Lloyd’s of London aptly refers to insurance as “the protection of the few, by the many”, with its purpose being to restore the insured to the position that existed immediately prior to the incident that led to a loss, damage or liability. Insurance uses the pooling concept to provide cover against financial losses by collecting premiums, investing some of the funds and using the pool of money to pay out claims, simultaneously covering operating expenses and ensuring sustainability by creating reserves and adding value to the insurance company. Fundamentals of insurance is a concise yet comprehensive introduction to insurance, specifically for South African circumstances.

Fundamentals of insurance highlights the need for commercial and personal insurance by explaining the financial objectives of firms and individuals, the role of financial statements and financial analysis, the valuation of assets and how risk management and insurance are related. It details how insurance business needs to be conducted, the procedures for handling claims, as well as the fundamental aspects of personal and commercial insurance. It provides a comprehensive framework and guidelines, with self-assessment questions at the end of each chapter, and prepares aspiring insurers for the entry level of the insurance industry.

Fundamentals of insurance is aimed at insurance students as well as organisations and institutions in the insurance field.

The goal of investment management is to achieve the investor's required rate of return by putting assets to their most productive use. The return should compensate the investor for the time during which the funds are committed, the expected rate of inflation and the uncertainty of the future financial benefits anticipated from the investment. Investment management is a concise, yet comprehensive introduction to investment analysis and portfolio management, specifically in the South African context. Investment management provides a broad framework and a thorough network of guidelines for the investment management student. It focuses on investment in financial assets such as shares and bonds, and explains both fundamental and technical analysis. It investigates portfolio management and how derivative instruments such as futures, options and swaps may be used for this purpose. A chapter is devoted to the foreign exchange market and its management, and a new chapter dealing with the governance of investment management has been added. With self-assessment questions at the end of each chapter, it prepares undergraduates for postgraduate study and is written with the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA (R) ) Level I learning outcomes in mind. Investment management is aimed at undergraduate investment management students. Johan Marx (editor) is a professor in financial and investment management at the University of South Africa (Unisa). He is the author of five financial management publications, and has presented and published numerous articles. He has a keen interest in financial markets. Johan de Beer lectured at Unisa before joining the University of Pretoria as a senior lecturer in investments and derivatives. He has since immigrated to Canada. He is a CFA charter holder and completed his MCom on the topic of single stock futures. His particular field of interest is derivatives and technical analysis. Raphael Mpofu is a professor and the deputy executive dean of the College of Economic and Management Sciences at Unisa. His research interests include financing small businesses and personal investments in emerging market economies. Henry Mynhardt is head of the School of Business and Economics at Southern Business School (SBS). He has vast experience in securities trading and has a keen interest in fixed interest securities as well as corporate governance, risk and compliance management.

The role of a financial manager is to maintain a firm's liquidity and solvency by providing the cash flows necessary to satisfy its obligations and acquiring and financing the current and fixed assets needed to achieve its goals. However, the management of a firm's assets is not exclusively in the hands of a financial manager. Other functional departments, especially purchasing and marketing, play a significant role.

Finance For Non-Financial Managers thus provides an understanding of the principles of financial management as required to contribute favourably to the long-term success of a firm. Finance for non-financial managers explains the financial goals of a firm and illustrates how the principles of finance should be applied in creating wealth as opposed to simply maximising profit. With its ideal for anyone who has little or no prior knowledge of accounting or financial management.

In particular, Finance For Non-Financial Managers deals with the following:

• the long-term goal of creating value and the short-term goals of profitability and liquidity;
• analysing and interpreting financial statements;
• using a financial calculator;
• managing cash flow (liquidity), accounts receivable and inventory (stock).

Finance For Non-Financial Managers is aimed at managers involved in marketing, human resources, information technology and supply chain management, and for professionals such as engineers, architects, attorneys and medical professionals in private practice.

This title deals with: Creating the long-term goal of value and the short-term goal of profitability, liquidity and solvency; analysing and interpreting financial statements; using a financial calculator to perform financial calculations. Managing cash flow (liquidity), accounts receivable and inventory (stock). The title has been written for managers involved in marketing, human resources (HR), information technology (IT), procurement and materials management (MM), as well as professionals such as architects, attorneys, engineers, doctors and other medical practitioners in private practice. This book is ideal for anyone who has little or no prior knowledge of accounting or financial management.

Investment management is an introduction to investment analysis. The title focuses on investment in financial assets such as shares and bonds, and explains fundamental and technical analysis. It also investigates portfolio management and ways in which derivative instruments such as futures, options and swaps may be used for portfolio management. The authors of Investment management succeed in bringing an understanding of the relevant concepts across to the reader, while also stimulating interest in the topic. The title provides a framework and a thorough network of guidelines for the investment management student. It prepares the undergraduate student for postgraduate study, and is written with the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA (R)) Level I learning outcomes for investment analysis and portfolio management in mind.

The role of a financial manager is to ensure the financial sustainability of a firm by maintaining a firm's profitability, liquidity and solvency. Sales may generate revenue, but it is only when credit sales are converted into cash once debtors settle their accounts that these goals are achieved. As firms attempt to ensure their sustainability, they face competition from other firms, regulation, policy uncertainty and taxation issues, new technologies, as well as a dependency on suppliers and labour, plus challenges from environmental issues and dynamic economic conditions. Finance for non-financial managers explains the long-term goal of creating value, followed by the short-term goals of profitability, liquidity and solvency. A firm has to acquire assets and to finance them at the lowest cost possible. However, the management of these assets is not exclusively in the hands of a financial manager. Other functional departments, especially supply chain management and marketing, play a significant role. Finance for non-financial managers thus provides an understanding of the principles of financial management required to contribute favourably to the long-term sustainability of a firm. Finance for non-financial managers explains the financial goals of a firm, and illustrates how the principles of finance should be applied in creating wealth as opposed to simply maximising profit. With its thought-provoking opening cases and user-friendly content, this book is ideal for anyone who has little or no prior knowledge of accounting or financial management. Finance for non-financial managers is a useful resource for managers involved in marketing, human resources, logistics, supply chain management and information management, and for professionals such as engineers, architects, attorneys and medical professionals in private practice.