Saturday, July 18, 2020

Reliability and Consistency in Psychometrics

Reliability and Consistency in Psychometrics Basics Print Reliability and Consistency in Psychometrics By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on February 18, 2020 Kaan Tanman / Getty Images More in Psychology Basics Psychotherapy Student Resources History and Biographies Theories Phobias Emotions Sleep and Dreaming When we call someone or something reliable, we mean that they are consistent and dependable. Reliability is also an important component of a good psychological test. After all, a test would not be very valuable if it was inconsistent and produced different results every time. How do psychologists define reliability? What influence does it have on psychological testing? Reliability refers to the consistency of a measure. A test is considered reliable if we get the same result repeatedly. For example, if a test is designed to measure a trait (such as introversion), then each time the test is administered to a subject, the results should be approximately the same. Unfortunately, it is impossible to calculate reliability exactly, but it can be estimated in a number of different ways. Test-Retest Reliability Test-retest reliability is a measure of the consistency of a psychological test or assessment. This kind of reliability is used to determine the consistency of a test across time. Test-retest reliability is best used for things that are stable over time, such as intelligence. Test-retest reliability is measured by administering a test twice at two different points in time. This type of reliability assumes that there will be no change in the quality or construct being measured.?? In most cases, reliability will be higher when little time has passed between tests. The test-retest method is just one of the ways that can be used to determine the reliability of a measurement. Other techniques that can be used include inter-rater reliability, internal consistency, and parallel-forms reliability. It is important to note that test-retest reliability only refers to the consistency of a test, not necessarily the validity of the results. Inter-Rater Reliability This type of reliability is assessed by having two or more independent judges score the test.?? The scores are then compared to determine the consistency of the raters estimates. One way to test inter-rater reliability is to have each rater assign each test item a score. For example, each rater might score items on a scale from 1 to 10. Next, you would calculate the correlation between the two ratings to determine the level of inter-rater reliability. Another means of testing inter-rater reliability is to have raters determine which category each observation falls into and then calculate the percentage of agreement between the raters. So, if the raters agree 8 out of 10 times, the test has an 80% inter-rater reliability rate. Parallel-Forms Reliability Parallel-forms reliability is gauged by comparing two different tests that were created using the same content.?? This is accomplished by creating a large pool of test items that measure the same quality and then randomly dividing the items into two separate tests. The two tests should then be administered to the same subjects at the same time. Internal Consistency Reliability This form of reliability is used to judge the consistency of results across items on the same test.?? Essentially, you are comparing test items that measure the same construct to determine the tests internal consistency. When you see a question that seems very similar to another test question, it may indicate that the two questions are being used to gauge reliability. Because the two questions are similar and designed to measure the same thing, the test taker should answer both questions the same, which would indicate that the test has internal consistency. Factors That Can Influence Reliability There are a number of different factors that can have an influence on the reliability of a measure. First and perhaps most obviously, it is important that the thing that is being measured be fairly stable and consistent.?? If the measured variable is something that changes regularly, the results of the test will not be consistent. Aspects of the testing situation can also have an effect on reliability. For example, if the test is administered in a room that is extremely hot, respondents might be distracted and unable to complete the test to the best of their ability. This can have an influence on the reliability of the measure. Other things like fatigue, stress, sickness, motivation, poor instructions and environmental distractions can also hurt reliability. Reliability vs. Validity It is important to note that just because a test has reliability it does not mean that it has validity. Validity refers to whether or not a test really measures what it claims to measure. Think of reliability as a measure of precision and validity as a measure of accuracy. In some cases, a test might be reliable, but not valid. For example, imagine that job applicants are taking a test to determine if they possess a particular personality trait. ?While the test might produce consistent results, it might not actually be measuring the trait that it purports to measure. Types and Problems With Personality Testing

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Brief Description Of Edward Teller Essay - 539 Words

Edward Teller Edward Teller is a Hungarian-American physicist, known for his work on the hydrogen bomb. Teller was born in Budapest in 1908, and was educated in Germany at the Institute of Technology in Karlsruhe and at the universities of Munich and Leipzig. He received his Ph.D. in physics in 1930. After working at the University of Goettingen with James Frank and at the Niels Bohr Institute, he became Professor of Physics at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. in 1935. In 1941 he became an American citizen. In the same year he joined the U.S. atomic bomb development project known as the Manhattan Project. For more than a decade he worked with the Italian-born physicist Enrico Fermi on this and succeeding projects at†¦show more content†¦In 1952 he became professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley, and director of the Livermore, California, division of the universitys radiation laboratory (now Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory). He was the princ ipal architect of the hydrogen bomb, first tested in 1952, and he strongly advocated that the United States continue the testing of thermonuclear weapons. He also made contributions to the application of nuclear explosives to peaceful uses. From 1954 to 1958, he served as Associate Director at the new Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. He became a consultant to the laboratory in 1952. In 1975 he retired from teaching, but remained director emeritus of the radiation laboratory. After working on the production of the atomic bomb in the Manhattan Project, Edward Teller went on to become the principal designer of the hydrogen bomb. He remained a steadfast advocate of nuclear weapons testing throughout his life. In recent years, Teller has championed the ``Star Wars missile defense system, despite the fact that such a system is very expensive and has no conceivable way of working. Teller has written a few books. His books include Conversations on the Dark Secrets of Physics (Plenum Press, 19 91), Better a Shield Than a Sword (Free Press, 1987), Pursuit of Simplicity (Pepperdine Press, 1980), and Energy from Heaven and EarthShow MoreRelated Conditions and Effects of the Evolving Electronic Economy on Labor3644 Words   |  15 Pagesand bankers? Hung them all, perhaps, as the anarchists wanted to do in my day?† â€Å"Not so bad as that,† replied Dr. Leete. â€Å"We have simply dispensed with them. Their functions are obsolete in the modern world.† (60) Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy, 1887 Edward Bellamy’s futuristic conception of commerce in the 21st century unintentionally created a surprisingly accurate representation of the emerging electronic economy. The use of computer technology and the internet is allowing the creationRead More The Hidden Meaning of The Nuns Priests Tale Essay3752 Words   |  16 Pagesbeast fable. What is a beast fable? Obviously a tale about animals, but one where animals are used as embodiments or caricatures of human virtues, vices, prudences, and follies ... and the other typical qualities of mankind. They are generally brief cautionary anecdotes that use the obvious resemblances between man and animals to point a moral or push a proverb home entertainingly3. Chaucer can be seen to exploit the nature of the beast fable fully in The Nuns Priests Tale. It containsRead MoreGrading System Rationale6250 Words   |  25 Pagesamp;NA;+, amp;NA;, and amp;NA;−; descriptive words such as Exemplary, Satisfactory, and Needs Improvement; or numerals such as 4, 3, 2, and 1. Reporting is the process by which these judgments are communicated to parents, students, or others. A Brief History Grading and reporting are relatively recent phenomena in education. In fact, prior to 1850, grading and reporting were virtually unknown in schools in the United States. Throughout much of the nineteenth century most schools grouped studentsRead MoreSome Recent Trends in Writing Job Description for the Purpose of Job Evaluation: a6393 Words   |  26 PagesTrends in Writing Job Description for the Purpose of Job Evaluation: A Reflective View Muhammad Ali EL-Hajji, PhD Former Lecturer of Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool Community College Abstract In order for the organizations to have a fair, acceptable and reliable job evaluation, the need for having a professionally completed job description is inevitable, particularly when the organization concerned is NOT small in size. This paper focuses on job description for the purpose ofRead MoreA Short Story8828 Words   |  36 Pagesknew his luck couldn’t be this damn bad. He just got out of jail. â€Å"I haven’t done anything wrong†, Kevin said. The officer told him they got a call that someone was trying to break into the apartment you are standing in front of and you match the description that was given to the dispatcher. â€Å"No sir, you got it all wrong, I know the lady that lives here. I just want to talk to her.† Janice opened her door and told the officer she had nothing to say to Kevin and that she filed a criminal complaintRead MoreHrm Policies10725 Words   |  43 Pagesthe purpose of HRM is to maximize the productivity of an organization by optimizing the effectiveness of its employees. This mandate is unlikely to change in any fundamental way, despite the ever-increasing pace of change in the business world. As Edward L. Gubman observed in the Jour nal of Business Strategy, the basic mission of human resources will always be to acquire, develop, and retain talent; align the workforce with the business; and be an excellent contributor to the business. Those threeRead MoreActivity-Based Total Quality Management at American Express5991 Words   |  24 Pagesgrowing service that lets consumers transfer funds around the world, usually within minutes; †¢ American Express Official Checks, which are negotiable instruments that financial institutions use as substitutes for their own disbursement items (e.g., teller checks and loan checks); and As of 1992, each American Express business unit must undergo a self-assessment based on the criteria specified in the guidelines for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Spring 1993 -- 48 COST MANAGEMENT Read MoreVictorian Novel9605 Words   |  39 Pagesexpansion of railways. In a short time it greatly influenced not only the landscape of the country but also the perception of the space and time. Books, journals, reviews, magazines, papers became the portion of travelling. Even libraries, like those of Edward Mudie and W.H. Smith, thanks to the railways could send different forms of literature to provinces and overseas. Changes in the industry and society were equal to the changes in the novel. Themes like sea adventures after Napoleonic Wars, concernsRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesauthor will of necessity be forced to select those incidents that are most relevant to the story to be told. Those incidents that are the most significant will be emphasized and expanded into full-fledged dramatic scenes by using such devices as description, dialogue and action. Other incidents will be given relatively less emphasis through deliberate subordination. In the latter case, the author may shorten the dramatic elements of the scene or eliminate them altogether in favour of summary – in favourRead MoreSelf Service28523 Words   |  115 Pagesindividual servers, and therefore, a server cannot easily rely on other servers to take care of his or her customers. Finally, they stated that it may also be faster because of a subtle degree of specialization. If a cus tomer usually uses the same teller, that teller may become more efficient in dealing with the customer’s typical transactions. Queues, Affective Experience, Satisfaction, and Decisions Consumers dislike the idea of having to stand in line to check out groceries in stores after they have walked

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Frankenstein Ch 1-10 Quote Analysis - 2912 Words

Dee Ting Ms. Bridges AP English IV – 2nd period 24 January 2013 Frankenstein Annotations: Chapters 1-10 Chapter 1 â€Å"I was their plaything and their idol, and something better- their child, the innocent and helpless creature bestowed on them by Heaven, whom to bring up to good, and whose future lot it was in their hands to direct to happiness or misery, according as they fulfilled their duties towards me. With this deep consciousness of what they owed towards the being to which they had given life.† This quote expresses Victor Frankenstein’s beliefs that it was up to this parents to make him happy and to succeed in life. The last line expresses a belief that any parent owed it to their child happiness and love by bringing them to life.†¦show more content†¦When we visited it the next morning, we found the tree shattered in a singular manner. It was not splintered by the shock, but entirely reduced to thin ribbons of wood. I never beheld anything so utterly destroyed.† The natural world is beautiful and also capable of destruction. â€Å"No human being could have passed a happier childhood than myself. My parents were possessed by the very spirit of kindness and indulgence. We felt that they were not the tyrants to rule our lot according to their caprice, but the agents and creators of all the many delights which we enjoyed. When I mingled with other families I distinctly discerned how peculiarly fortunate my lot was, and gratitude assisted the development of filial love.† Victor says his family is happy, and his parents as the bringers of many delights. Victor knows how great it is to have your creators care about you, but this knowledge does not convince him to do the same for the creature that he has brought to life. Chapter 3 â€Å"After having made a few preparatory experiments, he concluded with a panegyric upon modern chemistry, the terms of which I shall never forget: ‘The ancient teachers of this science,’ said he, ‘promised impossibilities and performed nothing. The modern masters promise very little; they know that metals cannot be transmuted and that the elixir of life is a chimera but these philosophers, whose hands seemShow MoreRelatedMetamorphoses Within Frankenstein14861 Words   |  60 PagesThe Critical Metamorphoses of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein You must excuse a trif ling d eviation, From Mrs. Shelley’s marvellous narration — from th e musical Frankenstein; or, The Vamp ire’s Victim (1849) Like Coleridge’ s Ancient Mariner , who erupts into Mary Sh elley’s text as o ccasionally and inev itably as th e Monster into Victor Frankenstein’s lif e, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometh eus passes, like night, from land to land and w ith stang ely ad aptable powers of speech Read MoreMetz Film Language a Semiotics of the Cinema PDF100902 Words   |  316 PagesUnited States of America 09 08 07 6 7 8 9 10 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Metz, Christian. [Essais sur la signification au cinà ©ma. English] Film language: a semiotics of the cinema / Christian Metz: translated by Michael Taylor. p. cm. Translation of: Essais sur la signification au cinà ©ma, tome 1. Reprint. Originally published: New York: Oxford University Press, 1974. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 0-226-52130-3 (pbk.) 1. Motion pictures—Semiotics. 2. Motion pictures—

Humanism in Renaissance Art Free Essays

The Renaissance, occurring between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries, was a period of great rebirth. Humanism, an important part of the Renaissance, brought about more color, perspective, and realism within the artistic community. A few aspects of humanism include individualism and Greece-Roman influences. We will write a custom essay sample on Humanism in Renaissance Art or any similar topic only for you Order Now Humanist ideals manifested themselves in works of Renaissance art such as Michelangelo Sistine Chapel and his David sculpture, as well as Repeal’s School of Athens. Individualism emerged in the works of Michelangelo along with numerous other Italian artists of the time. In Michelangelo Sistine Chapel painting, each of the over one hundred people depicted has its own distinct facial features. Prior to the Renaissance, artists would replicate the same prosaic face onto all of the people in a large group. However, Michelangelo preferred to distinguish every individual figure present. He also ventured so far as to include a depiction of God in the form of he paintings benefactor, Pope Julius II. The characteristics of individualism repeatedly appear in the works of Italian Renaissance artists. The prevalence of humanist ideals is also present through the inclusion of Greek and Roman themes. The statue of David by Michelangelo was a sculpture created between 1501 and 1504 featuring a nude male representing the biblical hero David. Davit’s contrasts pose is the Renaissance interpretation of the common Greek theme of a casually standing heroic figure. Another ancient Greece-Roman theme represented in the statue is the idea of a biblical hero depicted as a supreme athletic embodiment. Additionally, Repeal’s School of Athens, painted between 1 509 and 1 510, conveys classical Greek and Roman ideals. Aristotle and Plato, well known Greek philosophers, serve as the central focus of the scene. Furthermore, the building portrayed in the painting has the rounded appearance and incorporation of columns used commonly in Romanesque architecture. Also, there are two statues visible in the background of the painting: one is of the Greek god Apollo, the god of light and cheery, and the second is of the Roman goddess Minerva, the goddess of wisdom. A myriad of Italian artists were influenced by the humanist ideals of the great thinkers. The likes of Michelangelo and Raphael used these principles of the great Renaissance humanists to advance their artwork. Humanism in Renaissance Art By illegible How to cite Humanism in Renaissance Art, Papers

Sunday, April 26, 2020

The Lottery Essays (416 words) - Dystopian Literature, Films

The Lottery All people are unique in their own ways, however have contradictory characteristics such as good and evil. Some people have a soul in which the good side is more dominant, and others have a more dominant bad side. The lottery is a way for the characters in the story to reveal the hidden evil of their souls. One example of this is portrayed through the eagerness and the willingness to participate in the lottery. One of the characters says that they feel like its only been a few weeks since the last lottery, which gives the impression that the lottery is something to look forward to. This shows that the evil side of these people enjoys inflicting pain on others. Mrs. Hutchinson was eager to get to the lottery herself. She shows the evil in her character by wishing the pain that she must live through, and perhaps even die as the outcome, on others. She does not want to accept the fact that she was chosen. Mrs. Hutchinson says that it is not fair, regarding the final results of the lottery. The lottery was something she looked forward to until the outcome of the lottery was forced upon her. The entire population of the town participates in the tradition of the lottery. This shows that the whole community releases a part of their evil onto others. They are all eager to see someone beaten with rocks, however none of them want it to be them. Even the towns children were involved in the savage ritual. After Tessie Hutchinson was chosen some of the towns children gave some pebbles to her son so he too could participate in the torture of his own mother. This horrible tradition is placed into the lives of the descendants of the town, so it is passed on from generation to generation. These people are taught to let the evil inside of them loose during the lottery. The evil in the souls of the townspeople is brought out during the lottery. It is more of an evil that is held in, rather than hidden. This evil comes out once a year for the lottery and takes over the mind and body of all of its participants, which makes them see this ritual as a normal tradition that has been kept alive for many years. Everyone has some evil in them, but the lottery gives people a chance to accentuate this evil and to let it loose. Book Reports

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Qualitas of Life Foundation Profile

Qualitas of Life Foundation Profile Introduction A great number of people experience difficulties related to financial issues such as insurance or mortgage being an obstacle for these individuals to live in adequate living conditions instead of thinking about methods that can be used to save their houses or other property.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Qualitas of Life Foundation Profile specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this respect, financial literacy can be considered one of the most appropriate methods to improve the literacy of population in financial issues related to accounting, budgeting, and taxes. The Qualitas of Life Foundation is a non-governmental non-profit organization that deals with immigrants that live in the United States of America. The main function of this organization consists in helping Hispanic immigrants and their families to adjust to the financial policies and prevent scams towards these people. In other words, people should be aware of their rights and duties and should be able to act in accordance with numerous laws and acts in different areas of the financial sector. Qualitas Of Life Foundation: A Brief Overview The organization that should be described in this section was founded by a philanthropist Marcela O. de Rovzar, a Mexican individual with an â€Å"extensive career in capacity building and fundraising†1. The skills and talents of this person and her desire to help immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries enabled her to arrange the operation of this program. Every step in this organization is taken to improve the living condition of people that are not aware of peculiarities of financial issues I the United States of America. Classes are conducted in English and in Spanish though Spanish is the prevailing direction as most immigrants speak Spanish outside their primary job including educational environment. In this respect, staff members of this organization are requeste d to be fluent in English as well as in Spanish to convey the message effectively and be adequate representatives of the organization in the business environment. Speaking and writing activities are conducted in order to explain financial concepts to people and make them practice their newly-acquired skills and knowledge. Accounting and budgeting can help them to arrange their finances in terms of family income and numerous bills to be paid.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As the organization’s main function is closely related to the branch of financial education, the Qualitas of Life Foundation conduct classes and provides Hispanic immigrants with opportunities to obtain knowledge necessary for adequate organization of family finances. Besides, the organization is actively performing building and sustaining functions as a community member establishing relations with community-based organizations and making agreements to various financial institutions.2 Every member of the community can take part in the educational activities aimed at â€Å"bring[ing] together diverse groups of Mexicans and Hispanics in support of the immigrant community†3 in order to â€Å"financial literacy for Mexican and Hispanic immigrants.†4 In other words, the organization has built connections with related institutions including the immigrant community that provides immigrants with high degree of support and counseling. Financial literacy is the basic concern for Hispanic immigrants though there are many other difficulties; so, people have to take every chance to improve their skills and raise competitive advantage to be able to get a god job and provide their families with adequate financial support and education. The Way Of Governing CEO and his/her functions The organization is ran by a board of this organization and an Executive Director whose major functions include â€Å"management, accounting and administrative duties, as well as implementing fundraising strategy set by the Board President†.5 In other words, the managerial duties are prevailing for the CEO in this organization. As the Qualitas of Life Foundation is a non-profit organization, the accounting includes investments and arrangement of funds in terms of financial literacy programs and attending of immigrants in financial workshops.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Qualitas of Life Foundation Profile specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Moreover, the CEO can be considered the major person to report to the Board President and Board of Directors. In this respect, all initiatives suggested by the board are to be fulfilled and supervised by the Executive Director. As the primary functions of the CEO of this organization concern the financial workshops activities, this person has t o be knowledgeable in financing and education as well as possess good interpersonal skills. Adrin Franco is the person that currently obtains the position of the Executive Director at the Qualitas of Life Foundation. He is knowledgeable in administration and accounting as well as in educational issues. However, the organization is searching for a person to obtain this position instead of Adrin Franco while the start date is the January 2011.6 Besides, one of the functions of the new CEO will include the fundraising duties and other activities for mobilizing resources.7 In this respect, administration and management are of primary importance for the executive director of a non-profit organization like the Qualitas of Life Foundation. Size of the governing board The current members of the governing board are President and founder Marcela Orvaà ±anos de Rovzar, secretary Mariel Creo, and board members Alexis Rovzar, Gregorio Schneider, Jose Luis y Eugenia Guerrero.8 Though the size of the board might have been changed, the change was helpful because of a number of factors. The first factor concerns the operation of the board and its functions: As the main function of the organization includes the educational workshops related to financial literacy of Hispanic immigrants, it is necessary to organize the work of literacy seminars and classes and establish relations with other financial institutions and educational nonprofits as a part of the cooperation program. The next function of the board includes building and sustaining of the reputation of the organization in order people could rely on the results of the program. Moreover, the CEO reports directly to the board while he is also able to introduce certain changes to the board.9 As a rule, the changes are introduced into the organization in rare cases, mainly due to global changes in the market that can shift the priorities and alter some new vision of the problem hence presenting new ideas for solving new probl ems.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In this respect, another function of the board is supervision of the work performed by the CEO and approval of his/her activities in terms of granting permission for introduction of changes or other strategic initiatives into organization. So, as the organization works mostly with people that need to improve their financial literacy, they should be ready to take into account the factor of people that includes many aspects. Most of these aspects concern job opportunities, income level, level of education, and general perspectives for employment and further work in the United States of America for Hispanic immigrants. Changes in the governing board Though changes in the Board of Directors can happen in future, it is necessary to take into account that the peculiar features of the organization require certain skills and abilities from people that can be appointed to managerial positions. In this respect, the person that can be a member of the Board of Directors in the Qualitas of Life Foundation should be knowledgeable in administration and accounting, certain financial issues though the basics of financial issues can be sufficient for the member of the board, educational issues, and bilingual approach. It is more likely that the changes in the governing board are not happening due to the fact that the founder remains the Board Director of the organization whereas all other positions are obtained by people who know their business and can contribute greatly to the overall success of the organization. Challenges And Weaknesses Potential weaknesses Potential weaknesses for the organization include the risk management in terms of the global financial crisis and other circumstances that can shift the priorities with regard to employment opportunities and necessity for providing people with financial education. Moreover, experienced administrators who know English as well as Spanish can turn out to be inexperienced in accounting and financial issues. In this respect, l ack of efficient staff members can become a real threat for the organization as the most experienced financial expert can fail to acquire Spanish in order to be able to convey the message to the class. This weakness becomes more threatening with regard to the rising number of immigrants that may want to learn financial literacy to maintain their families adequately. As a result, the organization can face difficulties with hiring appropriate employees who are engaged in education and accounting at the same time. Another potential weakness of the organization concerns the investments that include funding of the Qualitas of Life Foundation by the government though it is a non-governmental organization. The major part of the educational materials is the donation of other educational and financial institutions such as Banamex (Citigroup), â€Å"Little Sisters of the Assumption in East Harlem, Adelante Alliance in Brooklyn, HANDS and Mercy Center in South Bronx, and El Centro and the Jew ish Community Center in Staten Island†.10 Besides, the organization works with other nonprofits on the territory of the United States and Mexico. This means that the alliances are closely related and some difficulties encountered by one organization can be faced by others. Finally, the organization should be more concerned about leadership competences that are of primary importance for the organization that deals with people and educational issues. In this respect, managers have to focus more on the development of leadership competencies so that people were encouraged to acquire knowledge and improve their financial literacy. The potential weakness of this concept concerns the ability of the immigrant community to provide its members with adequate encouragement and counseling in case of certain difficulties. In other words, the organization should monitor the activities of the program members to know the difficulties and be able to predict some changes to respond to those adeq uately. However, the same aspect can be successfully transferred to the competitive advantage. Existing challenges Existing challenges that are relevant to the work of the organization include lack of connections with community members and insufficient support of Hispanic immigrants from other community members in terms of their financial education activities. In this respect, all connections that have been established till the current moment have to be sustained in order to prevent discouragement of people that take part in this program. In other words, members of the organization should monitor and supervise the members of the program so that they could demonstrate their achievements to the full extent. Encouragement and more active involvement can be achieved through advertising which can be considered one of the existing weaknesses. People can learn about the program and its opportunities from friends and other members of the community if they are active participants of the comm unity life in the United States whereas some immigrants fail to sustain relations with the community after arrival. Leadership and its development should be of primary importance for the organization with regard to the rising number of people that have appropriate skills for this type of activity though are discouraged from it. Development of leadership competencies can ensure that all members of the Hispanic immigrant community are active participants of the financial literacy programs. Cultural aspect is very important in terms of the leadership concept.11 Thus, people can fail to adapt to the leadership development policies due to lack of leadership principles in their culture. However, the members of the Hispanic community seem to be very active and ambitious in terms of active participation in the program. Ways of solving problems All the problems that exist in the community in the current moment can be solved with the help of adequate policies adopted for improvement that can be reached in the shortest possible time. In this respect, it is necessary to manage the activities of the organization adequately and try to prevent the slightest difficulties that may possible occur. As prevention is more effective and less harmful than treatment of the developed problem, the manager should adopt the most relevant way for monitoring and surveying the activities typical for this organization. Besides, the most challenging issues may concern the changes in the global market that can hardly be foreseen by an ordinary manager though risk management and appropriate policies can help the organization in managing similar issues. Choosing more adequate style of leadership can be rather helpful in the situation of the global competition. â€Å"Today, people frequently discuss leadership style, which shifts the emphasis from character, which is internal and, to a large extent, inborn, to behavior, which is external and learnable.†12 In this respect, the manager can i ntroduce certain practices that are aimed at examination and identification of the leadership more appropriate for this or that person. Developing leadership competencies in Hispanic immigrants, the members of the organization can find future employees that will adequately provide other generations and waves of Hispanic immigrants with financial literacy services. Moreover, a problem should be defined before being approached; so, the organization can invite an independent expert who is knowledgeable in risk management and similar issues to identify the problem and suggest some ways for solving it. Ongoing Success Models of work The primary issue that should be discussed with regard to the current situation in the organization concerns the funding of the project as the organization can fail to operate effectively relying only on the governmental fees as the source of funding. So, the organization can be invested by educational organizations. Besides, companies interested in financial education of their employees can make agreements with this organization for providing them with adequate services. This means that the organization can become partially nonprofit and partially for-profit. In this case, the organization can continue to provide Hispanic immigrants with services aimed at improving their financial literacy for free as it is a nonprofit organization. At the same time, members of the organization can provide other organizations with similar services for some costs. For instance, the Qualitas of Life Foundation can provide ordinary people with the same services requiring fixed costs to be paid. This option can be interesting for individuals and organizations. Though the organization works in accordance with ordinary class activity model, it is necessary to emphasize its effectiveness because it enables people engaged into this activity to ask certain questions and re-ask if they do not understand something. In this respect, Hispanic immigrants do not only gain knowledge important for their financial issues in family and budgeting but can also be used to improve the existing knowledge in the area of finances and accounting. Adaptation to increase likelihood success The success of the organization is obvious though it can be increased as well as all other benefits of the Qualitas of Life Foundation. Thus, â€Å"†¦understanding and cultivating leadership†13 can be used to increase the success of the organization after thorough analysis of changes that can be potentially implemented and considered beneficial for the organization. In other words, all policies that might be implemented to the organization should be approved by the Board of Directors.14 After endorsement of changes and various beneficial methods and models, it is necessary to plan the implementation of those practices so that the operation was not ruined with application of the previous and new techniques simultaneously. Adaptive capacity is reported as highly important for the organization in case of implementation of various changes.15 The changes should be adjusted to the organization in terms of strategies and methods used in various areas of the organizational activity resulting in success. If the manager fails to apply innovation effectively to the organization, it should be changed because the innovations can be inappropriate for certain sectors of human activity including nonprofit educational organization working with Hispanic immigrants illiterate in financial issues. Conclusion To conclude, it is necessary to overview the general principles of the Qualitas of Life Foundation. This organization is a non-governmental and nonprofit one. It provides Hispanic immigrants with financial education services aimed at increasing the level o living of immigrant population that inhabits the territory of the United States. In other words, the competitive advantage of this organization is that it provides people that are members of the immigr ant community with financial literacy services aimed at improving the level of living and preventing scams that can be faced by immigrants due to differences in financial issues, accounting, and taxes. Every member of the community can obtain the financial education for free because the organization is funded by nonprofit funds such as the governmental fees and programs. Development of leadership competencies and adequate implementation of innovative practices and methods can help the organization to sustain success with regard to changing priorities all over the globe and instability of financial issues because of the financial crisis. Crutchfield, Leslie R., Heather McLeod Grant, Fuqua School of Business (Duke University), and Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship. Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2008. Print. Dees, J. Gregory, Jed Emerson, and Peter Economy. Enterprising Nonprofits: A Toolkit for Social Entrepreneurs. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2001. Print. Dym, Barry, and Harry Hutson. Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2005. Print. Qualitas of Life Foundation, 2008. Web. Footnotes 1 Qualitas of Life Foundation, 2008. 2 Qualitas of Life Foundation, 2008. Op. cit. 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. 5 Qualitas of Life Foundation, 2008. Op. cit. 6 Ibid. 7 Dees, J. Gregory, Jed Emerson, and Peter Economy. Enterprising Nonprofits: A Toolkit for Social Entrepreneurs. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2001. Print, 63-65. 8 Qualitas of Life Foundation, 2008. Op. cit. 9 Ibid. 10 Qualitas of Life Foundation, 2008. Op. cit. 11 Dym, Barry, and Harry Hutson. Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2005. Print, 35-36. 12 Dym and Hutson, Op. cit., 37. 13 Crutchfield, Leslie R., Heather McLeod Grant, Fuqua School of Business (Duke University), and Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship. Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits . San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2008. Print, 212. 14 Dees et al., Op. cit., 41. 15 Crutchfield et al., Op. cit., 131.

Monday, March 2, 2020

Red King Crab Facts and Identification

Red King Crab Facts and Identification They are the biggest and most sought-after shellfish in Alaska. What are they? Red king crab. Red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus)  is one of several king crab species. They entice fishers and seafood consumers with their snow-white (edged by red), flavorful meat. If youre a fan of reality TV, you might be familiar with red king crab, as they are one of two species (along with snow, or opilio crab) fished on Deadliest Catch. What Do King Crabs Look Like? As youd probably guess from the name, red king crab have a reddish carapace that can vary from brownish to dark red or burgundy. They are covered in sharp spines. These are the largest crab in Alaska. Since they dont expend as much energy in reproduction, males can grow much larger than females. Females can weigh up to about 10.5 pounds. The largest male on record weighed 24 pounds and had a leg span of about 5 feet.   These crabs have three pairs of legs used for walking and two claws. One claw is larger than the other and is used for crushing prey.   While it may not be apparent, these crabs are descended from hermit crab ancestors. Like hermit crabs, a red king crabs back end is twisted to one side (more drastically in hermit crabs, so they can fit into the gastropod shells that provide their shelter), they have one claw larger than the other, and their walking legs all point backward.   How Do You Distinguish Male King Crabs from Females? How do you tell males from females? There is one easy way: To keep crab populations healthy, only male red king crabs can be harvested, so if youre eating a king crab, it is most likely a male. In addition to size differences, males can be distinguished from females by the flap on their underside, which is triangular in males and rounded in females (this flap is larger in females because it is used to carry eggs).   Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ArthropodaSubphylum: CrustaceaClass: MalacostracaOrder: DecapodaFamily: LithodidaeGenus: ParalithodesSpecies: P. camtschaticus Where Do Red King Crabs Live? Red king crabs are a cold water species native to the Pacific Ocean, although they were also intentionally introduced into the Barents Sea 200. In the Pacific Ocean, they are found from Alaska to British Columbia and Russia to Japan. They are usually found in waters less than 650 feet deep.   What Do Red King Crabs Eat? Red king crabs feed on a variety of organisms, including algae, worms, bivalves (e.g., clams and mussels), barnacles, fish, echinoderms (sea stars, brittle stars, sand dollars) and even other crabs.   How Do Red King Crabs Reproduce? Red king crabs reproduce sexually, with internal fertilization. Mating occurs in shallow water. Depending upon their size, females can produce between 50,000 and 500,000 eggs. During mating, males grasp the female and fertilize the eggs, which she carries on her abdominal flap for 11-12 months before they hatch. Once they hatch, the red king crab larvae look similar to shrimp.  They can swim, but are largely at the mercy of tides and currents. They go through several molts over 2-3 months and then metamorphose into a glaucothoe, which settles to the ocean bottom and metamorphoses into a crab that spends the rest of its life on the ocean bottom. As they grow, red king crabs molt, which means they lose their old shell and form a new one.  During its first year, a red king crab will molt up to five times.  These crabs are sexually mature at about 7 years old. These crabs are estimated to live up to 20-30 years.   Conservation, Human Uses, and the Famous Crab Fishery After sockeye salmon, red king crab is the most valuable fishery in Alaska.  The crab meat is eaten as crab legs (e.g., with drawn butter), sushi, or in a variety of other dishes.   Red king  crabs are caught in heavy metal pots in a fishery that is famous for its dangerous seas and weather. To read more about red king crab fishing, click here.   Deadliest Catch- a crustacean lovers favorite reality series- tells the harrowing at-sea adventures of the captains and crew on  6 boats. But there were 63 boats in the Bristol Bay red king crab fishery in 2014. These boats caught the 9 million pound quota of crab in about  four weeks. Much of that crab is shipped to Japan.   As for the U.S., it is likely the red king crab you eat isnt caught by the fishermen on the Deadliest Catch  boats. According to  FishChoice.com, in 2013, 80 percent  of the red king crab sold in the U.S. was caught in Russia.   Threats to Red King Crab Populations Although catches of red king crab are steady at the moment,  recent reports  show they are vulnerable to  ocean acidification, a lowering of the oceans pH, which makes it difficult for crabs and other organisms to form their exoskeleton.   Sources Ahyong, S. 2014.  Ã‚  (Tilesius, 1815)Paralithodes camtschaticus. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species.Alaska Department of Fish and Game.  Red King Crab  (). Accessed January 30, 2015.  Paralithodes camtschaticusAlaskan King Crab Company. How to Cook and Prepare Alaskan King Crab Legs. Accessed January 30, 2015.  Carroll, S. B. 2011. A Lesson of Genealogy: Looks Can Be Deceiving. New York Times. Accessed January 30, 2015.  Christie, L. 2012. Deadliest Catch Not So Deadly Anymore. CNN Money. Accessed January 30, 2015.NOAA FishWatch. Red King Crab.  Accessed January 30, 2015.  Soley, S. 2013.  From Ocean to Plate: The Life of the Red King Crab. EarthZine. Accessed January 30, 2015.Stevens, B. J. Adaptations of Crabs to Life in the Deep Sea. NOAA Ocean Explorer. Accessed January 30, 2015.  Welch, L.  Fish Factor: Strong 2015 forecasts for pollock, Bristol Bay salmon. Alaska Journal of Commerce. Accessed January 30, 2015.