Description: A look at the "The Power of Nice" by Ron Shapiro and how we can learn some important lessons from his work.

Description: Since spring, with the marked improvement in the payments deficit of the United States, the climate for discussion of reform of the world currency systems has become much more favorable. Perhaps our subject today should more fittingly be entitled Monetary Reform for the World Economy. Discussion focuses on the steps that can be taken to insure that enough liquidity will be provided to finance expanding world trade while maintaining stable price levels, and on how reform measures can be drawn to avoid the danger that additional liquidity will encourage countries to run chronic deficits.

Description: This article stresses the importance of continually assessing your business skills and outlines the most important skills for development.

Description: This article is about a session held at the October 1996 annual meeting, which focused on how actuaries can move beyond traditional employers.

Description: Article from The Actuary, February 1986 – Volume No. 20, Issue No. 2 talks about as deregulation has lurched forward, banks and thrifts as well as insurance agencies and marketing organizations have been examining the viability of joint ventures involving the sale of insurance through depository institutions.

Description: This article is a review of the book by Joshua Foer. It covers the history of memory techniques, the way a human brain organizes memory, and various problems and successes in memory recall. The author starts by interviewing memory savants, and learns from them that the ability to perform seemingly impossible memory tricks is simply a matter of studying and practicing proven techniques used for millennia. This review suggests that actuaries can benefit greatly from some of these techniques despite the availability of electronic hand-held devices to recall facts because the person who does not need to rely upon such devices can have a huge perceptual advantage in executive presentations.

Description: an excerpt from a speech discussing how experts can become so immersed in their work that they cannot see how their profession relates to and affects society. This is excerpted, with permission, from Mr. Anderson’s speech, “Strategic Planning for Corporate Growth,” to the Chemical Marketing Research Assn.

Description: This paper discusses the issues of an independent actuary providing product development, or more accurately sales development, services to a life insurance company. The author explores the process, and proposes “compensation to the entrepreneurial actuary who accepts the challenge of operating in a setting where true success is not measured by isolating theoretical profit margins or business sold, but rather focusing attention on the unfolding experience of what is hopefully to be truly profitable policies.” Instead of basing the actuary’s compensation on time spent, the author is suggesting compensation based on results.

Description: This article contains a summary of some of the presentations given at the October 2013 SOA Annual Meeting in San Diego.