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The interest in older entrepreneurs increases due to population aging. Previous research showed clear gender-differences among older entrepreneurs. This study investigates whether such gender-differences also exist in the retirement transition from entrepreneurship. It explores the influence of pension regulations for entrepreneurs on these gender-differences.

Longitudinal micro-level data from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe is analyzed in multichannel sequence analyses and cluster analyses. Developments from age 50 to 69 are compared in the dimensions of entrepreneurship, employment and old-age pensions.

Entrepreneurs retire in three different transition patterns: (1) entrepreneurs becoming pensioners at 60, (2) entrepreneurs becoming pensioners at 65 and (3) individuals combining entrepreneurship with employment until they become pensioners at 65. Female entrepreneurs follow the same transition patterns as their male counterparts but retire earlier. Pension regulations for entrepreneurs modify the extent of the gender-differences within a country. Mandatory pension schemes with identical state pension ages for men and women reduce gender-differences, whereas mandatory schemes with gender-differences in the state pension age increase them. Schemes without mandatory coverage range in between the other two.

This article expands our knowledge on gender-differences among older entrepreneurs. These gender-differences also extent to how entrepreneurs transition into retirement. Pension regulations for entrepreneurs influence the extent of the gender-differences. Therefore, pension regulations for entrepreneurs constitute tools for promoting or hindering gender equality.

Interest in older employees increases in times of population ageing. Previous research exploring the situation has underlined older employees' struggle with workplace changes. However, it has not explored their master narrative – the socially shared narrative about older employees that steers behaviour. This study explores this narrative and its differences across changing workplaces. It draws on Lyotard's suggestion that master narratives disintegrate in post-modern societies.

This study conducts focus groups among older Finnish employees of an airline, postal service and social care. These groups experienced different kinds of workplace changes, namely mass layoffs, digitalisation and restructuring. The focus groups highlight the individuals' shared narratives, thereby pinpointing the master narrative.

The master narrative describes how simultaneous changes at the workplace and in their health lead older employees to look for ways to exit their jobs. This narrative is largely stable across workplaces, showing no disintegration but some variation.

This is the first study on the master narrative of older employees and its disintegration. To the authors’ knowledge, it is also the first study to use focus groups to explore a master narrative.

European welfare states, including Finland, have recently introduced reforms that aim to delay the average timing of retirement. The degree of success of these reforms will depend on future institutional and societal developments that influence retirement timing. The purpose of this paper is to identify such scenarios in the Finnish context.

The study employs the Delphi method by interviewing anonymous experts from a variety of relevant organisations and fields in Finland, then sending them a scaled on-line questionnaire from the initial findings to elicit views on the likelihood of different scenarios influencing retirement timing over the next 20 years.

While the experts perceived that a raised state pension age and a removal of early retirement options will inevitably delay retirement on average, multiple scenarios were believe to hinder this trend. These included domestic elderly care becoming more common, technology-induced restructuring of labour markets and shortening working weeks, all of which were associated with widening socioeconomic inequalities in retirement timing. The predicted inequalities were attributed to a polarisation concerning older workers’ abilities to extend their careers and to plan their retirement. The planned mass privatisation of health and social services in Finland was perceived to accelerate this outcome.

The study suggests that a significant policy challenge in face of upcoming societal trends is to make delayed retirement a more equally viable option.

This paper demonstrates the usefulness of scenario building for anticipating possible developments that may influence the success of policies aimed at delaying retirement.