Performance Enhancing Drugs For Athletes - 2365 Words

Many people may not know what performance enhancing drugs, or PED are and what they have to do with athletes. When people talk about performing enhancing drugs, they assume that they are steroids or some type of human growth hormone (HGH). However, a performance enhancing drug is anything that is taken by an athlete to improve their skills. Performing enhancing drugs mostly refers to anabolic steroid use in sports by either professionals or amateur athletes. People all over the world use performing enhancing drugs. Starting from high school, college,and even to professional careers, the evolution of enhancing drugs has made a difference in the athletic world to this day. Performing enhancing drugs, should not be allowed in sports because they have serious long term health effects, they provide players with unfair advantages, and they lead to athletes serving as poor role models for fans and future players. The most common PED used by athletes and in general are creatine, precursors, and anabolic steroids. According to the Mayo Clinic, creatine is used to improve performance during a high-intensity burst of activity and increase muscles mass and strength. Even though it has high burst of activity in working out the muscles, athletes commonly use these in track for the extra boost in the starting the run, but receive muscle strain as the side effect. Additionally, Steroid precursors such as androstenedione (andro) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) are substances that theShow MoreRelatedAthletes And Performance Enhancing Drugs1438 Words   |  6 PagesAthletes of all ages are always looking for that extra edge to excel in their sport. Living in a world filled with competition, this could be a challenge for certain athletes who want to progress and get to the next level. Many athletes have a strong desire for recognition and fame. Unfortunately, that makes some athletes who are determined to win at any cost, motivated to experiment with illegal substances even knowing the consequences. Being in sports that require significant strength and enduranceRead MorePerformance-enhancing Drugs and Athletes674 Words   |  3 Pagesadvance form of improving the ability of athletes is known as doping. Doping are performance-enhancing drugs which are used in sports. The uses of these drugs are considered to be unethical as it gives competitors an unfair advantage. Sports is seen as an activity based on full ethics and complete discipline. With the invention of performance-enhancing drugs in sports, it gives athletes a greater opportunity of cheating. There are many different types of drugs however the most common ones that areRead MoreThe Effects of Performance Enhancing Drugs on Athletes996 Words   |  4 PagesEffects of Performance Enhancing Drugs on Athletes The risks of taking performance -enhancing drugs to improve an athletes’ performance outweighs the benefits. Along with the fact that all performance-enhancing drugs are illegal to use in sports, there are also serious side effects and addiction risks to the drugs. Athletes may choose from a variety of drugs and each may achieve different benefits. However, most of the time, athletes are uneducated in their decision to take the drugs, which canRead MoreElite Athletes and Performance Enhancing Drugs1817 Words   |  7 PagesElite Athletes: An Asset or Liability to Sports? Many elite athletes are under great pressure to perform exceptionally well they often times resort to using performance-enhancing drugs to stay competitive. The path to success as an athlete is not an easy track; it is fierce! The fame and the fortune one can attain from being an athlete is only unimaginable to some; it is something worth going the extra mile to reach, for some, there is no limit to the extra mile. After all, in today’s society theRead MoreShould Athletes Be Performance Enhancing Drugs?2325 Words   |  10 Pagesaccurate. However, to test all adolescent athletes in Australia for performance enhancing drugs solely on the bases of an opinion is highly ineffective and time consuming, as there are other ways to combat the problem. To determine if junior athletes are taking performance enhancing drugs, there are a number of questions that need to be looked into. These include: which athletes are taking performance enhancing drugs, how often do they take them, how many athletes take them, which sports are the mostRead MorePerformance Enhancing Drugs Among Athletes Essay944 Words   |  4 PagesSince the dawn of the twenty-first century, performance enhancing drugs have become a religious practice in â€Å"the lives of some sport figures.† The use of these supplements have given the user an edge, an edge to perform at maximum capability. Most major athletes all agree on the fact that the competitive determination to win is intense. Despite all, most athletes have high hopes of either winning a medal, a full ride college scholarship or the once in a lifetime opportunity to play for a professionalRead MoreEssay on Performance Enhancing Drugs Among Athletes935 Words   |  4 PagesSince the dawn of the twen ty-first century, performance enhancing drugs have become a religious practice in â€Å"the lives of some sport figures.† The use of these supplements have given athletes an edge to perform at maximum capability. Most major athletes all agree on the fact that the competitive drive is intensely fierce. Despite all, most athletes have high hopes of attaining prestigious awards, a full ride college scholarship or the once in a lifetime opportunity to play for a professional teamRead MoreAthletes Should Use Performance Enhancing Drugs941 Words   |  4 Pagesstar athlete on any team of your choosing? Therefore, this is one of the reasons why I think steroids should be able to be used for anything of the professional athletes choosing.. Due to the amount of people using performance enhancing drugs in pro sports today, most people when they hear â€Å"Steroids† they think of huge men or women with big bulging muscles. Steroids have been used throughout sports in every way i n almost every sport. I think that the professional athletes that use performance enhancingRead MoreShould Athletes Use Performance Enhancing Drugs?935 Words   |  4 Pages PED users in sports Everyone wants to win and everyone loves a winner. Athletes are a competitive group and if you are good enough to get into professional sports, you can achieve fame and fortune would you cheat to accomplish? This is the question that many athletes have to answer? What do I mean by cheating? I mean the use of performance enhancing drugs. How many records were made and broken by athletes that used these enhancements. â€Å"According to Marvin Olasky â€Å"Baseball needs to putRead MorePerformance Enhancing Drugs Affects on Athletes Essay480 Words   |  2 Pagesresearch paper is performance enhancing drugs. My research is the affects of performance enhancing drugs on athletes and how it affects society. The stakeholders for the research paper are the professional athlete, the college athlete, governing bodies and the fan. The effects of drug use on the professional athlete can cost them their career and also their lives. The college athlete wants to become the fastest or the biggest and nevertheless don’t view performance enhancing drugs as dangerous.

The Elementary And Secondary Education Act - 852 Words

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), brain child of President Johnson, was passed in 1965. ESEA was intended to mitigate disparities in access to quality academic services and learning outcomes endured by underprivileged and minority students by federally funding schools serving their communities. ESEA, later revised as No Child Left Behind, was to be one element in a larger reform agenda focused on urban redevelopment, vocational training and â€Å"EDUCATION AND HEALTH† (Thomas Brady, 2005). In his 1965 State of the Union, Johnson proclaimed, â€Å"No longer will we tolerate widespread involuntary idleness, unnecessary human hardship and misery, the impoverishment of whole areas†¦ † Nevertheless, this intractable problem remains, as illustrated by recent National Assessment of Educational Progress findings: 50% of Latinos, 53% of Native Americans 62% of Black 12th-graders, scored below grade level in Civics (NCES, 2011). The average 8th grader eligible for free/reduced price lunches, scored 20% lower on music visual arts tests than their ineligible peers (Keiper, Sandene, Persky, Kuang, 2009). The average 8th 12th grade non-Asian Pacific Islander minority student’s math reading scores lagged 20 to 30 points or approx. two grade levels behind their white counterparts, unchanged from 1992 (Aud, Hussar, Kena, Bianco, Frohlich, Kemp, Tahan, 2011). From 1992 to 2009, the rate of 12th graders reading at or above Proficient Basic levels respectivelyShow MoreRelatedThe Elementary And Secondary Education Act1526 Words   |  7 PagesThe The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), was revamped in 2001 as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Due to the time period of the inception and now, there is a pressing need for reform. Even when the law expired four years ago, Congress continued to update the out of date NCLB Act was never seriously considered by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce until now. Since the Republicans assumed control of the House of Representatives, they have created and passed a seriesRead MoreThe Elementary and Secondary Education Act 732 Words   |  3 PagesThe Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 was a part of the Great Society program which sent funding to primary and secondary schools, this act was enacted to hold schools responsible and to improve equality in education on a national level. This act targeted low-income families, specifically migrant and English limited families. Part of the ESEA was an attempt to close the gap which had been furthered by race and poverty, in order to improve the education of these students and theirRead MoreThe Reauthorization Of The Elementary And Secondary Education Act948 Words   |  4 Pages Every Student Succeeds Act was a new law that was signed into legislation in 2015 by President Barak Obama. ESSA is a biparty educational reform law was designed from several aspects of No Child Left Behind. The United States Department of Education (2015) stated that ESSA focuses on factors such as, advancing equity for the nations disadvantaged students by investing more in preschool programs, local innovations, reporting student progress on all high stakes assessmentsRead MoreEducation Reform For The Elementary And Secondary Education Act877 Words   |  4 Pageshistory of education there has been many education reforms. According to Enrique Pena Nieto â€Å"Education reform has as its main purpose to make sure that the education delivered is of quality† ( (2015 BrainyQuote INC, 2015). Whether it be for primary and secondary students, higher education, low-income students, or teachers, there is always an improvement that can be made for the better. A comparison of educati on reforms that reveals some of the positive, negative, and needed changes in education. One ofRead MoreFederal Elementary And Secondary Education Act Essay719 Words   |  3 PagesAfter the report, A Nation at Risk (1983), the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 was reauthorized in 2001 as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act (U.S. Department of Education, 2001). This reauthorization was a call to attain educational equality for all American students and to lessen the achievement gaps between and among ethnicity groups, children of poverty, and disabled populations (U.S. Department of Education, 2001). Additionally, because of this increased scrutinyRead MoreInclusion Of The Elementary And Secondary Education Act869 Words   |  4 PagesInclusion in education is when children with and without disabilities participate and learn together in the same class. One law that provides rights to students is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, which is a law guaranteeing special education services to all children with disabilities in the United States. Then there is the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which is a† United States Act of Congress that is a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education ActRead MoreElementary And Secondary Education Act Of 20011735 Words   |  7 PagesBy: Patrice Murphy English 122 Instructor: Stephen Rogers 8/18/2014 The current version of the â€Å"Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2001† is â€Å"The NO Child Left Behind Act of 2001†. Which supports â€Å"standard-base† education reform, each state is responsible for developing assessments in basic skills and standards. The Federal Government’s plays a part over seeing in annual testing, annual academic progress, report cards, teacher qualifications, and funding changes. ThisRead MoreElementary And Secondary Education Act Waiver Application1380 Words   |  6 PagesVirginia’s approved Elementary and Secondary Education Act waiver application, schools must meet increasing targets — referred to as Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs) — in reading and mathematics for all students, three â€Å"Proficiency Gap Groups,† and other subgroups in order to meet federal accountability requirements† (Virginia Department of Education, 2015b, p. 1). AMO’s are not available for scienc e; however, scores can be compared with the division and the state. Newsome Park Elementary School has aRead MoreThe Elementary And Secondary Education Act And The No Child Left Behind Act1335 Words   |  6 PagesEvery Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was enacted into law on December 10, 2015 by former President Barack Obama. This law replaced the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 that President George W. Bush passed into law during his presidency. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) replaced the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 which was passed by Lyndon Johnson. The ESSA â€Å"reauthorizes the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the nation’s national education law and longstandingRead MoreBilingual Student Sector Of The Elementary And Secondary Education Act Of 1965871 Words   |  4 Pagesstudent sector of our education system. The most impactful legislation, I believe, that was a vital toward helping this sector, was Title VII of the Ele mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, signed into law on January 2, 1968 by President Lyndon Johnson. As a formal teacher, President Johnson was an avid believer in equal opportunities for those children of low-income families, of which many of the EL students were. Title VII I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 â€Å"promot[ed]

Challenges and Opportunities of the Global Insurance Industry Free Essays

string(99) " of valuation could open up cost – savings in areas like data, modelling and reconciliation\." Introduction The global insurance industry seems to have escaped the worst of the financial crisis in comparison to other financial institutions. Day to day business has been relatively unaffected but the area that gave the most cause for concern has arisen from exposures to risky financial instruments. â€Å"The Reactions Magazine’s Global Insurance Conference 2009† was held in Swissotel, Zurich, Switzerland. We will write a custom essay sample on Challenges and Opportunities of the Global Insurance Industry or any similar topic only for you Order Now At this conference the financial services industry tried to re set itself following the worst crisis for years. (www. euromoneyseminars. com). Insurance is an established industry. Like other companies insurance is facing increased competition from global players. It has been difficult for insurers to accomplish profitable growth, so they need to improve this. They will need to adopt new advanced approaches to expand their distribution networks. This essay is divided into two sections. The first talks about the types of risks that are present in the global insurance industry. I will take each of these points and discuss them in detail: growth, governance and risk management, market reporting, mergers and acquisitions, human capital and lastly compliance and regulation. The second section looks at the opportunities that are available to the global insurance industry within the next twelve to twenty – four months. They include: disaster modelling, disaster planning, managing the industry’s reputation, grow globally, innovative products and delivery and Focus on readdressing product and distribution strategies. The insurance industry is always looking for new opportunities in different services and geographies. To take advantage of these opportunities insurance companies need to re-examine their strategies and be prepared to drive basic changes in the way they work. The primary function of insurance is to act as a risk transfer mechanism. The basic principle of insurance is that the losses of the few are paid by the many. Its underlying purpose is to provide protection against the risk of financial loss, thus giving peace of mind to the policyholders. † (www. peerpapers. com) Challenges are getting bigger for insurers as an increas e in pressure for bigger profit margins. This means taking a hard look at reducing costs and top line revenue growth. Making a profit is due to the ability to accurately assess risk and look after customer relationships over time in order to get financial success. I am going to look at the following six challenges. 1. 1 Growth After a spell of cost cutting and readjustment, insurers are again moving up a gear and trying to strive for managed growth. While growth is valued by investors, it is hard to find in the fairly mature insurance industry. To be successful in the future companies will need to create and design new products and services, cross – sell more effectively, strengthen their ties with brokers and agents and avail of any opportunities presented by emerging markets such as China and India. (www. pwc. com). Further demand for pensions and health insurance is likely to rise in the Western world as the population ages and lives to enjoy a longer retirement. Costs will remain critical however to meet the ever exacting demands of today’s customers is liable to be the main point of contention. There are new openings from the increasing wealth of customers in new markets e. g. China. As their insurance industry is one of the fastest growing in the world with GDP at 3. 2% and the end of December 2008, they stand far behind the global average of insurance industry which stands at 7%. www. lloyds. com) Saturation of insurance markets in the developed world has made the Indian market more attractive for international insurers according to â€Å"Booming Insurance Market in India (2008-2011)†. This is due to its huge population base and large untapped market. (www. newsblaze. com) 1. 2 Governance and Risk Management Natural calamities are another challenge facing the industry. Global warming has caused a change in weather patterns which have caused a shift in the underlying probability of insured loss by storms, floods, wind and heatwaves. Natural disasters like hurricanes Katrina and Rita whose losses amounted to $61. 5 billion (www. duncansadviceonmmoney. vox. com) These disasters posed some very serious problems for the insurance industry as they are faced by difficult and uncertain financial burdens because of this this has shown the importance of quality data and calibration of model outputs, effective validation and also the experience and initiation of the underwriter. Structures will have to be put in place to tackle the threat of climate change. The development of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) capabilities help to protect insurers from damages to their reputation and provide a platform for strengthening governance, decision making and compliance with regulations. Pricewaterhouse- Coopeus (ERM for the insurance industry) revealed that many insurers have difficulty implementing and enforcing ERM in the face of containing data, systems and governance challenges. Also found in this study were examples of how resourceful and efficient management and helping to overcome these hurdles and bring greater insight to the insurers ERM missions. www. pwc. com) 1. 3 Market Reporting Insurers are facing a major overhaul of market reporting. This contains the launch of the market Casistent Embedded Value Principle, a planned move to a finalised IFRS level for insurance contracts and the increased risk and capital management disclosure foreseen by EU Solvency II â€Å"Scheduled for implementation in 2012, it is a new regulatory regime de signed to provide a principles-based supervisory framework for European insurers and reinsures. Solvency II is a risk-based system and is being built to meet the challenges of rapidly developing financial markets. It will also bring an increased level of transparency and harmonisation to the sectorâ€Å". (www. towersperrin. com). These changes are likely to set a model for global disclosure for others to follow in relation to risk. The key elements , include the possible adoption of IFRS(International Financial Reporting Standards) in the US form 2014. Implementation of Solvency II and IFRS reporting will be demanding. The good news is that corresponding timings and basis of valuation could open up cost – savings in areas like data, modelling and reconciliation. You read "Challenges and Opportunities of the Global Insurance Industry" in category "Industry" These changes help to increase stakeholder confidence by enabling insurers to show a single view of their business that shows more clearly how it is run on the inside. A survey by (IFRS 2007) insurance states that companies will need to provide more risk information and explanation to meet the exacting expectations that have come about from market events. (www. pwc. com) 1. 4 Mergers and Acquisitions Although funding is a challenge from time to time. Mergers and Acquisitions is vital for business to expand complementary earnings streams, realise opportunities for cost saving synergies and reinforce their existence in fast increasing emerging markets. Emerging markets are underinsured and these present potential business for the insurance market. Within ten years China is expected to become a leader in the global insurance market, while India is set to double its digits in the growth rate. However, due to cultural conflicts and protectionism could stop growth in economies. In the near future, the insurance industry is liable to be a very active period for mergers and acquisitions. US insurance companies attractive evaluation will make it easier for insurers in the EU to infiltrate the US market. (www. pwc. com) 1. 5 Human Capital All organisations in the world realise the importance of people in the conduct of their business therefore the trend of classifying their employees as assets. The human resource management school of thought tends to focus on the enrichment of the knowledgeable worker in terms of its theory. Human resource planning should be part of the total resource planning equal to planning devoted to capital development and materials and equipment purposes. Many insurers are facing an skills shortage in their workforce. Training and development of staff is now on the agenda as a rule in all organisations. Improved productivity is expected to result in trained and motivated workers. The employee training programs are intended to provide them with more knowledge and skills so they can do their job to the best of their ability. Training is a visible pay-off and is seen immediately whereas development is future- orientated.. Lessons are being learnt on a continuous basis in the requirement of human capital in the new economy in comparison to the old economic labour force. M Morley et al 2004). This investment in recruitment and career development lags behind other financial sectors. They look at short term fixes rather than looking at the long term prospects. However, looking to the future demographic shifts accelerating globalisation look set to change the shape of the labour market and make it more difficult to attract and retain good peo ple. (www. pwc. com) 1. 6 Compliance and Regulation Growing regulatory demands are bringing increased problems to insurers. Solvency II is included to require a critical check of capital and risk management along with sustaining information and documentation. The EU Reinsurance Directive gives a standard system of regulation and mutual recognition across Europe. This includes an ease of the regulatory limitations on securitisation which could give way for a large increase in risk transfer to the capital markets. Also they give a new definition of reinsurance that will prevent several contracts. Insurers are also facing a ceiling on regulatory changes including anti-money laundering and harder conditions on consumer protection. A key challenge is to know how to include these requirements into â€Å"business as usual†. Enterprise wide risk management can assist in providing ways to do so. They can help by giving a greater understanding of the trade off between reward and risk which will result in a brighter capital allocation. (www. pwc. com) As I have discussed in the challenges previously opportunities in the next twelve to twenty-four months can be found by global expansion adopting the latest technologies to give better service delivery and provide services to meet the exacting requirements of the next generation of retirees. The insurance industry is in the process of undergoing transformation as a result of the following three factors : sector specific, macro and operational. Increased regulation requirements outsourcing, globalisation, new distribution channels, more modern IT systems and climate change are adding to the increased volatility in the insurance industry today and they are now positioning themselves to be successful in the future that requires many changes in the way they do their business. China is one of the fastest growing insurance industries in the globe. â€Å"China Insurance sector forecast 2013† is the outcome of much research and in – depth study of the insurance market in China. Between 2009 and 2013 it is expected to grow CAGR of 28% – 30%. Chinas insurance industry is already out of the financial crisis and is expected to make great headway in the coming years. In 2008, the industry grew in the fastest pace since 2002, due to the rising insurance awareness level and government support. Insurance products which include life, health, and personal accidents accounts for the majority of growth. Property insurance products are also growing rapidly and are basically divided into two segments â€Å"motor and commercial property insurance†. Non life insurance products i. e. that is product liability, credit and marine insurance etc. These will decide the long term viability of the non- life insurance market. 2. 1 Disaster Modelling The tragic impact of the Asian Tsunami, as well as the worst Japanese typoon in 2004 was the year of improbable disasters. As a result, this forces us to look at how we prepare for such risks. Hurricane forecasting began in the 1980’s, forecasters have tried for many decades despite being unsuccessful to deliver accurate predictions, and landfall activities. Scientists of tropical storm risk in London announced that they had developed a new model which represents a major step forward.. (www. lloyds. om) Insurers also use models developed by companies e. g. Air Worldwide Corporation to predict the damages caused by storms so that insurers can forecast the payouts to be made. (www. informationweek. com). This reminds us of the importance of investing in scientific research to help our understanding of risk and its impact 2. 2 Disaster Planning Insurance and disaster planning are closely related as they both deal with the risk of the disaster happening and the after math. Due to the upward trend of catastrophe events we see the need for robust and effective disaster planning for the future. Part of the solution must be insurance markets and their regulators working together sharing their respective knowledge and expertise. By doing this, we can be sure that response procedures are well tested and run as smooth as possible for when the next disaster strikes. In terms of claim handling, lessons can be learnt. The shortage of adjustors on the ground and the mishandling of claims by some shows how important the relationship between the insurer, the adjustor and the regulator is. As the frequency and cost of disasters goes upwards it will be very important to have a relationship based on trust and flexibility. (www. lloyds. om) 2. 3 Managing the Industry’s reputation Improving transparency and disclosure are two issues which are needed to manage and improve the industries reputation that has been rocked by high profile developments. For instance in the USA the New York State Attorney Generals investigation sparked very close scrutiny of the commercial insurance market . In the minds of customers, commentators and regulators the financial service industry has been left with a very poor image, after the recent investigations. These investigations highlighted the lack of transparency and accountability that are expected of a 21st century business environment. These issues can no longer be ignored. In a survey, by Lloyds of a hundred underwriters, one third admitted that the industries reputation is tarnished. Transparency and disclosure as well as good communication appears to be the answer to those outside the industry globally. Basically more time communicating and building bridges with consumers, economic leaders and world politicians initially means less problems down the line. (www. lloyds. com) 2. 4 Grow Globally Sales in new markets or by new acquisitions insurance companies need to grow globally more than ever before. Growth in the European and American market is slowing down while growth in India and China is increasing. The aging population presents insurers with a dilemma. The industry has great difficulty in attracting and retaining talent than other sectors of the financial services industry.. This situation is going to get worse as there are more retirees and fewer graduates moving into the top jobs. There is also a loss of graduates to banking and other financial institutions. Concern is expressed about the career path from insurance company hire to insurance agent. If this problem is not addressed the industry’s sale force would diminish. By moving into the European and American markets, insurers can grow a less risky strategy rather than expanding into new product lines. Those who do go overseas have to look at the various business lines in different markets. Chinas middle class and aging population with long term care and security needed make it a very viable option for foreign insurance companies. By 2010 China will be a major player on the insurance market. The same is also said of India. (www. rmislab. com) 2. 5 Innovate Products and delivery Innovation is seen as the main driver of profit over the next three and five years both in delivery and product innovation. By building relationships with customers moving them for example form car insurance to other insurances as they become asset rich. By providing better service and delivery insurers can strengthen their customer base. Technology can strengthen relationships with intermediaries which helps them run more efficiently and reduce their running costs. Insurers must look to cut cost they can do this by cost reduction initiatives like outsourcing and use of shared services, rationalizing product portfolios . Companies need original approaches and to continue to invest in this very complicated environment. (www. rmislab. com). â€Å"In 2007, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Co introduced a variety of enhancements to its variable annuities including an expanded choice of â€Å"living benefits† and the upbundling of optional income and death benefits† (www. deloitte. com) 2. 6 Focus on readdressing product and Distribution Strategies As the economy continues to even out, insurers need to evaluate their decisions and distribution channels. These decisions are vital in assisting insurers rebuild capital as well as positioning themselves for future growth. (www. ey. com). Insurance companies that sell directly through call centres, internet and direct mail have been performing better and this is due to lower costs because of their economies of scale and strong internet capabilities. Compared to independent insurance agents who lack these advantages have been put under pressure they require support and further development. Insurers need to find ways to work more effectively across product lines e. . give a customer packages that reward him/her for being a good driver. (www. deloitte. com) Conclusion In my findings I have found that the insurance industry has survived the financial crisis much better in comparison to the banking sector. This is due to its strong focus on risk management and long term prospects. Even though capital markets have decreased downwards their insurance assets, insurers are optimistic about the fu ture and some are expecting an improvement in prospects in mergers and acquisition over the next twelve to twenty – four months. The global insurance industry faces many challenges but despite these that they are being faced with the majority of insurers must move into fast growing markets i. e. India and China or find new innovative ways to get more businesses out of slower growing developed markets. China with its huge population is an obvious choice while the latter options include diversification, new products and speciality products. Insurers need to improve their risk management especially in the areas of disaster modelling and managing the industries reputation as it is vital to have a tarnished free reputation. Finally insurers need to work effectively and efficiently to develop and market a range of products aimed at older customers. In this intensely competitive market, employers will need to develop an excellent human resource management capable of responding to business needs and the workforce expectations. They will need to be able to identify and realise opportunities for career development prospects and other key areas of their employment. (www. pwc. com) With this knowledge insurers will be able to position their business models to optimize investment returns and control operations using the most effective and efficient methods available. How to cite Challenges and Opportunities of the Global Insurance Industry, Essays

Children of the City Essay Example For Students

Children of the City Essay Water Imagery in Children of the CityRain has always been an important symbol in life. It is one of very few actions that can be both destructive and harsh, but at the same time constructive and life-giving. Throughout literature the visual image of rain is usually connected to feelings of sorrow, death, and despair. The most commonly known example of this would be in Hemingways Farewell to Arms. Hemingway uses the rain to tell of peoples negative emotions, so it is easy to take that idea into other readings. Outside of literature, however, rain is seen as being connected to positive thoughts of growth, prosperity and cleansing. In this story of adolescent love the author uses the presence of water to saturate the subjects with these positive feelings. At the beginning the author introduces the rain as urban in contrast to field or shore rain. Immediately the image of urban rain is less threatening than that of a field or shore. It gives the reader a playful image of almost being teased by the rain. In the city one has to hide from it and jump from umbrellas to awnings, yet never has to worry about the danger of being caught in it for too long. These playful and teasing characteristics of the rain are the exact guidelines to the relationship between the two main characters. The rain represents the couples emotion and they experiment with it just like in a real adolescent relationship. They see how long they can be drenched by its passion, nevertheless they return to the overhangs not knowing how much of it they can handle. Looking at it in a biblical sense, the rain is both destructive to them and helping their relationship grow. God sent the flood down to man because of our sins causing much destruction, but at the same time givin g us a rebirth and purification. Too much rain may flood their relationship with emotion; however this urban rain teases them and lets them feel free and pure. The idea of the rain giving growth to their relationship is seen in the lines ending a scrawny tree, and their forested way. Alone they are fruitless and scrawny, yet together they are given life by the rain to create an entire forest. Conversely, after all that the rain has provided them with the authors last mention is that of a negative connotation. The rain has taken away their playfulness and has left them cold. The lighthearted tone is not lost though; it is instead carried on by more and more water. The author gives the image of skipping over dotted puddles like playing connect the dots all the way home. The building up of water is their emotions beginning to rise. They yearn for more passion, freedom, and innocence and therefore the author ends the water reference by surrounding them, fully enclosing and protecting them in the bathtub. It never rains, but it pours is a common idiom that can concentrate the main idea behind the authors water imagery. The simple statement shows how small occurrences, such as an urban rain, can snowball into new passion. The author hints at this idea in the beginning by giving credit to the rain for sending them to her room. The gathering and growing nature of the water as you travel further down the page lets the reader see their pleasure grow until it finally engulfs both of them in the end.