Portfolio (finance)

The term portfolio (Latin portare 'carry' and folium, leaf ' ), rarely portfolio refers to a collection of objects of a certain type. In a figurative sense, it can also mean a collection of helpful methods, procedures or courses of action. Originally it denoted a wallet or binder. In the education portfolio is a portfolio can be compiled and stored in the leaves. The term is used in different areas of importance, such as:

• Securities portfolio
• Project Portfolio
• Product portfolio
• Plant portfolio of an artist

Financial world

The financial world understands by a bunch of portfolio investment, which is owned by an institution or an individual. The construction of a portfolio is usually preceded by an extensive analysis. Having a portfolio is usually part of a strategy to reduce the risks of financial investments through diversification. In Monetary sector, a portfolio investment also an investment in various currencies mean ( basket of currencies ) to compensate for exchange rate instabilities.

See also: portfolio theory, portfolio selection, risk management, portfolio management

Sales, marketing, production management

In sales and marketing portfolio refers to a collection of products, services, projects or brands that a company offers. Respect it is also the product portfolio or the brand portfolio of a company. For the construction of a corresponding (product) portfolio different analysis techniques are used: BCG Analysis, McKinsey portfolio, ADL portfolio, contribution margin analysis, multi-factor analysis and Quality Function Deployment. Usually companies try to achieve both diversification and a balanced ratio of offers in their portfolio.

The various products of a company are divided here in the Boston Consulting Group portfolio, depending on the relative market share and market growth, depending on the state in the product life cycle into four categories: Question Marks, Stars, Cash Cows and Poor Dogs. The product portfolio is a subset of the corporate portfolio, the (share of revenue, profit, growth rates, etc.) can be defined down to the level of the individual product.

From the portfolio of products that covers all product variants, the sales programs are developed, since the product offering with a worldwide distribution to different sales markets and customer requirements or market needs to be adapted. Here playing among others legal, national, climatic and cultural differences play an important role. The product offers ( saProduktkatalog ) a manufacturer therefore differ in different countries more or less from each other, what you can be particularly well seen in the global automotive manufacturers.

See also: product policy, strategic management, marketing, customer value, production program

Education

In education was from the marketing since about 2001, the term " portfolio ", and even " portfolio work ", a fashion concept from the 1990s taken over. From different types of portfolios has since the speech:

• Course portfolio: is used to collect items and performance evidence from a single course ( eg Subject politics, biology, etc.).
• Portfolio in accordance with an output folder: gathers and classifies certain products that feature a learning biography of the learners and make the development of the learner visible or document his work on a project. It can be used as a model portfolio, portfolio examination or as application portfolio.
• A portfolio may also systematically record certificates, job descriptions, awards, certificates, certificates of attendance or learning experiences and achievements; personal learning plan strategies; their own job search optimize etc. (see also e- portfolio).

A special feature of a portfolio: it allows you to build up a systematic learning strategy. The reflection and evaluation of one's own person, the learning content and the learning experience featuring a portfolio (see work journal).

Educational portfolios have their origin in the alternative assessment movement. With the acquisition of the portfolio concept in the field of education, the proximity of content was intended to portfolios in the artistic and in the economic sphere. The portfolio in the school system also shows the skill, operation and development of learners similar to how the portfolio in the artistic field. It is connected at one end with the presentation and assessment of competencies. On the other hand, the development of these skills in the center. Also the already mentioned transportability of the portfolio had reinforcing in the choice of terms. From the economic use of analogies in reference can be drawn regarding the risk reduction in the assessment. This self- selected performance records are inserted into the portfolio and undergo an evaluation procedure of the portfolio authors. Thus, the authors get the opportunity to select their best performances, and minimize the risk of not meeting the requirements. You get the opportunity to use these best services according to their goals. Based on performance assessment they bring the learner from a reactive role of " checks the becoming " an active role in the " Performing skills ".

Portfolio work is conducted on the basis of several process steps that starting from the definition of the context on the collection of documents ( learning process descriptions and learning products ), selecting those documents in the portfolio, the reflection ( as a core element of the portfolio work) and portfolio advice and the resulting projections for new learning objectives to the final presentation of the completed portfolio rich.

The portfolio work is characterized by the following aspects:

• Aspect of the compound of the learning process and the learning products
• Aspect of the subject and action orientation
• Aspect of the self-reflexivity of learning
• Aspect of competence rather than a deficit orientation

In 1991, the European Language Portfolio was initiated as a project of the Council of Europe. The aim of the European Language Portfolio is to accompany the process of language acquisition of learners, to promote multilingualism and thus contribute to greater linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe.

Art and Design

For professional creative portfolio is a compilation of the best and most important works and projects in which you were involved. It serves to job application or self-promotion purposes. A portfolio is available in the form of a portfolio, as an analog or digital media ( VHS tape, CD -ROM, DVD, etc.), or as a website on the Internet. Models or actors use a selection of their most important work for the comp card, which is a combination of portfolio and business card for the purpose of transfer to potential customers. In the area of ​​film and animated designs show reels can be used.

" Even in the Renaissance, artists and architects a portfolio out with them when they competed for places in academies or to works contracts. With the help of the documents contained therein, they were able to show not only the quality of their work, but at the same time as they have developed their skills over time. In addition, it was based on sketches and designs, the personal working techniques and the own style of work are presented. "

Information Technology

For large industrial companies and banks, the IT portfolio is a complete overview of all IT applications, IT projects and IT staff skills. The term may be traced back to a paper by FW McFarlan. The IT application portfolio includes existing systems, the IT project portfolio, the new and further development of applications or infrastructure components and the IT staff 's portfolio staff competencies. For the systematic management and development of an IT portfolio own work discipline has emerged, the IT portfolio management.

In contrast to the contents of the financial portfolio, IT investments can not easily be converted into cash. Therefore, the assessment criteria, both economic and strategic in nature, for example in the assessment of competitive advantage. They are recognized for example in the form of a balanced scorecard.