Description: Have you ever wondered why patterns persist in the stock market but never change our expected return? Efficient-market theory has been attacked by many sides, especially due to the existence of irrational investors.

Description: The article summarizes the SOA survey conducted of risk professionals regarding their understanding of important risk terms. The results contain perceptions by individuals and also firm-level information. Survey responses clearly demonstrated high differences in risk definitions.

Description: This article is intended to provide an introduction to microfinance and microinsurance. Microfinance began in the 1960's and 1970's as a humanitarian activity directed at the poor to provide micro loans for working capital. Microinsurance MI protects people in the low-income range against specific perils in exchange for regular premium payments.

Description: This article summarizes how to hire the best employees. Hiring the best employee means a whole lot more than marking off items on a checklist. It takes planning, prioritizing and the ability to spot potential.

Description: Here are the themes that I plan to address in more detail over the next year—our education and examination program; more meaningful partnerships among the various actuarial organizations, especially in the United States; and increased transparency.

Description: Linda M. Springer, FSA, MAAA, spent more than 25 years in the financial services industry in executive positions responsible for general and financial management and strategic operational planning. Springer is now the eighth director of the United States Office of Personal Management. In this interview, she discusses government life, on–the–job challenges and how her actuarial background has helped her progress in her career.

Description: The June 2000 supplement of The Actuary. The SOA Committee on Elections and the June 2000 issue's editor invited candidates for the office of president-elect of the Society of Actuaries to be interviewed by The Actuary. This annual service of The Actuary is intended to help Fellows make more informed choices in voting for a future SOA president.

Description: The first of two parts of a roundtable discussion, by conference call, on the state of life reinsurance today in North America.

Description: Irish actuary and professor explains his hypothesis that actuaries, as practitioners, are reluctant to adopt the theories of financial economists unless the models on which the theories are based fit the actual data the actuaries have.

Description: This article is an overview of the FAP course, a new e-learning tool that encompansses real-world applications and examples to demonstrate actuarial practice and to teach principles that help candidates make the transition from the preliminary examinations.