Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / The financial crisis of the last decade has resulted in a change in the way organisations do their reporting. The trend has been away from annual financial reports towards integrated reporting. Integrated reporting includes not only financial information but also information showing the effect the organisation has on the environment and the society in which it operates. The research conducted in this study aimed to determine the level to which organisations in the insurance industry disclosed information relating to strategy in their annual reports and their sustainability report. Five companies in the insurance industry were studied using their publicly available, sustainable and annual or integrated annual reports for the 2010 period. In order to measure the levels of strategy disclosure, three baselines were created and used in surveying the insurance companies. Baseline 1 was based on the GRI G3 reporting guidelines, baseline 2 on the strategic architecture of Ungerer, Pretorius and Herholdt (2011) and baseline 3 was based on the business model elements of Osterwalder and Pigneur (2010). The conclusions reached in the study were that the overall level of strategy disclosure within the insurance industry is 69 percent. The level of strategy disclosure for the individual baselines was 69 percent for baseline 1, 67 percent for baseline 2 and 70 percent for baseline 3.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / Financial services and in particular the insurance industry, has been exposed to large-scale pressures and challenges from various fronts. For the past few decades, the life insurance industry has been self-regulated through the Life Offices Association (LOA). The LOA, representing life insurers, however never succeeded in keeping the industry abreast of market, and the needs of the role players' (authors' opinion based on interaction with in the industry and supported by the implementation of consumer-driven legislation). The LOA together with a range of other financial services industry bodies have since been disbanded (2008) and will in future form part of the greater industry body ASISA (Association for savings & investment South Africa) Over the past 10 years the slow transformation caught up with the insurance industry. Life insurers wanting to satisfy their shareholders focussed on the generation of new business, often to the detriment of the consumer. Consumer understanding of what they bought increased at a faster rate than the knowledge of many of the brokers selling these products, partly due to the information era and the free availability of information. Lack of transparency, misrepresentations and bad advice from insurers and brokers have been exposed at an increasing rate since the late 1990s. The South African government decided to correct the wrongs of the past by taking control of the situation, copying the UK model on Financial Services. Government instituted the Financial Services Board and implemented a number of regulations to ensure compliance to set criteria. If compared to the regulatory model and processes applied in the UK (FSA), the insurance industry can expect more regulatory pressures in the immediate future. The increased regulation will increase the cost of doing business for all role-players. A reduction in broker numbers can also be expected. Insurers will have to find new ways of increasing production with a reduced distribution capacity. Insurers need to produce sufficient returns on investment for their shareholders to ensure continued capital. By being creative and partnering existing distribution structures, such as distribution networks, bank brokerages, etc., insurers will be able to lock-in distribution capacity without incurring excessive costs. It is undeniable that insurers will have to revisit their distribution strategies if they are to survive the next few years. At the current cost of distribution, insurers will not survive the changing environment. Distribution through existing internal distribution structures will continue to be under severe cost pressures in servicing brokers with low to average production levels. If the international trends are to filter through into the South African insurance industry, larger number of brokers will join networks merely to limit the impact the changing environment has on their practices. Such a move works in favour of all role players: • Insurers are able to reduce/restructure their costs and lock-in distribution capacity through singular points of entry. • Brokers are less fragmented and so improve their ability of being heard, through a greater unified voice. • Regulators can drive change and compliance through singular points of access to multiple brokers. • The industry is able to retain the knowledge and expertise to deliver their products and improve its overall public image. • Government are assured of a larger part of the population having access to financial services and in particular life insurance. • Clients would experience improved and standardised service levels from the brokers. Insurers unable to lock-in distribution capacity will find it extremely difficult to survive the changing climate. Insurers have been locking-in distribution capacity by means of: • agency forces that write products of the specific insurer • bank-assurance agreements where insurers and banks have cross shareholding • franchise agreements where the sales people are in fact agents of the franchisee • call centres either owned by the insurer or having dedicated seats selling products of the insurer • loyalty programmes aimed at gaining a larger portion of the brokers production • recently the formation of distribution networks provide insurers on the network platform access to affiliated brokers. The formation of networks and distribution networks counteracts the constrictions these structures place on broker independence by providing increased operational freedom to their affiliated brokers. The choice of partnering a distribution network needs to be supported by the following: • The choice of partner • A cost-benefit analysis • The timing of entering the partnership • The resources and supporting structures • The communication of the change • The preparation for the change • An approach in support of the partnership Partnering with a network is a strategic initiative as it involves outsourcing what was previously thought to be a core function of the insurer. This change in approach impacts many of the current structures and various people at all levels of the operation. How to approach partnering and implementing a model to support outsourcing to external distribution networks is dealt with in this study. The success of partnering with external distributors is reliant upon eight identified critical factors. These relate to: • fit, management, formalities and relationships of the partnership • systems, processes and support structures in support of the partnership • management of risk, control and growth within the partnership. The changing business environment will continue to increase the attractiveness of distribution networks to brokers. A shift in distribution capacity demographics towards distribution networks can thus be expected. In order to maximise their distribution capacity life insurers will need to embrace the change and adapt their approach towards the partnership. Without understanding, managing and finding solutions to each of the critical success factors (CSFs) an insurer will find it extremely difficult competing and increasing market share within the distribution network. The findings indicate a realistic probability that insurers are able to adapt to the changing environment. This however requires a change in style of management from one of control towards one of influence. Effectively, each partner should be treated as partners.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Almost all enterprises, individuals and organisations face some form of political risk on a continuous basis. In the past, mines have been lost, terrorist attacks have been devastating, and financial markets have experienced large losses due to political risk factors. We live in an ever-increasing politically insecure world where political risk factors and the analysis thereof receive increasing attention from both international and domestic establishments. From a business perspective, making the correct business decisions and determining the appropriate risk management strategy consequently are crucial to the success of an enterprise, due to the ever-present nature of political risk factors in the business environment. Especially in the emerging market economies of the world, political risk is an important phenomenon. In such emerging market economies, political risk factors could play a role that is as important as the economic factors that are decisive in the performance of markets. It is well known that the emerging market economies of the world have been the main recipients of foreign direct investments. A closer study of these economies has indicated that the majority of such investments have gone to the so-called BRICS countries (the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People‟s Republic of China, and the Republic of South Africa). After having studied the political and economic environments of the BRICS countries, it was concluded that ten political risk factors are common to these countries, namely nationalisation, confiscation, creeping expropriation, currency inconvertibility, breach of contract, non-honouring of government guarantees, war, violent civil unrest, non-violent civil unrest and terrorism. These political risk factors were investigated in a South African context by means of an empirical survey. A census was undertaken that consisted of structured personal interviews (based on a questionnaire) that were pre-arranged with most of the agents who sell Sasria insurance on behalf of Sasria Ltd. These agents mainly were conventional short-term insurers who handled claims on behalf of Sasria Ltd., which placed them in an excellent position to provide the study with valuable information. Violent civil unrest and non-violent civil unrest have not only been the political risk factors that had the most important impact on the total annual claims amount of the respondents over the past five years, but have also been the political risk factors that most frequently resulted in claims. It therefore did not come as a surprise that these were the two political risk factors for which there had been the highest level of demand for cover over the past five years. In terms of the importance of impact, the frequency of claims and the demand for cover, violent civil unrest and non-violent civil unrest are expected to remain the two most important political risk factors in South Africa over the next five years. When compared to the past five years, all the political risk factors (excluding breach of contract) are expected to have an increased impact in South Africa over the next five years. They are also expected to present an equal number or more claims in general. While excluding war and terrorism, the expectation is that the demand for cover against them will generally remain at the same level, but may increase. The South African short-term insurance industry generally faces considerable challenges regarding the cover provided against political risk factors to the public and businesses in South Africa. The industry and the South African public therefore need to be aware of the impact that various political risk factors have on the cover that is provided. This research study should assist the executives of short-term insurance in making better risk management decisions and exercising better control over their responsibilities regarding specific political risk factors in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Feitlik alle ondernemings, individue en organisasies kom voortdurend voor een of ander politieke risiko te staan. In die verlede was daar verlies van myne, terroriste-aanvalle het verwoesting gesaai en finansiële markte het groot skade gely vanweë politieke risikofaktore. Ons bevind onsself in 'n wêreld van toenemende politieke onsekerheid waarin internasionale sowel as binnelandse instellings meer en meer aandag aan politieke risikofaktore en die ontleding daarvan wy. Vanuit 'n sakeperspektief word korrekte besigheidsbesluitneming en die vasstelling van toepaslike risikobestuurstrategië vanweë die voortdurende teenwoordigheid van politieke risikofaktore binne die sake-omgewing gevolglik van uiterste belang vir die sukses van 'n onderneming. Politieke risiko is veral in die ontluikende mark-ekonomieë van die wêreld 'n belangrike verskynsel. In hierdie ontluikende mark-ekonomieë kan politieke risikofaktore 'n rol speel wat net so belangrik is as die ekonomiese faktore wat deurslaggewend is ten opsigte van hoe markte presteer. Dit is welbekend dat die ontluikende mark-ekonomieë van die wêreld die vernaamste ontvangers van buitelandse direkte beleggings is. 'n Nadere beskouing van hierdie ekonomieë het getoon dat die meerderheid van sulke beleggings na die sogenaamde BRICS-lande (die Bondsrepubliek van Brasilië, die Russiese Federasie, die Republiek van Indië, die Volksrepubliek van China en die Republiek van Suid-Afrika) gaan. 'n Studie van die politieke en ekonomiese omgewings van die BRICS-lande het tot die gevolgtrekking gelei dat hierdie lande tien politieke risikofaktore in gemeen het, naamlik nasionalisering, beslaglegging, kruipende onteiening, onverwisselbaarheid van valuta, kontrakbreuk, nie-nakoming van regeringswaarborge, oorlog, gewelddadige burgerlike onrus, nie-gewelddadige burgerlike onrus, en terrorisme. Hierdie politieke risikofaktore is met behulp van 'n empiriese ondersoek binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks ondersoek. Gestruktureerde persoonlike onderhoude (wat op 'n vraelys gebaseer was), is gebruik om 'n sensus te onderneem. Hierdie onderhoude is vooraf met agente wat Sasria-versekering namens Sasria Bpk. verkoop, gereël. Die agente was hoofsaaklik konvensionele korttermyn-versekeraars wat alle eise namens Sasria Bpk. hanteer. Hulle was dus in 'n uitstekende posisie om die studie van waardevolle inligting te voorsien.