Contingencies

Feature

Dollars and Sense: Money, long-term high unemployment, and universal basic income

By Shiraz Jetha Causes of prolonged periods of high unemployment can range from economic mismanagement—such as over-expansion of money supply—to broad-based underlying structural changes. Economic mismanagement is often correctible over a... Read More

Feature

A Rigged Game?: Human nature and the U.S. health care system

By Carlos Fuentes “Winning or Losing the Game?” (Contingencies, July/August 2016) introduced certain basic ideas of game theory to analyze the economics of integrated health care systems. That article, like this one, stresses the fact that... Read More

Feature

Outer Space for All: In the new age of commercial spaceflight, risk will be an individual’s to bear

By Alyssa Oursler Exactly 47 years after the Soviet Union sent Sputnik into orbit, the creatively named SpaceShipOne spacecraft became the first privately built vehicle to reach space. SpaceShipOne was built by aerospace designer Burt Rotan and his... Read More

Feature

Risk Is Not a Four-Letter Word: Shifting societal attitudes have changed how we contemplate this integral concept

By Hilary Salt Discussions about risk are everywhere around us. As measurers and managers of risk, this should be good news for actuaries—more work for us, more opportunities in areas outside our traditional fields, and greater social... Read More

Feature

How to Survive - and Thrive - Amid Regulatory Change: A look at how companies can adapt to a shifting environment

By Linda Lankowski, Kevin Piotrowski, and Benjamin Slutsker Regulatory change is not a new concept. In fact, some might argue Benjamin Franklin’s quote should have been “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes, and... Read More

Feature

Bayes' Gift: How Actuaries Discovered (and Rediscovered) a Powerful Analytical Tool

By Roy Goldman It’s 1954 and air travel is quickly replacing rail travel. You are the chief actuary of the Insurance Company of North America [INA].[1] You are attending a Christmas party and your CEO, who is dressed in a Santa costume, asks you... Read More