We study the returns to investing in VIX futures, VIX Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs), and variance swaps. We document substantial negative return premia for these assets. For example, the constant maturity portfolio of 1-month VIX futures loses about 30% per year over our sample period (2006–2013). We investigate if these findings are consistent with dynamic equilibrium. We derive a model based on present value computation that endogenizes stock prices, the VIX index, and its associated derivative contracts. The model explains the negative return premia as well as several other stylized features of the VIX futures, ETNs, and variance swap data.

We examine how generalist CEOs influence innovation outcomes across 25 countries from 2001 to 2019. We assemble a novel, extended dataset of generalist CEOs and find that generalist CEOs positively affect innovation, particularly in countries with abundant innovation resources. This finding aligns with the notion that generalist CEOs leverage their broad knowledge and cross-industry experience to integrate resources across institutional environments, thereby fostering innovation activities. However, in countries with stricter patent systems, the increased need for specialized knowledge and resources limits the value that generalist CEOs can contribute, leading to decreased innovation activities. Our research highlights how institutional environments shape the efficacy of CEO human capital in driving innovation, thus offering insights for the design of innovation policies that maximize leadership potential across different institutional contexts.