceptual frameworks. They also establish a process of inquiry using journals to map students' processes through their reflections and peer feedback. This practice argues that learning e-portfolios in studio art not only depends on a set of objectives whose means are justified by an agreed end but also depends on a practice that engages students' reflection about their actions while in their art- making practice. Using the principles of the maker as the intuitive and reflective practitioner, the making as the process in which the learning e-portfolios communicate the process and conceptual frameworks of learning and the eventual product, and the made as evidence of that learning in light of progress made, this paper demonstrates that learning-in-action and reflecting-in and-on-action are driven by self-direction. With technology, students bring their learning context to bear with the use of SDL. Students' use of PowerPoint program technology in making their portfolios is systematic and builds on students' competencies as this process guides students' beliefs and actions about their work that is based on theory and concepts in response to a visual culture that is Trinidad and Tobago. Students' self–directed art-making process as a self directed learning, models the process of articulated learning. Communicating about

A Risk-Sensitive Portfolio Optimization Problem with Fixed Incomes Securities

OpenAIRE

Goel, Mayank; Kumar, K. Suresh

2007-01-01

We discuss a class of risk-sensitive portfolio optimization problems. We consider the portfolio optimization model investigated by Nagai in 2003. The model by its nature can include fixed income securities as well in the portfolio. Under fairly general conditions, we prove the existence of optimal portfolio in both finite and infinite horizon problems.

Public Project Portfolio Optimization under a Participatory Paradigm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo Fernandez

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A new democracy paradigm is emerging through participatory budgeting exercises, which can be defined as a public space in which the government and the society agree on how to adapt the priorities of the citizenship to the public policy agenda. Although these priorities have been identified and they are likely to be reflected in a ranking of public policy actions, there is still a challenge of solving a portfolio problem of public projects that should implement the agreed agenda. This work proposes two procedures for optimizing the portfolio of public actions with the information stemming from the citizen participatory exercise. The selection of the method depends on the information about preferences collected from the participatory group. When the information is sufficient, the method behaves as an instrument of legitimate democracy. The proposal performs very well in solving two real-size examples.

Portfolio use and practices in US colleges and schools of pharmacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Skrabal, Maryann Z; Turner, Paul D; Jones, Rhonda M; Tilleman, Jennifer A; Coover, Kelli L

2012-04-10

To identify the prevalence of portfolio use in US pharmacy programs, common components of portfolios, and advantages of and limitations to using portfolios. A cross-sectional electronic survey instrument was sent to experiential coordinators at US colleges and schools of pharmacy to collect data on portfolio content, methods, training and resource requirements, and benefits and challenges of portfolio use. Most colleges and schools of pharmacy (61.8%) use portfolios in experiential courses and the majority (67.1%) formally assess them, but there is wide variation regarding content and assessment. The majority of respondents used student portfolios as a formative evaluation primarily in the experiential curriculum. Although most colleges and schools of pharmacy have a portfolio system in place, few are using them to fulfill accreditation requirements. Colleges and schools need to carefully examine the intended purpose of their portfolio system and follow-through with implementation and maintenance of a system that meets their goals.

Portfolio selection between rational and behavioral theories emergent markets case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bouri Abdelfatteh

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to explore the determinants of Portfolio Choice under the investors, professionals and academics’ perception. We introduce an approach based on cognitive mapping technique with a series of semi-directive interviews. Among a sample of 30 Tunisian individuals, we propose tow different frameworks: a mean-variance framework and a behavioral framework. Each framework is oriented to capture the effect of some concepts as proposed by the mean-variance portfolio theory and the behavioral portfolio theory on the portfolio choice decision. The originality of this research paper is guaranteed since it traits the behavioral portfolio choice in emergent markets. In the best of our knowledge this is the first study in the Tunisian context that explores such area of research. Ours results show that the Tunisian investors behave as it prescribed by the behavioral portfolio theory. They use some concepts proposed by the rational mean-variance theory of portfolio choice but they are affected by their emotions and some others cognitive bias when constructing and managing they portfolio of assets.

Epistemological Development in Social Work Education

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson-Meger, Jennifer

2014-01-01

Epistemological development is an important factor in facilitating learner identity and developing critical thinking aptitudes. This qualitative action research study explored undergraduate social work students' epistemological beliefs about knowledge, how knowledge is constructed, and implications for social work education. Data collection…

Twelve tips for successful e-tutoring using electronic portfolios.

Science.gov (United States)

Deketelaere, Ann; Degryse, Jan; De Munter, Agnes; De Leyn, Paul

2009-06-01

E-tutoring by means of a digital portfolio offers personal guidance in a context in which regular face-to-face contact between supervisor and student is difficult. However, implementing e-tutoring in practice is not always straightforward. This article investigates the conditions for successful e-tutoring of electronic portfolios. A combination of three methods is used: our own experience with e-tutoring, interviews with 14 tutors using an e-portfolio and the answers on questionnaires by 107 students. We present 12 tips to increase the chances of successful e-tutoring when using electronic portfolios. E-tutoring by means of electronic portfolios can be a feasible alternative in contexts in which face-to-face tutoring is difficult.

SunShot Initiative Portfolio Book 2014

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solar Energy Technologies Office

2014-05-01

The 2014 SunShot Initiative Portfolio Book outlines the progress towards the goals outlined in the SunShot Vision Study. Contents include overviews of each of SunShot’s five subprogram areas, as well as a description of every active project in the SunShot’s project portfolio as of May 2014.

Guidelines for Good Evaluation Practice with the ACUMEN portfolio

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wildgaard, Lorna Elizabeth

2014-01-01

This document gives guidelines for using the ACUMEN Portfolio to evaluate academic researchers. The ACUMEN Portfolio is a way for Portfolio owners to highlight their achievements and to present themselves in the most positive way. It supplements the traditional CV because it highlights key achiev...

Selection of risk reduction portfolios under interval-valued probabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toppila, Antti; Salo, Ahti

2017-01-01

A central problem in risk management is that of identifying the optimal combination (or portfolio) of improvements that enhance the reliability of the system most through reducing failure event probabilities, subject to the availability of resources. This optimal portfolio can be sensitive with regard to epistemic uncertainties about the failure events' probabilities. In this paper, we develop an optimization model to support the allocation of resources to improvements that mitigate risks in coherent systems in which interval-valued probabilities defined by lower and upper bounds are employed to capture epistemic uncertainties. Decision recommendations are based on portfolio dominance: a resource allocation portfolio is dominated if there exists another portfolio that improves system reliability (i) at least as much for all feasible failure probabilities and (ii) strictly more for some feasible probabilities. Based on non-dominated portfolios, recommendations about improvements to implement are derived by inspecting in how many non-dominated portfolios a given improvement is contained. We present an exact method for computing the non-dominated portfolios. We also present an approximate method that simplifies the reliability function using total order interactions so that larger problem instances can be solved with reasonable computational effort. - Highlights: • Reliability allocation under epistemic uncertainty about probabilities. • Comparison of alternatives using dominance. • Computational methods for generating the non-dominated alternatives. • Deriving decision recommendations that are robust with respect to epistemic uncertainty.

Establishing a portfolio of quality-improvement projects in pediatric surgery through advanced improvement leadership systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerrein, Betsy T; Williams, Christina E; Von Allmen, Daniel

2013-01-01

Formal quality-improvement (QI) projects require that participants are educated in QI methods to provide them with the capability to carry out successful, meaningful work. However, orchestrating a portfolio of projects that addresses the strategic mission of the institution requires an extension of basic QI training to provide the division or business unit with the capacity to successfully develop and manage the portfolio. Advanced Improvement Leadership Systems is a program to help units create a meaningful portfolio. This program, used by the Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, helped establish a portfolio of targeted QI projects designed to achieve outstanding outcomes at competitive costs in multiple clinical areas aligned with the institution's strategic goals (improve disease-based outcomes, patient safety, flow, and patient and family experience). These objectives are addressed in an institutional strategic plan built around 5 core areas: Safety, Productivity, Care Coordination and Outcomes, Patient and Family Experience, and Value. By combining the portfolio of QI projects with improvements in the divisional infrastructure, effective improvement efforts were realized throughout the division. In the 9 months following the program, divisional capability resulted in a 16.5% increase (5.7% to 22.2%) of formally trained staff working on 10 QI teams. Concurrently, a leadership team, designed to coordinate projects, remove barriers, and provide technical support, provided the capacity to pursue this ongoing effort. The Advanced Improvement Leadership Systems program increased the Division's efficiency and effectiveness in pursing the QI mission that is integral at our hospital.

Establishing a Portfolio of Quality-Improvement Projects in Pediatric Surgery through Advanced Improvement Leadership Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Gerrein, Betsy T; Williams, Christina E; von Allmen, Daniel

2013-01-01

Formal quality-improvement (QI) projects require that participants are educated in QI methods to provide them with the capability to carry out successful, meaningful work. However, orchestrating a portfolio of projects that addresses the strategic mission of the institution requires an extension of basic QI training to provide the division or business unit with the capacity to successfully develop and manage the portfolio. Advanced Improvement Leadership Systems is a program to help units create a meaningful portfolio. This program, used by the Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, helped establish a portfolio of targeted QI projects designed to achieve outstanding outcomes at competitive costs in multiple clinical areas aligned with the institution’s strategic goals (improve disease-based outcomes, patient safety, flow, and patient and family experience). These objectives are addressed in an institutional strategic plan built around 5 core areas: Safety, Productivity, Care Coordination and Outcomes, Patient and Family Experience, and Value. By combining the portfolio of QI projects with improvements in the divisional infrastructure, effective improvement efforts were realized throughout the division. In the 9 months following the program, divisional capability resulted in a 16.5% increase (5.7% to 22.2%) of formally trained staff working on 10 QI teams. Concurrently, a leadership team, designed to coordinate projects, remove barriers, and provide technical support, provided the capacity to pursue this ongoing effort. The Advanced Improvement Leadership Systems program increased the Division’s efficiency and effectiveness in pursing the QI mission that is integral at our hospital. PMID:24361020

Real Time Investments with Adequate Portfolio Theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alina Kvietkauskienė

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to identify investment decision makingschemes using the adequate portfolio model. This approach can be employed to project investment in stocks, using the opportunities offered by the markets and investor intelligence. It was decided to use adequate portfolio theory for investment decision making, simulation of financial markets, and optimisation of utility function. The main conclusion of article suggests investigating return on individual portfolio level. Real investment is a way to make sure of the soundness of applicable strategies.

Quantitative Portfolio Optimization Techniques Applied to the Brazilian Stock Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Alves Portela Santos

2012-09-01

Full Text Available In this paper we assess the out-of-sample performance of two alternative quantitative portfolio optimization techniques - mean-variance and minimum variance optimization – and compare their performance with respect to a naive 1/N (or equally-weighted portfolio and also to the market portfolio given by the Ibovespa. We focus on short selling-constrained portfolios and consider alternative estimators for the covariance matrices: sample covariance matrix, RiskMetrics, and three covariance estimators proposed by Ledoit and Wolf (2003, Ledoit and Wolf (2004a and Ledoit and Wolf (2004b. Taking into account alternative portfolio re-balancing frequencies, we compute out-of-sample performance statistics which indicate that the quantitative approaches delivered improved results in terms of lower portfolio volatility and better risk-adjusted returns. Moreover, the use of more sophisticated estimators for the covariance matrix generated optimal portfolios with lower turnover over time.

University, e-portfolio and students: perpetuating a sense of failure?

OpenAIRE

Bardy, Helen; Loveland-Armour, Lorraine; Parkes, Sarah

2016-01-01

Newman University embraces partnership work according to the principles of a pedagogy of partnership, evidenced through development of Student Academic Partnership, Student Research Partnership and Student Community Partnership projects.\\ud \\ud Driving enhancement of digital literacy in its graduates, the Youth and Community Work programme embraced the open source e-portfolio platform Mahara for use on study skills and placement modules. Staff, however, became aware of the difficulties encoun...

Portfolio optimization by using linear programing models based on genetic algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Sukono; Hidayat, Y.; Lesmana, E.; Putra, A. S.; Napitupulu, H.; Supian, S.

2018-01-01

In this paper, we discussed the investment portfolio optimization using linear programming model based on genetic algorithms. It is assumed that the portfolio risk is measured by absolute standard deviation, and each investor has a risk tolerance on the investment portfolio. To complete the investment portfolio optimization problem, the issue is arranged into a linear programming model. Furthermore, determination of the optimum solution for linear programming is done by using a genetic algorithm. As a numerical illustration, we analyze some of the stocks traded on the capital market in Indonesia. Based on the analysis, it is shown that the portfolio optimization performed by genetic algorithm approach produces more optimal efficient portfolio, compared to the portfolio optimization performed by a linear programming algorithm approach. Therefore, genetic algorithms can be considered as an alternative on determining the investment portfolio optimization, particularly using linear programming models.

Information Acquisition and Portfolio Performance

OpenAIRE

Guiso, Luigi; Jappelli, Tullio

2006-01-01

Rational investors perceive correctly the value of financial information. Investment in information is therefore rewarded with a higher Sharpe ratio. Overconfident investors overstate the quality of their own information, and thus attain a lower Sharpe ratio. We contrast the implications of the two models using a unique survey of customers of an Italian leading bank with portfolio data and measures of financial information. We find that the portfolio Sharpe ratio is negatively associated with...

Mentoring portfolio use in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dekker, Hanke; Driessen, Erik; Ter Braak, Edith; Scheele, Fedde; Slaets, Joris; Van Der Molen, Thys; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke

2009-01-01

Aim: Mentoring is widely acknowledged as being crucial for portfolio learning. The aim of this study is to examine how mentoring portfolio use has been implemented in undergraduate and postgraduate settings. Method: The results of interviews with six key persons involved in setting up portfolio use

Land-Use Portfolio Modeler, Version 1.0

Science.gov (United States)

Taketa, Richard; Hong, Makiko

2010-01-01

Natural hazards pose significant threats to the public safety and economic health of many communities throughout the world. Community leaders and decision-makers continually face the challenges of planning and allocating limited resources to invest in protecting their communities against catastrophic losses from natural-hazard events. Public efforts to assess community vulnerability and encourage loss-reduction measures through mitigation often focused on either aggregating site-specific estimates or adopting standards based upon broad assumptions about regional risks. The site-specific method usually provided the most accurate estimates, but was prohibitively expensive, whereas regional risk assessments were often too general to be of practical use. Policy makers lacked a systematic and quantitative method for conducting a regional-scale risk assessment of natural hazards. In response, Bernknopf and others developed the portfolio model, an intermediate-scale approach to assessing natural-hazard risks and mitigation policy alternatives. The basis for the portfolio-model approach was inspired by financial portfolio theory, which prescribes a method of optimizing return on investment while reducing risk by diversifying investments in different security types. In this context, a security type represents a unique combination of features and hazard-risk level, while financial return is defined as the reduction in losses resulting from an investment in mitigation of chosen securities. Features are selected for mitigation and are modeled like investment portfolios. Earth-science and economic data for the features are combined and processed in order to analyze each of the portfolios, which are then used to evaluate the benefits of mitigating the risk in selected locations. Ultimately, the decision maker seeks to choose a portfolio representing a mitigation policy that maximizes the expected return-on-investment, while minimizing the uncertainty associated with that return

Household portfolios and risk taking over age and time

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bucciol, A.; Miniaci, R.

2011-01-01

We exploit the US Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) from 1998 to 2007 to provide new insights on the evolution of US households’ willingness to undertake portfolio risk. Specifically, we consider four alternative measures of portfolio risk, based on two definitions of portfolio - a narrow one,

Adopting a Social Marketing Mind-Set in School Social Work Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Beauchemin, Pat; Kelly, Michael S.

2009-01-01

School social workers often conduct their business behind closed doors because much of their work is confidential. Even when they are not working in their offices, school social workers often blend into the fabric of the school culture, typically working behind the scenes and rarely taking credit for the valuable work they perform. However, if…

Federalism and social justice: implications for social work.

Science.gov (United States)

Linhorst, Donald M

2002-07-01

Federalism is a system of government that divides power between two or more levels of government. During the current conservative political climate in the United States, power has shifted increasingly from the federal government to states, a move that has implications for the achievement of social justice. Consequently, it is now necessary for social workers to engage in political activity at the state and local levels, in addition to the federal level, to promote social justice. Implications for social work policy practice, research, and education for advancing social justice within the federal system of government are explored.

A Robust Statistics Approach to Minimum Variance Portfolio Optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Liusha; Couillet, Romain; McKay, Matthew R.

2015-12-01

We study the design of portfolios under a minimum risk criterion. The performance of the optimized portfolio relies on the accuracy of the estimated covariance matrix of the portfolio asset returns. For large portfolios, the number of available market returns is often of similar order to the number of assets, so that the sample covariance matrix performs poorly as a covariance estimator. Additionally, financial market data often contain outliers which, if not correctly handled, may further corrupt the covariance estimation. We address these shortcomings by studying the performance of a hybrid covariance matrix estimator based on Tyler's robust M-estimator and on Ledoit-Wolf's shrinkage estimator while assuming samples with heavy-tailed distribution. Employing recent results from random matrix theory, we develop a consistent estimator of (a scaled version of) the realized portfolio risk, which is minimized by optimizing online the shrinkage intensity. Our portfolio optimization method is shown via simulations to outperform existing methods both for synthetic and real market data.

Optimization of the bank's operating portfolio

Science.gov (United States)

Borodachev, S. M.; Medvedev, M. A.

2016-06-01

The theory of efficient portfolios developed by Markowitz is used to optimize the structure of the types of financial operations of a bank (bank portfolio) in order to increase the profit and reduce the risk. The focus of this paper is to check the stability of the model to errors in the original data.

Teaching about Faith-Based Organizations in the Social Work Curriculum: Perspectives of Social Work Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Pandya, Samta P.

2016-01-01

Faith-based organizations (FBOs) have an important presence in contemporary civil society and have gained further prominence through their repertoire of social welfare and services. This study engaged social work educators (n = 316) across nine countries to examine their perceptions of including discourses on faith and FBOs in the social work…

Portfolio optimization using median-variance approach

Science.gov (United States)

Wan Mohd, Wan Rosanisah; Mohamad, Daud; Mohamed, Zulkifli

2013-04-01

Optimization models have been applied in many decision-making problems particularly in portfolio selection. Since the introduction of Markowitz's theory of portfolio selection, various approaches based on mathematical programming have been introduced such as mean-variance, mean-absolute deviation, mean-variance-skewness and conditional value-at-risk (CVaR) mainly to maximize return and minimize risk. However most of the approaches assume that the distribution of data is normal and this is not generally true. As an alternative, in this paper, we employ the median-variance approach to improve the portfolio optimization. This approach has successfully catered both types of normal and non-normal distribution of data. With this actual representation, we analyze and compare the rate of return and risk between the mean-variance and the median-variance based portfolio which consist of 30 stocks from Bursa Malaysia. The results in this study show that the median-variance approach is capable to produce a lower risk for each return earning as compared to the mean-variance approach.

Social inclusion of the poor: Concept for reaffirmation of social work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petrović Jagoda

2012-01-01

Full Text Available There is no universal definition of poverty, but there universal the poverty problem. It is present throughout human history and is present in all contemporary societies. An integral part of poverty in contemporary developed societies are different forms of social exclusion. Social exclusion, as a consequence of material deprivation (poverty in the strict sense becomes a factor in the survival and deepening poverty. That is why the concept of social exclusion, adequate analytical tool for understanding the problems of poverty. Analogously, the concept of social inclusion is a suitable instrument for combating this problem. This concept is particularly important in societies that do not have the ability to fast economic prosperity overcome poverty. In such societies, social work is facing new challenges. These challenges are an opportunity for the reaffirmation of social work and taking a respectable role in the overall reaction to the social problem of poverty. Accepting the modern definition of poverty through the concept of social inclusion is particularly important for social work, whose epistemological and pragmatic polyvalence corresponds with multidimensional character of poverty.

Individualised Marks for Group Work: Embedding an ePortfolio Criterion in a Criterion Referenced Assessment (CRA) Rubric for Group-Work Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, Leonie; Kelder, Jo-Anne

2012-01-01

Technology Enhanced Learning and Teaching (TELT) is a ubiquitous feature of the learning and teaching landscape at the University of Tasmania (UTAS), supported and guided by a university-wide TELT action plan. This paper reports on the most recent stage of an ongoing investigation into the use of ePortfolio learning technology to improve students'…

Portfolio Selection Using Level Crossing Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Bolgorian, Meysam; Shirazi, A. H.; Jafari, G. R.

Asset allocation is one of the most important and also challenging issues in finance. In this paper using level crossing analysis we introduce a new approach for portfolio selection. We introduce a portfolio index that is obtained based on minimizing the waiting time to receive known return and risk values. By the waiting time, we mean time that a special level is observed in average. The advantage of this approach is that the investors are able to set their goals based on gaining return and knowing the average waiting time and risk value at the same time. As an example we use our model for forming portfolio of stocks in Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE).

Building a Smart E-Portfolio Platform for Optimal E-Learning Objects Acquisition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chih-Kun Ke

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In modern education, an e-portfolio platform helps students in acquiring e-learning objects in a learning activity. Quality is an important consideration in evaluating the desirable e-learning object. Finding a means of determining a high quality e-learning object from a large number of candidate e-learning objects is an important requirement. To assist student learning in a modern e-portfolio platform, this work proposed an optimal selection approach determining a reasonable e-learning object from various candidate e-learning objects. An optimal selection approach which uses advanced information techniques is proposed. Each e-learning object undergoes a formalization process. An Information Retrieval (IR technique extracts and analyses key concepts from the student’s previous learning contexts. A context-based utility model computes the expected utility values of various e-learning objects based on the extracted key concepts. The expected utility values of e-learning objects are used in a multicriteria decision analysis to determine the optimal selection order of the candidate e-learning objects. The main contribution of this work is the demonstration of an effective e-learning object selection method which is easy to implement within an e-portfolio platform and which makes it smarter.

Advancing Social Work Education for Health Impact

Science.gov (United States)

Keefe, Robert H.; Ruth, Betty J.; Cox, Harold; Maramaldi, Peter; Rishel, Carrie; Rountree, Michele; Zlotnik, Joan; Marshall, Jamie

2017-01-01

Social work education plays a critical role in preparing social workers to lead efforts that improve health. Because of the dynamic health care landscape, schools of social work must educate students to facilitate health care system improvements, enhance population health, and reduce medical costs. We reviewed the existing contributions of social work education and provided recommendations for improving the education of social workers in 6 key areas: aging, behavioral health, community health, global health, health reform, and health policy. We argue for systemic improvement in the curriculum at every level of education, including substantive increases in content in health, health care, health care ethics, and evaluating practice outcomes in health settings. Schools of social work can further increase the impact of the profession by enhancing the curricular focus on broad content areas such as prevention, health equity, population and community health, and health advocacy. PMID:29236540

Social Working Memory: Neurocognitive networks and plasticity

OpenAIRE

Meyer, Meghan Leigh

2014-01-01

The social world is incredibly complex and the ability to keep track of various pieces of social information at once is imperative for success as a social species. Yet, how humans manage social information in mind has to date remained a mystery. On the one hand, psychological models of working memory, or the ability to maintain and manipulate information in mind, suggest that managing social information in mind would rely on generic working memory processes. However, recent research in social...

The Role of Learning- and Presentation- Portfolios in Design Educations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Bente Dahl; Ovesen, Nis

2014-01-01

Students that primarily study design through team-based projects often struggle to develop presentation portfolios that differentiate from the ones of other students. In the industry, design managers experience this as a problem, as they often receive job applications with presentation portfolios...... resources from other activities, which is why the templates have to be carefully balanced in order to achieve the desired effect. The portfolio method proved to be especially good at illustrating process related competencies.......Students that primarily study design through team-based projects often struggle to develop presentation portfolios that differentiate from the ones of other students. In the industry, design managers experience this as a problem, as they often receive job applications with presentation portfolios...... of the portfolio method in engineering design educations, this research project has investigated the method as part of a course programme. The preliminary experiments and results show that learning portfolio templates are effective in strengthening certain activities. On the other hand, the method risks draining...

PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION WITH MINIMUM VARIANCE: COMPARISON WITH MARKET BENCHMARKS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Menezes Cavalcante

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Portfolio optimization strategies are advocated as being able to allow the composition of stocks portfolios that provide returns above market benchmarks. This study aims to determine whether, in fact, portfolios based on the minimum variance strategy, optimized by the Modern Portfolio Theory, are able to achieve earnings above market benchmarks in Brazil. Time series of 36 securities traded on the BM&FBOVESPA have been analyzed in a long period of time (1999-2012, with sample windows of 12, 36, 60 and 120 monthly observations. The results indicated that the minimum variance portfolio performance is superior to market benchmarks (CDI and IBOVESPA in terms of return and risk-adjusted return, especially in medium and long-term investment horizons.

Spin glasses and nonlinear constraints in portfolio optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrecut, M.

2014-01-01

We discuss the portfolio optimization problem with the obligatory deposits constraint. Recently it has been shown that as a consequence of this nonlinear constraint, the solution consists of an exponentially large number of optimal portfolios, completely different from each other, and extremely sensitive to any changes in the input parameters of the problem, making the concept of rational decision making questionable. Here we reformulate the problem using a quadratic obligatory deposits constraint, and we show that from the physics point of view, finding an optimal portfolio amounts to calculating the mean-field magnetizations of a random Ising model with the constraint of a constant magnetization norm. We show that the model reduces to an eigenproblem, with 2N solutions, where N is the number of assets defining the portfolio. Also, in order to illustrate our results, we present a detailed numerical example of a portfolio of several risky common stocks traded on the Nasdaq Market.

Spin glasses and nonlinear constraints in portfolio optimization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrecut, M., E-mail: mircea.andrecut@gmail.com

2014-01-17

We discuss the portfolio optimization problem with the obligatory deposits constraint. Recently it has been shown that as a consequence of this nonlinear constraint, the solution consists of an exponentially large number of optimal portfolios, completely different from each other, and extremely sensitive to any changes in the input parameters of the problem, making the concept of rational decision making questionable. Here we reformulate the problem using a quadratic obligatory deposits constraint, and we show that from the physics point of view, finding an optimal portfolio amounts to calculating the mean-field magnetizations of a random Ising model with the constraint of a constant magnetization norm. We show that the model reduces to an eigenproblem, with 2N solutions, where N is the number of assets defining the portfolio. Also, in order to illustrate our results, we present a detailed numerical example of a portfolio of several risky common stocks traded on the Nasdaq Market.

Robust portfolio selection under norm uncertainty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Wang

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract In this paper, we consider the robust portfolio selection problem which has a data uncertainty described by the ( p , w $(p,w$ -norm in the objective function. We show that the robust formulation of this problem is equivalent to a linear optimization problem. Moreover, we present some numerical results concerning our robust portfolio selection problem.

Exploring social class differences at work

OpenAIRE

Evans, Samantha

2016-01-01

This paper is part of a wider project that investigates how organisational and individual factors within the workplace contribute to social class differences and inequality by examining the relative impact of objective and subjective indicators of social class on explicit (e.g. salary, promotions) and implicit (e.g. career satisfaction, quality of working life, stress and well-being) career and work outcomes. \\ud There is increasing recognition that social class differences play a crucial rol...

Toward Transgender Affirmative Social Work Education

Science.gov (United States)

Austin, Ashley; Craig, Shelley L.; McInroy, Lauren B.

2016-01-01

Social work has professional and academic standards consistent with transgender affirmative education and practice. Nevertheless, a growing body of research suggests that transgender issues are largely absent from social work education, resulting in practitioners who are uninformed or biased against transgender issues. The present study expands…

A Social Work Model of Empathy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen E. Gerdes

2009-12-01

Full Text Available This article presents a social work model of empathy that reflects the latest interdisciplinary research findings on empathy. The model reflects the social work commitment to social justice. The three model components are: 1 the affective response to another’s emotions and actions; 2 the cognitive processing of one’s affective response and the other person’s perspective; and 3 the conscious decision-making to take empathic action. Mirrored affective responses are involuntary, while cognitive processing and conscious decision-making are voluntary. The affective component requires healthy, neural pathways to function appropriately and accurately. The cognitive aspects of perspective-taking, self-awareness, and emotion regulation can be practiced and cultivated, particularly through the use of mindfulness techniques. Empathic action requires that we move beyond affective responses and cognitive processing toward utilizing social work values and knowledge to inform our actions. By introducing the proposed model of empathy, we hope it will serve as a catalyst for discussion and future research and development of the model. Key Words: Empathy, Social Empathy, Social Cognitive Neuroscience

MOSEP – More Self-Esteem With My E-Portfolio Development of a Train-the-Trainer Course for E-Portfolio Tutors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wolf Hilzensauer

2009-03-01

Full Text Available E-portfolios are known as a technology- supported learning method for the documentation of competency development. In this article the didactic approach, the course design and the results of the Leonardo da Vinci project MOSEP (More self-esteem with my e-portfolio are described. The main objective of the project was to develop, test and evaluate a new e-portfolio training concept for teachers and tutors in order to support learners during their competence development phase.

PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PRODUCTS: A REVIEW OF PUBLICATIONS IN NATIONAL JOURNALS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo Henrique Antunes

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The current context of changes leading organizations to improve the products launched in the market to meet the increasingly demanding consumers. In order to offer products successfully, organizations need to select development projects from a portfolio. The research portfolio management can be considered quite extensively abroad, because much of the theoretical framework used by researchers in Brazil comes from international publications. Thus, it is important to diagnose the publications on the subject in the country. Accordingly, this paper aims to carry out a literature review on portfolio management in a restricted scope to develop new products, main focus of this research project. This work is characterized as theoretical and conceptual, with a systematic review of literature, by searching for articles in databases of national periodicals, followed by registration, organization and verification of these publications. The results allowed a stratification on the subject according to the journals identified in the Scielo database, as well as in specific journals. Also analyzed were the industrial sectors linked to publications, being the predominant financial sector, which is not part of the scope of this research. The study identified a paucity of studies related to portfolio management for new products, principally in relation to the application and implementation in organizations in general.

Portfolio Diversification in the South-East European Equity Markets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zaimovic Azra

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Diversification potential enables investors to manage their risk and decrease risk exposure. Good diversification policy is a safety net that prevents a portfolio from losing its value. A well-diversified portfolio consists of different categories of property with low correlations, while highly correlated markets have the feature of low possibilities for diversification. The biggest riddle in the world of investments is to find the optimal portfolio within a set of available assets with limited capital. There are numerous studies and mathematical models that deal with portfolio investment strategies. These strategies take advantage of diversification by spreading risk over several financial assets. Modern portfolio theory seeks to find the optimal model with the best results. This paper tries to identify relationships between returns of companies traded in South-East European equity markets. A Markowitz mean-variance (MV portfolio optimization method is used to identify possibilities for diversification among these markets and world leading capital markets. This research also offers insight into to the level of integration of South-East European equity markets. Principal component analysis (PCA is used to determine components that describe the strong patterns and co-movements of the dataset. Finally, we combined MV efficient frontier and equity, which represent PCA components, to draw conclusions. Our findings show that PC analysis substantially simplifies asset selection process in portfolio management. The results of the paper have practical applications for portfolio investors.

[Reflective portfolio: a proposal for teaching and learning geared on competencies].

Science.gov (United States)

Cotta, Rosângela Minardi Mitre; da Costa, Glauce Dias; Mendonça, Erica Toledo

2013-06-01

This article seeks to analyze the experience of collective construction of portfolios as a teaching-learning method in the discipline of Health Policy, identifying the competencies developed by students. Qualitative research, whose collection and data processing were conducted by means of documental and thematic analysis of 34 portfolios. The "Learning to be" and "Learning to live and work together" competencies were considered according to the proposals of the UNESCO report for Education. The training of critical-reflexive individuals, provided by the portfolio, was particularly observed when students reported the transformation of the negative views that they had about the health care system - an inefficient and precarious policy - to a positive vision - policy which deals with the principles of equity, integrity and universality. This process of critical transformation is the result of the practice and use of communication skills, information management (search, selection, analysis and evaluation of information), leadership, cooperation and human relationships (teamwork, ethics and recognition of diversity), and personal competencies (time management, responsibility and planning), namely important skills in the training of professionals committed to the national health policy.

Portfolio optimization with structured products under return constraint

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baweja Meena

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A new approach for optimizing risk in a portfolio of financial instruments involving structured products is presented. This paper deals with a portfolio selection model which uses optimization methodology to minimize conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR under return constraint. It focuses on minimizing CVaR rather than on minimizing value-at-Risk VaR, as portfolios with low CVaR necessarily have low VaR as well. We consider a simple investment problem where besides stocks and bonds, the investor can also include structured products into the investment portfolio. Due to possible intermediate payments from structured product, we have to deal with a re-investment problem modeled as a linear optimization problem.

Applying the partitioned multiobjective risk method (PMRM) to portfolio selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes Santos, Joost; Haimes, Yacov Y

2004-06-01

The analysis of risk-return tradeoffs and their practical applications to portfolio analysis paved the way for Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT), which won Harry Markowitz a 1992 Nobel Prize in Economics. A typical approach in measuring a portfolio's expected return is based on the historical returns of the assets included in a portfolio. On the other hand, portfolio risk is usually measured using volatility, which is derived from the historical variance-covariance relationships among the portfolio assets. This article focuses on assessing portfolio risk, with emphasis on extreme risks. To date, volatility is a major measure of risk owing to its simplicity and validity for relatively small asset price fluctuations. Volatility is a justified measure for stable market performance, but it is weak in addressing portfolio risk under aberrant market fluctuations. Extreme market crashes such as that on October 19, 1987 ("Black Monday") and catastrophic events such as the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 that led to a four-day suspension of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) are a few examples where measuring risk via volatility can lead to inaccurate predictions. Thus, there is a need for a more robust metric of risk. By invoking the principles of the extreme-risk-analysis method through the partitioned multiobjective risk method (PMRM), this article contributes to the modeling of extreme risks in portfolio performance. A measure of an extreme portfolio risk, denoted by f(4), is defined as the conditional expectation for a lower-tail region of the distribution of the possible portfolio returns. This article presents a multiobjective problem formulation consisting of optimizing expected return and f(4), whose solution is determined using Evolver-a software that implements a genetic algorithm. Under business-as-usual market scenarios, the results of the proposed PMRM portfolio selection model are found to be compatible with those of the volatility-based model

Attributions of poverty among social work and non-social work students in Croatia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ljubotina, Olja Druzić; Ljubotina, Damir

2007-10-01

To investigate how students in Croatia perceive causes of poverty and to examine the differences in attributions of poverty between students of social work, economics, and agriculture. The study included 365 participants, students of social work (n=143), economics (n=137), and agriculture (n=82). We used the newly developed Attribution of Poverty Scale, consisting of 4 factors, as follows: individual causes of poverty (eg, lack of skills and capabilities, lack of effort, poor money management, alcohol abuse); micro-environmental causes (eg, poor family, region, single parenthood); structural/societal causes (eg, poor economy, consequences of political transition, war); and fatalistic causes (eg, bad luck, fate, God's will). We also used a questionnaire that measured 5 dimensions of students' personal values: humanistic values, family values, striving for self-actualization, traditional values, and hedonistic values. In both questionnaires, items were rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale. Students of all three faculties put most emphasis on structural causes of poverty (mean+/-standard deviation=3.54+/-0.76 on a 1-5 scale), followed by environmental (3.18+/-0.60), individual (2.95+/-0.68), and fatalistic causes (1.81+/-0.74). Social work students perceived individual factors as significantly less important causes of poverty (ANOVA, F-value=12.55, Peconomy and political transition as main causes of poverty in Croatia. Individual factors connected with individual's personal characteristics were considered less important, while luck and fate were considered as least important. Students of social work perceived individual causes to be less important than students of agriculture and economics. Students with strong humanistic and traditional values put more emphasis on external sources of poverty.

Wavelet evolutionary network for complex-constrained portfolio rebalancing

Science.gov (United States)

Suganya, N. C.; Vijayalakshmi Pai, G. A.

2012-07-01

Portfolio rebalancing problem deals with resetting the proportion of different assets in a portfolio with respect to changing market conditions. The constraints included in the portfolio rebalancing problem are basic, cardinality, bounding, class and proportional transaction cost. In this study, a new heuristic algorithm named wavelet evolutionary network (WEN) is proposed for the solution of complex-constrained portfolio rebalancing problem. Initially, the empirical covariance matrix, one of the key inputs to the problem, is estimated using the wavelet shrinkage denoising technique to obtain better optimal portfolios. Secondly, the complex cardinality constraint is eliminated using k-means cluster analysis. Finally, WEN strategy with logical procedures is employed to find the initial proportion of investment in portfolio of assets and also rebalance them after certain period. Experimental studies of WEN are undertaken on Bombay Stock Exchange, India (BSE200 index, period: July 2001-July 2006) and Tokyo Stock Exchange, Japan (Nikkei225 index, period: March 2002-March 2007) data sets. The result obtained using WEN is compared with the only existing counterpart named Hopfield evolutionary network (HEN) strategy and also verifies that WEN performs better than HEN. In addition, different performance metrics and data envelopment analysis are carried out to prove the robustness and efficiency of WEN over HEN strategy.

Implementation of portfolio theory to the analysis of electricity generation in Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esquivel E, J.; Ramirez S, J. R.; Palacios H, J. C.

2014-10-01

As part of the activities of economic analysis to the National Energy Strategy 2013-2027 of Mexico has been developed a computational platform to support decision-making based on the risk and performance in obtaining the optimum combination of technologies involved in the electricity generation. To this end, they consider five technologies: combined cycle, thermal coal, nuclear, hydro and wind. Each technology has been analyzed independently based on the total cost of generation level (given in dl s/KWh or dl s/MWh), leaning on documents as the Poise 2012-2026 and COPAR 2013. Subsequently by portfolio theory proposed by Markowitz, that combination of technologies that provide a greater benefit in the electricity generation is determined. In this study we consider two base work areas on which the proposed portfolios are reflected. The conformation of work areas is derived from the National Energy Strategy 2013-2027, considering a scenario with fossil technologies (combined cycle, thermal coal and nuclear) and other, making greater emphasis on the use of renewable technologies (combined cycle, hydro and wind). Finally, four portfolios are presented, each one with different percentages of ownership of technology in electricity generation, verifying the risk and performance of each combination. Of the analyzed portfolios, one corresponds to the mix of technologies which are currently in the country. The remaining derive the percentage share of combined-cycle technology, by subtracting 10% of their contribution and distributing it in three ways: by increasing the 10% share of nuclear technology; increasing 10% contribution of thermal coal technology and finally, extending the 5% of the electricity generation of nuclear technology and 5% increase in the electricity generation by wind technology. (Author)

Implementation of Portfolio Assessment in a Competency-based Dental Hygiene Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Gadbury-Amyot, Cynthia C.; Holt, Lorie P.; Overman, Pamela R.; Schmidt, Colleen R.

2000-01-01

Describes the implementation of a portfolio assessment program in the dental hygiene program at the University of Missouri School of Dentistry. Tables provide examples of program competencies and related portfolio entries, the complete scoring rubric for portfolios, and the student portfolio evaluation survey. Concludes that although portfolio…

Asset Attribution Stability and Portfolio Construction: An Educational Example

Science.gov (United States)

Chong, James T.; Jennings, William P.; Phillips, G. Michael

2014-01-01

This paper illustrates how a third statistic from asset pricing models, the R-squared statistic, may have information that can help in portfolio construction. Using a traditional CAPM model in comparison to an 18-factor Arbitrage Pricing Style Model, a portfolio separation test is conducted. Portfolio returns and risk metrics are compared using…

Predictors and Portfolios Over the Life Cycle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kraft, Holger; Munk, Claus; Weiss, Farina

In a calibrated consumption-portfolio model with stock, housing, and labor income predictability, we evaluate the welfare effects of predictability on life-cycle consumption-portfolio choice. We compare skilled investors who are able to take advantage of all sources of predictability with unskilled...

Purchasing portfolio models: a critique and update

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gelderman, C.J.; Weele, van A.J.

2005-01-01

Purchasing portfolio models have spawned considerable discussion in the literature. Many advantages and disadvantages have been put forward, revealing considerable divergence in opinion on the merits of portfolio models. This study addresses the question of whether or not the use of purchasing

Essays on intertemporal consumption and portfolio choice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Bilsen, Servaas

2015-01-01

This dissertation consists of two parts, preceded by an introductory chapter. Part I (Chapters 2, 3 and 4) considers optimal consumption and portfolio choice using preference models. Chapter 2 analyzes optimal consumption and portfolio choice under loss aversion and endogenous updating of the

Social Work, Structured Fun and the Jokes of Social Structure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mik-Meyer, Nanna

The topic of social work does not normally inspire laughter. So it is perhaps not surprising that research into the culture of social work rarely pursues its humorous aspect—the role of irony and laughter, for example. But if Michael Mulkay (1988) is right in suggesting that the domain of humor...

Social question and social work: contemporary challenges facing the profession in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo José Teixeira

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This article offers an analysis of the intrinsic relationship between the social question and Social Work. The analysis of the social question starts from the meticulous and rigorous reading of the labor theory of value and the Critique of Political Economy written by Karl Marx. It is from this analysis that we try to justify the genesis of the profession linked to the role of the state and the bourgeoisie in the consolidation of monopoly capitalism. It starts from the analysis of Social Work as a profession inserted in the social and technical division of labor that by its own action, in the contradictory movement of the capitalist reality, defends the interests of capital and labor. In addition, the article presents, in a succinct way, the trajectory of Social Work in Brazil and its ethical and political project in relation to the working class challenges to guarantee this direction in times of dismantling social policies and financial capitalism. 

ROMANIAN INVESTORS PORTFOLIO. ONLINE VERSUS ASSISTED TRADING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ioana Ancuţa IANCU

2017-05-01

Full Text Available One of the most important aspects in deciding to trade online, alone, without the help of a broker, is the portfolio profitability. In this study, using the personal experience, survey data and secondary sources, we identify some factors that may influence the gain and the loss of investors which trade online. Our study contradicts other results from literature that claim that the transition from assisted to online trading is a big drawback in terms of portfolio profitability. By analyzing the performance of the portfolio when passing from assisted to online trading, we observe that half of the investors achieved identical profitability. We also observed that the efficiency of the portfolios belonging to the online investors that were assisted in the past by a broker for a short period, is lower compared to the ones assisted (in the past for a longer period.

Three Essays on Robust Optimization of Efficient Portfolios

OpenAIRE

Liu, Hao

2013-01-01

The mean-variance approach was first proposed by Markowitz (1952), and laid the foundation of the modern portfolio theory. Despite its theoretical appeal, the practical implementation of optimized portfolios is strongly restricted by the fact that the two inputs, the means and the covariance matrix of asset returns, are unknown and have to be estimated by available historical information. Due to the estimation risk inherited from inputs, desired properties of estimated optimal portfolios are ...

Collaborative work and social networks: assessment of university students from Alicante about collaborative work through social networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Ramos Marcillas

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The information and communication technologies (ICT has revolutionized education, promoting the development of collaborative work through the use of Web 2.0 tools. In this vein, social networking services gain a special importance. However, the establishment of a collaborative methodology in the university through the use of ICT tools cannot be effective without a good predisposition of students. So, the present investigation aims to know students’ perceptions about collaborative work and social networks. Specifically, the learners are studying Pre-School Education degree at Alicante's University. The goals are focused on knowing students’ attitudes about collaborative work and social networks, knowing their level of experience about these tools, and also analyzing their interest in introducing these tools in the academic world. The instrument for data gathering is a questionnaire. It concludes that the students show a positive attitude towards team work and they are interested in learning to handle some social media.

Health social work in Canada: Five trends worth noting.

Science.gov (United States)

Bryson, Stephanie A; Bosma, Harvey

2018-05-30

Highlighting a strong human rights and social justice orientation underlying health social work in Canada, this paper describes recent contributions of Canadian health social work practitioners and scholars to five areas identified by Auslander (2001) in a delphi study of health social work in its first century. Five current 'trends' are discussed which correspond with Auslander's themes of professional legitimacy and scope, social causation, dissemination of knowledge, interventions, and cultural appropriateness. These trends are: 1) defining the scope of health social work practice; 2) addressing the social determinants of health; 3) promoting evidence-based practice in health social work; 4) delivering client and family-centered care; and 5) implementing cultural safety and trauma-informed practice. Suggestions are made to further strengthen the position of health social work in Canada.

The Evaluation of Occupational Social Work.

Science.gov (United States)

Googins, Bradley; Godfrey, Joline

1985-01-01

The evolution of occupational social work from its beginnings in welfare capitalism, through the human relations movement in the 1930s and 1940s, and into the occupational alcoholism programs and employee assistance programs of the last decade is surveyed. A broad definition of occupational social work is offered. (Author)

Portfolio Manager Selection – A Case Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Michael

2017-01-01

Within a delegated portfolio management setting, this paper presents a case study of how the manager selection process can be operationalized in practice. Investors have to pursue a thorough screening of potential portfolio managers in order to discover their quality, and this paper discusses how...

A portfolio of academic, therapeutic practice and research work : including an investigation of counselling psychologists' experience of the role of body in the therapeutic encounter

OpenAIRE

Kouloumbri, Maria

2013-01-01

This portfolio was submitted to the University of Surrey for the completion of the Doctorate (PsychO) in Psychotherapeutic and Counselling Psychology. It is comprised of three dossiers which reflect the academic, clinical and research work undertaken as part of this degree. The academic dossier consists of three essays. The first essay presents Freud's dream interpretation theory and Jung's dream theory and elaborates on the features of each theory respectively. The second e...

Declarative Modeling for Production Order Portfolio Scheduling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Banaszak Zbigniew

2014-12-01

Full Text Available A declarative framework enabling to determine conditions as well as to develop decision-making software supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises aimed at unique, multi-project-like and mass customized oriented production is discussed. A set of unique production orders grouped into portfolio orders is considered. Operations executed along different production orders share available resources following a mutual exclusion protocol. A unique product or production batch is completed while following a given activity’s network order. The problem concerns scheduling a newly inserted project portfolio subject to constraints imposed by a multi-project environment The answers sought are: Can a given project portfolio specified by its cost and completion time be completed within the assumed time period in a manufacturing system in hand? Which manufacturing system capability guarantees the completion of a given project portfolio ordered under assumed cost and time constraints? The considered problems regard finding a computationally effective approach aimed at simultaneous routing and allocation as well as batching and scheduling of a newly ordered project portfolio subject to constraints imposed by a multi-project environment. The main objective is to provide a declarative model enabling to state a constraint satisfaction problem aimed at multi-project-like and mass customized oriented production scheduling. Multiple illustrative examples are discussed.

CONSTRUCTING SERVICE DISCOURSES IN LITHUANIAN FAMILY SOCIAL WORK

OpenAIRE

Roberta Motiečienė; Merja Laitinen

2016-01-01

In this paper, family social work is constructed through the analysis of social service discourses from the social workers’ perspective. Recent research shows how social workers are dealing with complex and fluid issues, as well as the societal uncertainty in their work with families (e.g., Spratt, 2009; Menéndez et al., 2015). Based on earlier studies, it is vital to analyse family social work in different contextual settings. Societal, political and organisational contexts affect the pre...

Management of Portfolio Investment Held by Pension Funds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan Armeanu

2008-09-01

Full Text Available As a result of the fact that pension funds are financial intermediaries, the value of their assets and liabilities is influenced by changing conditions in financial markets. The market image of a pension fund (and hence its perceived value are closely tied to the “financial health” of the fund. Setting up and managing complex investment portfolios requires that pension administrators use scientific models of portfolio selection and optimization based on the risk-expected return relationship. Most investment portfolios are modified in time as result of changing stock prices and investment policy objectives. Having established investment policy guidelines, the administrators of pension funds have to determine the structure of their portfolios so that the latter meet legal requirements.

The current account as a dynamic portfolio choice problem

OpenAIRE

Didier, Tatiana; Lowenkron, Alexandre

2009-01-01

The current account can be understood as the outcome of investment decisions made by domestic and foreign investors. These decisions can be decomposed into a portfolio rebalancing and a portfolio growth component. This paper provides empirical evidence of the importance of portfolio rebalancing for the dynamics of the current account. The authors evaluate the predictions of a partial-equil...

An Arbitrary Benchmark CAPM: One Additional Frontier Portfolio is Sufficient

OpenAIRE

Ekern, Steinar

2008-01-01

First draft: July 16, 2008 This version: October 7, 2008 The benchmark CAPM linearly relates the expected returns on an arbitrary asset, an arbitrary benchmark portfolio, and an arbitrary MV frontier portfolio. The benchmark is not required to be on the frontier and may be non-perfectly correlated with the frontier portfolio. The benchmark CAPM extends and generalizes previous CAPM formulations, including the zero beta, two correlated frontier portfolios, riskless augmented frontier, an...

Continuous-Time Mean-Variance Portfolio Selection under the CEV Process

OpenAIRE

Ma, Hui-qiang

2014-01-01

We consider a continuous-time mean-variance portfolio selection model when stock price follows the constant elasticity of variance (CEV) process. The aim of this paper is to derive an optimal portfolio strategy and the efficient frontier. The mean-variance portfolio selection problem is formulated as a linearly constrained convex program problem. By employing the Lagrange multiplier method and stochastic optimal control theory, we obtain the optimal portfolio strategy and mean-variance effici...

Methods of Choosing an Optimal Portfolio of Projects

OpenAIRE

Yakovlev, A.; Chernenko, M.

2016-01-01

This paper presents an analysis of existing methods for a portfolio of project optimization. The necessity for their improvement is shown. It is suggested to assess the portfolio of projects on the basis of the amount in the difference between the results and costs during development and implementation of selected projects and the losses caused by non-implementation or delayed implementation of projects that were not included in the portfolio. Consideration of capital and current costs compon...

PORTFOLIO OPTIMIZATION ON CROATIAN CAPITAL MARKET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sinisa Bogdan

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose of this paper was to research portfolio optimization problem on Croatian capital market using Markowitz theory. Research systematically investigated the selection of securities, and defined the importance of using fundamental analysis when selecting the best combination of securities. Since fundamental analysis involves a large number of indicators, this paper selected key indicators that enable a complete and quick securities review on the market. This paper clarifies diversification effect and influence of the correlation coefficient on diversification. Two basic types of assets (stocks and cash funds have been chosen to build the optimal portfolio. Cash funds were selected because they represent a form of risk-free investment, while stocks were chosen because of the high level of return which they achieve. At the end of paper, optimal portfolio was calculated with an excellent yield of 1.82% and deviation of 5.77% on a monthly basis which corresponds to the minimum deviation of the selected stocks. Calculated optimal portfolio achieves better expected value than investing in stock index CROBEX, which for the same period achieves the expected result of -0.02%.

e-Portfolio as reflection tool during teaching practice: The interplay ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper focuses on an e-portfolio pilot initiative at the Faculty of Education ... expectations of an e-portfolio aligns with the current practices and attributes ... will impact the potential success of the integration of e-portfolios as reflective tools.

Optimal Portfolio Choice with Wash Sale Constraints

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Astrup Jensen, Bjarne; Marekwica, Marcel

2011-01-01

We analytically solve the portfolio choice problem in the presence of wash sale constraints in a two-period model with one risky asset. Our results show that wash sale constraints can heavily affect portfolio choice of investors with unrealized losses. The trading behavior of such investors...

Delegated Portfolio Management and Optimal Allocation of Portfolio Managers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Michael; Vangsgaard Christensen, Michael; Gamskjaer, Ken

2015-01-01

In this article, we investigate whether the application of the mean-variance framework on portfolio manager allocation offers any out-of-sample benefits compared to a naïve strategy of equal weighting. Based on an exclusive data-set of high-net-worth (HNW) investors, we utilize a wide variety of ...

The influence of volatility spill-overs and market beta on portfolio construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Heymans

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This study adds to Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT by providing an additional measure to market beta in constructing a more efficient investment portfolio. The additional measure analyses the volatility spill-over effects among stocks within the same portfolio. Using intraday stock returns from five top-40 listed stocks on the JSE between July 2008 and April 2010, volatility spill-over effects were estimated with a residual- based test (aggregate shock [AS] model framework. It is shown that when a particular stock attracted fewer volatility spill-over effects from the other stocks in the portfolio, the overall portfolio volatility decreased as well. In most cases market beta showcased similar results. Therefore, in order to construct a more efficient risk- adjusted portfolio, one requires both a portfolio that has a unit correlation with the market (beta-based, and stocks that showcase the least amount of volatility spill-over effects amongst one another. These results might assist portfolio managers to construct lower mean variance portfolios.

Learning to Select Supplier Portfolios for Service Supply Chain.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Rui; Li, Jingfei; Wu, Shaoyu; Meng, Dabin

2016-01-01

The research on service supply chain has attracted more and more focus from both academia and industrial community. In a service supply chain, the selection of supplier portfolio is an important and difficult problem due to the fact that a supplier portfolio may include multiple suppliers from a variety of fields. To address this problem, we propose a novel supplier portfolio selection method based on a well known machine learning approach, i.e., Ranking Neural Network (RankNet). In the proposed method, we regard the problem of supplier portfolio selection as a ranking problem, which integrates a large scale of decision making features into a ranking neural network. Extensive simulation experiments are conducted, which demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. The proposed supplier portfolio selection model can be applied in a real corporation easily in the future.

Beyond Words: Comics in the Social Work Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Akesson, Bree; Oba, Olufunke

2017-01-01

Equipping future social workers to interrogate social justice, human rights, and cultural issues requires a revision of social work education. Culturally relevant teaching is increasingly important in today's globalized world. In this article, we explore the role of comics as a form of social work pedagogy to tackle complex social issues. The…

Social media and social work education: understanding and dealing with the new digital world.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Lin; Mishna, Faye; Zhang, Vivian F; Van Wert, Melissa; Bogo, Marion

2014-10-01

Accompanying the multiple benefits and innovations of social media are the complex ethical and pedagogical issues that challenge social work educators. Without a clear understanding of the blurred boundaries between public and private, the potentially limitless and unintended audiences, as well as the permanency of the information shared online, social work students who use social media can find themselves in difficult situations in their personal and professional lives. In this article, we present three scenarios that illustrate issues and complexities involving social media use by social work students, followed by a discussion and recommendations for social work educators.

Portfolios as "Learning Companions" for Children and a Means to Support and Assess Language Learning in the Primary School

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Jane

2012-01-01

This article explores the idea of portfolios as a way to collect evidence of pupils' learning and achievement in their language learning in the primary school. The emphasis is on portfolio work as an active and reflective process to underpin and support learning and to show evidence of achievement and progression. Pupil choice and reflexivity are…

Multi-objective possibilistic model for portfolio selection with transaction cost

Science.gov (United States)

Jana, P.; Roy, T. K.; Mazumder, S. K.

2009-06-01

In this paper, we introduce the possibilistic mean value and variance of continuous distribution, rather than probability distributions. We propose a multi-objective Portfolio based model and added another entropy objective function to generate a well diversified asset portfolio within optimal asset allocation. For quantifying any potential return and risk, portfolio liquidity is taken into account and a multi-objective non-linear programming model for portfolio rebalancing with transaction cost is proposed. The models are illustrated with numerical examples.

Selección de carteras con criterios de responsabilidad social

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Calvo, Clara

2013-12-01

Full Text Available We present a fuzzy model for the portfolio selection problem that besides cardinality and semicontinuous variable diversification constraints, incorporates a non-financial goal consisting of maximizing social responsibility. This goal is treated as a secondary goal with regard to the main financial goals, i.e maximizing the expected return and minimizing the risk. This means that the investor fixes certain ranges of acceptable returns and risks and the model provides non-necessarily efficient portfolios within these ranges with best social responsibility taking into account how far they are from the efficient frontier. Hence the investor always knows the financial cost he or she is assuming due to the social responsibility criteria. The proposed method is discussed my means of an example about the selection of a portfolio of mutual funds.

Who Is Afraid of Liquidity Risk? : Dynamic Portfolio Choice with Stochastic Illiquidity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.J.A.G. Driessen (Joost); R. Xing (Rang)

2016-01-01

textabstractRecent empirical work documents large liquidity risk premiums in stock markets. We calculate the liquidity risk premiums demanded by large investors by solving a dynamic portfolio choice problem with stochastic price impact of trading, CRRA utility and a time-varying investment

Social strategies that work.

Science.gov (United States)

Piskorski, Mikołaj Jan

2011-11-01

Although most companies have collected lots of friends and followers on social platforms such as Facebook, few have succeeded in generating profits there. That's because they merely port their digital strategies into social environments by broadcasting their commercial messages or seeking customer feedback. To succeed on social platforms, says Harvard Business School's Piskorski, businesses need to devise social strategies that are consistent with users' expectations and behavior in these venues--namely, people want to connect with other people, not with companies. The author defines successful social strategies as those that reduce costs or increase customers' willingness to pay by helping people establish or strengthen relationships through doing free work on a company's behalf. Citing successes at Zynga, eBay, American Express, and Yelp, Piskorski shows that social strategies can generate profits by helping people connect in exchange for tasks that benefit the company such as customer acquisition, marketing, and content creation. He lays out a systematic way to build a social strategy and shows how a major credit card company he advised used the method to roll out its own strategy.

A Response to Anastas and Coffey: The Science of Social Work and Its Relationship to Social Work Education and Professional Organizations

Science.gov (United States)

Voisin, Dexter R.; Wong, Marleen; Samuels, Gina Miranda

2014-01-01

Relationships are central to the profession of social work; relationships with allied disciplines, among professional social work organizations, and between classroom and field education. However, embedded within these relationships are historical tensions, and contemporary opportunities that can advance both the science of social work and the…

The Effectiveness of Catastrophe Bonds in Portfolio Diversification

OpenAIRE

Mariani, Massimo; Amoruso, Paola

2016-01-01

The rapid growth of catastrophe bonds in financial markets is due to increasing environmental disasters and consequent economic losses, barely covered by insurance and reinsurance companies. These securities represent an effective solution, allowing the risk transfer to the capital market. The objective of this paper is to prove real advantages of the investor who operates in this market segment, in terms of portfolio diversification. The present work indeed shows how investing in catastrophe...

INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT PECULIARITIES OF NON-STATE PENSION FUNDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan LUCHIAN

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Non-state pension fund is a institution of social security, the primary purpose of which is the payment of pensions to members of the system of private pension provision. The insurance and pension funds in Republic of Moldova is just beginning. In this regard, a study was conducted in different countries on experience with non-state pension insurance. The results, being generalized, can be used in Republic of Moldova. Non-state pension fund has a multiple core: financial institution, fund, social institution, insurer and institutional investor. Non-governmental pension funds were highly integrated in public policy in most countries around the world aimed at expanding the supplementary pension insurance. Therefore, it becomes very important to solve the issue of formation and investment portfolio management in these financial institutions.

Portfolio Evaluation Based on Efficient Frontier Superiority Using Center of Gravity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omar Samat

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Investing in portfolio of assets is the best way to reduce the investment risk. The most desired portfolio can be obtained when investors chose to invest in the portfolios that lay on the portfolio’s efficient frontier. However, the superiorities of the portfolios are difficult to differentiate especially when the efficient frontier curves are overlapping. This paper proposed the portfolio’s efficient frontier center of gravity (CoG and Euclidean distance to identify its superiority. A sample of 49 stocks of large-cap and small-cap were used to construct two hypothetical portfolios and its efficient frontiers. The Euclidean distance showed that the large-cap portfolio is superior and having wider feasible solutions compared to the small-cap portfolio. The results of new tool introduced are consistent with the conventional methods. Here the theoretical and practical implications are provided in light of the findings.

Promoting Election-Related Policy Practice among Social Work Students

Science.gov (United States)

Pritzker, Suzanne; Burwell, Christianna

2016-01-01

Political involvement is an integral component of the social work profession, yet there is no explicit reference to social work participation in election-related activities in either the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics or the Council on Social Work Education Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. Social work…

Robust Portfolio Optimization using CAPM Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

mohsen gharakhani

2013-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a new robust model of multi-period portfolio problem has been developed. One of the key concerns in any asset allocation problem is how to cope with uncertainty about future returns. There are some approaches in the literature for this purpose including stochastic programming and robust optimization. Applying these techniques to multi-period portfolio problem may increase the problem size in a way that the resulting model is intractable. In this paper, a novel approach has been proposed to formulate multi-period portfolio problem as an uncertain linear program assuming that asset return follows the single-index factor model. Robust optimization technique has been also used to solve the problem. In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed model, a numerical example has been applied using simulated data.

A ubiquitous reflective e-portfolio architecture.

Science.gov (United States)

Forte, Marcos; de Souza, Wanderley L; da Silva, Roseli F; do Prado, Antonio F; Rodrigues, Jose F

2013-11-01

In nurse and in medicine courses, the use of reflective portfolios as a pedagogical tool is becoming a common practice; in the last years, this practice has gradually migrated from paper-based to electronic-based portfolios. Current approaches for reflective e-portfolios, however, do not widely operate at outdoor sites, where data networks are limited or nonexistent. Considering that many of the activities related to nurse and medicine courses relate to professional practices conducted in such conditions, these network shortcomings restrict the adoption of e-portfolios. The present study describes the requirements specification, design, implementation, and evaluation of the Ubiquitous Reflective E-Portfolio Architecture, a solution proposed to support the development of systems based on mobile and wired access for both online and offline operation. We have implemented a prototype named Professional Practice Module to evaluate the Ubiquitous Reflective E-Portfolio Architecture; the module was based on requirements observed during the professional practice, the paper-based portfolio in use, and related learning meetings in the Medicine Course of a Brazilian University. The evaluation of the system was carried out with a learning group of 2nd year students of the medicine course, who answered to extensive evaluation questionnaires. The prototype proved to be operational in the activities of the professional practice of the Medicine Course object of the study, including homework tasks, patient care, data sharing, and learning meetings. It also demonstrated to be versatile with respect to the availability of the computer network that, many times, was not accessible. Moreover, the students considered the module useful and easy to use, but pointed out difficulties about the keyboard and the display sizes of the netbook devices, and about their operational system. Lastly, most of the students declared preference for the electronic Professional Practice Module in internal

Integrating Social Work into Undergraduate Education through a Community Action and Social Change Multidisciplinary Minor

Science.gov (United States)

Richards-Schuster, Katie; Ruffolo, Mary C.; Nicoll, Kerri Leyda

2015-01-01

Social work education has a long and successful history of developing change agents through bachelor of social work, master's of social work, and PhD programs, but these programs often create boundaries limiting the reach and infusion of social work perspectives. With rapid changes in social, economic, and political contexts, students from all…

Promoting gender sensitivity in social work

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henriksen, Ann-Karina Eske

2016-01-01

on personal notes from teaching gender and social diversity to social work students. In this context, two main obstacles are identified: anti-feminism and individualization. These obstacles can be addressed productively. First by bringing students’ gendered experiences and social categorisations into play...

Developing a framework for energy technology portfolio selection

Science.gov (United States)

Davoudpour, Hamid; Ashrafi, Maryam

2012-11-01

Today, the increased consumption of energy in world, in addition to the risk of quick exhaustion of fossil resources, has forced industrial firms and organizations to utilize energy technology portfolio management tools viewed both as a process of diversification of energy sources and optimal use of available energy sources. Furthermore, the rapid development of technologies, their increasing complexity and variety, and market dynamics have made the task of technology portfolio selection difficult. Considering high level of competitiveness, organizations need to strategically allocate their limited resources to the best subset of possible candidates. This paper presents the results of developing a mathematical model for energy technology portfolio selection at a R&D center maximizing support of the organization's strategy and values. The model balances the cost and benefit of the entire portfolio.

On long-only information-based portfolio diversification framework

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Raphael A.; Takada, Hellinton H.

2014-12-01

Using the concepts from information theory, it is possible to improve the traditional frameworks for long-only asset allocation. In modern portfolio theory, the investor has two basic procedures: the choice of a portfolio that maximizes its risk-adjusted excess return or the mixed allocation between the maximum Sharpe portfolio and the risk-free asset. In the literature, the first procedure was already addressed using information theory. One contribution of this paper is the consideration of the second procedure in the information theory context. The performance of these approaches was compared with three traditional asset allocation methodologies: the Markowitz's mean-variance, the resampled mean-variance and the equally weighted portfolio. Using simulated and real data, the information theory-based methodologies were verified to be more robust when dealing with the estimation errors.

Social Pedagogy and Social Work: An analysis of their Relationship from a Socio-pedagogical Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ewa Marynowicz-Hetka

2016-04-01

Full Text Available A proposal for the relationship between social pedagogy and social work will be made in this manuscript. It is assumed that social work is a certain type of practice cultivated by representatives of the social professions. Social pedagogy can provide an analysis of the field of social work, helping to orient activities within the field and to determine the proper selection of ways of conduct, a kind of a meta-theory. Such an approach enables interaction and cooperation between representatives of multiple disciplines within the humanities and social sciences who are engaged in social work. It also has consequences for the acceptance of multi-faceted and multi-dimensional approaches to activities in the field of social work, which is recognized as an important field for social pedagogues, allowing them to carry out social actions from various perspectives, socio-pedagogical among them. The socio-pedagogical perspective on social work will be analyzed in this article.

Social Work's Role in Medicaid Reform: A Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bachman, Sara S; Wachman, Madeline; Manning, Leticia; Cohen, Alexander M; Seifert, Robert W; Jones, David K; Fitzgerald, Therese; Nuzum, Rachel; Riley, Patricia

2017-12-01

To critically analyze social work's role in Medicaid reform. We conducted semistructured interviews with 46 stakeholders from 10 US states that use a range of Medicaid reform approaches. We identified participants using snowball and purposive sampling. We gathered data in 2016 and analyzed them using qualitative methods. Multiple themes emerged: (1) social work participates in Medicaid reform through clinical practice, including care coordination and case management; (2) there is a gap between social work's practice-level and systems-level involvement in Medicaid innovations; (3) factors hindering social work's involvement in systems-level practice include lack of visibility, insufficient clarity on social work's role and impact, and too few resources within professional organizations; and (4) social workers need more training in health transformation payment models and policy. Social workers have unique skills that are valuable to building health systems that promote population health and reduce health inequities. Although there is considerable opportunity for social work to increase its role in Medicaid reform, there is little social work involvement at the systems level.

The status of research ethics in social work.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, Aidan; Clark, James J

2018-01-01

Research ethics provide important and necessary standards related to the conduct and dissemination of research. To better understand the current state of research ethics discourse in social work, a systematic literature search was undertaken and numbers of publications per year were compared between STEM, social science, and social work disciplines. While many professions have embraced the need for discipline-specific research ethics subfield development, social work has remained absent. Low publication numbers, compared to other disciplines, were noted for the years (2006-2016) included in the study. Social work published 16 (1%) of the 1409 articles included in the study, contributing 3 (>1%) for each of the disciplines highest producing years (2011 and 2013). Comparatively, psychology produced 75 (5%) articles, psychiatry produced 64 (5%) articles, and nursing added 50 (4%) articles. The STEM disciplines contributed 956 (68%) articles between 2006 and 2016, while social science produced 453 (32%) articles. Examination of the results is provided in an extended discussion of several misconceptions about research ethics that may be found in the social work profession. Implications and future directions are provided, focusing on the need for increased engagement, education, research, and support for a new subfield of social work research ethics.

Narrative and the Reconfiguration of Social Work Ethics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brandi Estey-Burtt

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Commencing with a critique of codes of ethics based on the Statement of Principles of the International Federation of Social Work, we explore how a narrative approach to ethics might better serve the practice of social work. We argue that narrative both addresses some of the problems within current codes—such as their Western assumptions, lack of attention to the political role of the social worker, and the privileging of professional expertise—and aligns well with the values social work, being committed to social justice and diversity. Furthermore, we suggest that narrative, because it can operate at the individual, family, community, social, and discoursal levels can help us think ethically about how we construct narratives about, with, and for individual service users while remaining attentive to wider concerns of social justice. In so doing we are not seeking to construct a new code of ethics but to generate debate as to how social work ethics might be reconfigured.

Bank Portfolio Structure and Economic Absorption Theory of Economic Development: A Theoretical Proposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uduak B. UBOM

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The focus of this article was on theoretical proposition of Bank Portfolio Structure and Economic Absorption Theory of economic development. Specifically, the work sought to establish the basis of bank portfolio rigidity and to identify the causes of economic absorption problems and their implications on economic development. The theoretical and conceptual research designs were used. Existing literatures were reviewed using archival retrieval approach, library search and internet exploration. The information obtained was judgmentally, logically and qualitatively analyzed. It was discovered among others, that, bank portfolio rigidity stems from regulatory policy defects using inconsistent monetary policy tools such as high liquidity ratio and cash ratio, etc. and compelling the banks to adhere to the regulatory requirement, as well as lack of adequate and quality stock of infrastructure and technology as the basic causes of economic absorption problems. Above all, low level of economic absorption has been discovered to hinder effective contributions of banks to economic development. Following from above, it was therefore recommended that regulatory tools used by Central Banks should be aligned with the development needs of the economy and the direction of governments. The monetary policy tools such as liquidity and cash ratios should also be moderated and stabilized for stable bank portfolio performance as well as aggressive improvement in the stock and quality of infrastructure and technology within an economy. With the new theory, it is expected that policy formulations and adjustments concerning bank portfolio structure and management would be designed with adequate flexibility and focus on long term loans and investments coupled with improved stock and quality of infrastructure to enhance economic development. This theory therefore provides another frontier of research on bank portfolio structure and contributions to economic development.

Jan Fook: Social Work: Critical Theory and Practice & Karen Healy: Social Work Practices: Contemporary Perspectives on Change

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2003-11-01

Full Text Available In his recent book on the contemporary politics of social work, Powell (2001 nominates Jan Fook and Karen Healy as two Australian authors who have made significant contributions to the radical or critical social work tradition. I have chosen to review them together, as each, in different ways, attempts to achieve the same purpose. That is, they attempt to provide a convincing account for adopting a critical approach to practice in the contemporary conditions of the 21st century and, in doing so, re-invigorate the radical tradition of social work practice. My first comment, important for the readership of this international journal, is that both books easily 'travel' beyond the Australian context.

Long-term portfolio investments: New insight into return and risk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Abramov

2015-09-01

Emphasis is placed on the need for regular adjustments to long-term investors’ portfolios. As portfolios get older, those investors see a reduction in the returns’ dispersion, while differences in risk between various portfolios increase. This means that to maintain a fixed risk–return ratio for a portfolio as the horizon increases, an investor needs to increase the share of lower-risk financial assets during asset allocation process. This thesis becomes especially relevant in the context of retirement savings management.

The Use of Portfolios in Leadership Education

Science.gov (United States)

Olsen, Paul E.

2009-01-01

This paper discusses the benefits of using student portfolios in undergraduate leadership education at Saint Michael's College. There appears to be a natural link between the use of portfolios as a tool to facilitate and document leadership growth and development. The Business Administration and Accounting Department at Saint Michael's College…

Tobacco training in clinical social work graduate programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinfelder, JoAnn; Price, James H; Dake, Joseph A; Jordan, Timothy R; Price, Joy A

2013-08-01

The leading cause of preventable death, in the most vulnerable segments of society, whom social workers often counsel, is cigarette smoking. The purpose of this study was to assess tobacco smoking cessation training in clinical social work programs. A valid 21-item questionnaire was sent to the entire population of 189 clinical graduate social work programs identified by the Council on Social Work Education. A three-wave mailing process was used to maximize the return rate. Directors from 112 clinical social work programs returned completed questionnaires (61 percent). The majority (91 percent) of directors reported having never thought about offering formal smoking cessation training, and only nine of the programs (8 percent) currently provided formal smoking cessation education. The three leading barriers to offering smoking cessation education were as follows: not a priority (60 percent), not enough time (55 percent), and not required by the accrediting body (41 percent). These findings indicate that clinical social work students are not receiving standardized smoking cessation education to assist in improving the well-being of their clients. The national accrediting body for graduate clinical social work programs should consider implementing guidelines for smoking cessation training in the curriculums.

The Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development: Commitment to Action

Science.gov (United States)

Journal of Social Work Education, 2012

2012-01-01

This Global Agenda is the product of a three-year collaborative initiative undertaken by three international organisations representing social work practice, social work education, and social development. All three of these international bodies were founded in 1928 and have held formal consultative status for many decades with the United Nations…

Researching Practice Wisdom in Social Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johnson Chun-Sing Cheung

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Researching practice wisdom in social work Social workers, as skilled helpers who make professional decisions using intuitive actions rather than by following defined rules, deserve better recognition for their practice wisdom. However, since there is a tendency amongst practitioners who adhere to the evidence-based paradigm to disregard practitioners’ knowledge, empirical research on practice wisdom in social work needs to be encouraged. The author argues that the lack of a sound methodology hinders the development of such an invaluable asset for practitioners. It is suggested that a heuristic paradigm that embraces the concepts of tacit knowing, intuition and indwelling will provide a way forward towards recognizing the importance of social workers’ practice wisdom.

An application of almost marginal conditional stochastic dominance (AMCSD) on forming efficient portfolios

Science.gov (United States)

Slamet, Isnandar; Mardiana Putri Carissa, Siska; Pratiwi, Hasih

2017-10-01

Investors always seek an efficient portfolio which is a portfolio that has a maximum return on specific risk or minimal risk on specific return. Almost marginal conditional stochastic dominance (AMCSD) criteria can be used to form the efficient portfolio. The aim of this research is to apply the AMCSD criteria to form an efficient portfolio of bank shares listed in the LQ-45. This criteria is used when there are areas that do not meet the criteria of marginal conditional stochastic dominance (MCSD). On the other words, this criteria can be derived from quotient of areas that violate the MCSD criteria with the area that violate and not violate the MCSD criteria. Based on the data bank stocks listed on LQ-45, it can be stated that there are 38 efficient portfolios of 420 portfolios where each portfolio comprises of 4 stocks and 315 efficient portfolios of 1710 portfolios with each of portfolio has 3 stocks.