Description: In light of economic globalization, the author examines how well prepared actuaries are in the four key areas of teamwork, education, values and cultural empathy.

Description: An article provides a report from the Society of Actuaries Board of Governors meeting in San Antonio, Texas, on June 14-15, 1994. Included are Board actions, particularly on SOA Bylaws, the establishment of the SOA Ambassador Program, and the creation of a heath Risk Adjuster research project.

Description: Author conducts her own informal survey to see how quickly the services could deliver rate quotes and how much the quoted rates would vary.

Description: Decision making is a life skill. You make decisions every day. Are you making good decisions? Do you know how to evaluate whether or not a decision was a good one? This article discusses some decision making methods.

Description: This article discusses funding flat-benefit pensions and suggests steps to address what will likely be a future underfunded plan.

Description: Final regulations imposing Continuing Professional Education CPE requirements for enrolled actuaries in the United States were promulgated recently by the Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries. The Joint Board was established by federal law ERISA in 1974 to regulate pension actuaries. Certain pension actuarial certifications required by ERISA must be performed by an enrolled actuary As described below, the CPE requirements will cause some administrative inconvenience for enrolled actuaries but - with certain notable exceptions - will not affect our behavior.

Description: Adapted from Chapter 1 of the book "Awake at Work" by Michael Carroll, the article discusses the ongoing dilemma the actuary faces in determining the appropriate amount of effort and analysis to put into a given actuarial assignment being juggled with several competing priorities.

Description: This article discusses that several ERM characteristics mitigate the effects of bad corporate culture, including: • The whole firm is considered the system in view holistic characteristic. • Peers are empowered to lead in positive ways intensive management characteristic. • Risk taking should be separated from risk management objective assessment characteristic. • Risk management is a key corporate value, second only to profit maximization postmodern characteristic.

Description: 2003 Symposium Questionnaire from Pension Section News, June 2003, Issue No. 52.

Description: The SOA Research Institute and LIMRA have completed the most up-to-date study of universal life lapse and surrender data. Learn more about this vital resource for actuaries working with individual life insurance products.