Population aging is deemed one of the great political, social and economic challenges of the 21st century. The research of Prof. Stuart Gietel-Basten, Professors of the Division of Public Policy, and his international collaborators has set out to demonstrate that the ways by which we measure, and even conceptualize, aging are not only out-of-date, but present misleading and false impressions of the social and economic challenges of aging. Prof. Gietel-Basten’s research has shifted the thinking of a major European trade organization, reshaping the narrative and discourse about the challenges of population ageing. His prospective approach to the measurement of ageing has been influential in a number of fields. In particular, in the United Nations’ latest World Population Ageing (UNPD 2017) report, it was highlighted as a potential alternative to the standard means of measuring aging. However, the recommendations set out in Prof Gietel-Basten’s research (and the paper published in the Wirtschaftspolitische Blätter in particular) can be seen directly cited as new narrative approaches to aging, as adopted by the Austrian Chamber of Business. The journal is distributed to all ministries, ministers and cabinets; all political parties; all Austrian universities and research centers; all Social Partners; the Chamber of Labour/Agriculture and trade unions; the nine chambers at state level and the national bank.