A Golden Rule Over Time: Reciprocity in Intergenerational Allocation Decisions

Abstract

In this article, I offer theoretical and empirical groundwork for the study of intergenerational issues and highlight the relevance of intergenerational behavior to organizations. I focus on situations involving conflict between generations in which a present generation must give up benefits or take on burdens to act on the behalf of future generations. I introduce the notion of intergenerational reciprocity and, in four studies, found that the behavior of previous generations influences how a present generation treats future generations.