In order to mitigate a life annuity provider’s (insurer’s) longevity risk exposure, we propose a general longevity risk transfer policy between the insurer and a reinsurer. The reinsurance premium is calculated according to the expected premium principle. Under an expected utility maximization framework, we apply the variational method to derive the necessary and sufficient condition for the optimal longevity risk transfer policy. We find that the optimal strategy takes the form of excess of age policy, which means that the insurer is only liable for the benefit payment up to the optimal deductible age, and the remaining benefit payment is covered by the reinsurer. Furthermore, we assess the viability of the reinsurer underwriting the optimal longevity risk transfer policy. Numerical examples show that the optimal longevity risk transfer policy can effectively improve the insurer’s relative gains and reduce the insurer’s longevity risk exposure.

This work analyzes Javier Milei’s radical right populism from the perspective of his supporters. Through focus groups, we explore the extent to which there is consensus among those who voted for him in the 2023 primaries regarding his antiestablishment discourse, libertarian economic proposals, and conservative positions on moral issues. We find two points of consensus across all the groups: the charismatic appeal of Milei and a widespread rejection of the political establishment. However, there are notable disagreements on issues like the role of the state in the economy and the legalization of abortion. The majority of participants, referred to as “the rejecters,” neither understand nor support Milei’s views, while a minority, labeled “the fans,” actively defend his ideas. In conclusion, we find that there is no unified identity among Milei’s voters, apart from their common rejection of the establishment that led them to support a political outsider.

Using NielsenIQ Homescan data (2012–2022) and a censored QUAIDS system, we estimate U.S. household demand for vitamin supplements across national brands (NBs), premium private labels (PPLs), and standard private labels (SPLs). During COVID-19, consumers’ spending shifted from NBs toward private labels, and brand-tier budget shares differ across socioeconomic groups. Price sensitivity also varies by tier: NBs and SPLs are price elastic, while PPLs are relatively price inelastic. Substitution is strongest between SPLs and NBs. These findings quantify brand-tier competition and inform pricing and positioning strategies in the health retail industry.

Fear of contracting or transmitting COVID-19 had a profound impact on workers’ mental health. Although workplaces implemented COVID-19 protective measures, their effectiveness has been underexplored, particularly regarding the involvement of worker representatives. This research examines whether the presence and active participation of worker representatives in negotiating and implementing COVID-19 protective measures relates to reduced concerns about contracting or transmitting the disease. A cross-sectional study using logistic regression models was conducted on microdata from a Spanish survey conducted in April–May 2021 (n = 19,452). Concerns about contracting or transmitting COVID-19 were studied as dependent variables, whereas the independent variables were integrated into an indicator of participatory implementation of thirteen COVID-19 protective measures. Results show that active involvement of worker representatives in negotiating protective measures is significantly associated with reduced concerns about COVID-19 infection and, to a lesser extent, transmission. Moreover, the presence of worker representatives in workplaces is linked to a greater use of protective measures. Even unnegotiated measures have a positive, albeit smaller, effect. Organisational measures, such as shortening working hours, proved more effective in alleviating infection concerns than personal hygiene measures. In conclusion, active worker participation may serve as a protective factor for workers’ mental health during pandemics.

This paper analyzes John Stuart Mill’s stand towards the American Civil War and slavery, taking as a background his views on human nature and on the role played by public opinion, as well as his political concerns about the future of democracy. At first, when the majority of the English supported the Confederates, Mill’s efforts were directed at altering this stand, which he believed dishonored the name of England. Afterwards, his attention turned to the conditions necessary to guarantee the effective emancipation of Blacks in America after a Union victory. The result of this engagement was the production of extensive war-related material—essays, newspaper articles, and numerous private letters he exchanged with English and American correspondents. Although this material is fragmentary and heterogeneous, when interpreted in the broader context of his social views it reveals not only the importance that the issue of slavery had for him but also the complex views he had of this phenomenon and how to eliminate it—views that involved philosophical, economic, sociological, political, and, above all, moral aspects.

I evaluate differences in the response of the U.S. economy to productivity shocks around the effective lower bound (ELB) using post-WWII data. My empirical results indicate that positive productivity shocks are more expansionary when monetary policy operates away from the ELB, in line with a basic New Keynesian model, compared to the ELB regime. The interest-sensitive component of GDP, i.e., private investment, is the main driver of this nonlinear response. I find evidence of regime thresholds beyond the standard 0.25% Federal Funds Rate definition of the ELB that could influence the state-dependent shock response of the economy. My work highlights the role played by the monetary policy channel in changing the propagation of productivity shocks to the U.S. economy.

Standard game theory struggles to explain cooperation and coordination in collective action problems where rational strategies often fail to yield mutually beneficial outcomes. One response to this is team reasoning, which introduces group agency. Another is Kantian optimization, which retains individual agency but assumes universalization-based optimization. Some have proposed that Kantian optimization is best understood as a subtype of team reasoning, a member of the same theoretical family. This paper disputes that. By demonstrating that Kantian-style team reasoning does not necessarily lead to Kantian equilibrium, the paper concludes that Kantian universalization does not fit within the group agency framework.

Time has long been recognized as a foundational lens in management research, yet most theories draw on Western linear assumptions that overlook alternative temporal logics. This introduction to the special issue on Advancing Temporal Research in Chinese Management situates China as a unique context where rapid economic transformation intersects with enduring cultural traditions. We develop a 3C framework, compressing, cyclic, and continuing, that captures an understudied Chinese temporal lens. Compressing reflects the urgency of accelerated growth and time scarcity; cyclic emphasizes recurring rhythms rooted in agrarian heritage, cultural practices, and institutional cycles; continuing highlights persistence and long-term orientation embedded in Confucian values and historical endurance. By applying this framework, we synthesize insights from the eight accepted articles and demonstrate how temporal dynamics shape organizational identity, entrepreneurial reentry, innovation, ESG strategies, and performance persistence. The 3C framework not only enriches the two dominant streams of temporal research, activity mapping and actors’ temporal orientations, but also broadens their global relevance by integrating culturally infused perspectives. In doing so, this special issue advances comparative temporal research and positions time as a central construct for understanding Chinese management and its wider implications.