This thesis will explore the implications of dark triad traits in leadership, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of how these traits influence organizational outcomes within different environments, based on the research question: "Investigating the correlation between Dark Triad characteristics of CEOs and leaders and organizational success". By examining this fundamental relationship, we aim to contribute to the growing body of literature on leadership personality and its impact on corporate performance, putting particular emphasis on the dark triad traits. Understanding these dynamics is not merely a valuable academic exercise but holds significant practical implications for executive selection, corporate governance, and organizational strategy in an increasingly complex business landscape.
To comprehensively address the research question from multiple facets, this study is organized as follows: It starts by contextualizing dark triad traits in a business context, highlighting their prevalence among corporate leaders. The thesis then explores three established theories – upper echelons theory, social exchange theory, and self-affirmation theory – and examines their relevance to this concrete research. Subsequently, the interplay of dark triad characteristics in leaders and CEOs gets investigated. Building on a general overview, the paper further investigates the interactions between dark triad characteristics in leaders and CEOs through assessing both the positive and negative influence these traits have on organizational outcomes. The final section of the literature review specifically addresses situational and contextual variations in these effects. Following this, the methodology section outlines the process employed to identify eligible literature. Lastly, the key findings of the research are succinctly synthesized, culminating in a concluding discussion appraising the implications of these results.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
2.1 Dark triad traits in a business context
2.2 Prevalence of dark-side characteristics in organizational leadership
2.3 Established theoretical concepts
2.3.1 Upper echelons theory
2.3.2 Social exchange theory
2.3.3 Self-affirmation theory
2.4 Understanding the paradox: dark triad leadership and organizational outcome
2.4.1 The interplay of dark triad traits in leaders and CEOs
2.4.2 Negative impacts of dark-side traits in leadership on organizations
2.4.3 The bright side of dark triad personality traits in corporate environments
2.5 Situational and circumstance-specific variations
3. Literature Analysis
3.1 Methods applied to identify eligible literature
3.2 Extracted findings from the literature
3.3 Discussion about the results
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This thesis investigates the correlation between dark triad personality characteristics of CEOs and leaders and organizational success, aiming to clarify how these traits influence firm performance. The key objective is to provide a nuanced understanding of whether and how narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy affect leadership outcomes under varying organizational conditions.
- Prevalence and impact of dark triad traits in corporate leadership roles.
- Theoretical foundations (upper echelons, social exchange, self-affirmation).
- Duality of traits (potential benefits vs. detrimental corporate outcomes).
- Contextual modifiers: industry, organizational structure, and crisis environments.
- Identification of research gaps regarding the positive versus negative influence of dark-side leaders.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Dark triad traits in a business context
In recent years, the fields of organizational behavior and leadership studies have increasingly concentrated on the dark personality traits of top executives (Busenbark et al., 2016). This growing interest has driven researchers to investigate these traits within a business context (Palmer et al., 2020).
Three distinct but intercorrelated personality traits used to be classified within the so-called dark triad: psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism (Bouncken et al., 2020). High scorers on the dark triad scale are found to have socially hostile dispositional tendencies, including self-serving behavior, emotional detachment, as well as tendencies towards deception and aggression (Jones and Paulhus, 2014). Research also indicates that the most prominent underlying elements of these traits are low agreeableness, diminished humility, interpersonal hostility, and callousness (Ashton and Lee, 2001).
From a theoretical and conceptual standpoint, the three dark triad traits are distinct constructs (Nassif, 2019). However, they share several overlapping characteristics (Paulhus and Williams, 2002). In other words, people with high narcissistic tendencies likely display high Machiavellian and psychopathic tendencies as well (Diller et al., 2021). In addition to that, narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy each have diverse associations with other personality traits (Paulhus and Williams, 2002) and workplace outcomes (Palmer et al., 2020). They manifest in unique ways within business leadership while at the same time drastically impacting overall organizational dynamics and outcomes. Despite the evident differences in individual characteristics of the three traits, which will be elaborated in the following, we classify a person as possessing the dark triad if they exhibit at least one of them.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Introduces the relevance of dark triad traits in leadership and establishes the research gap concerning executive personality and firm performance.
2. Literature Review: Provides a comprehensive overview of the three dark triad traits, their prevalence, and key theoretical frameworks as applied to corporate leadership.
3. Literature Analysis: Details the systematic methodology used to filter academic sources and synthesizes the findings regarding how these traits impact organizations.
4. Conclusion: Summarizes the complex, context-dependent nature of dark triad influence on organizations and suggests directions for future research.
Keywords
Dark Triad, Narcissism, Machiavellianism, Psychopathy, Leadership, CEO, Organizational Performance, Upper Echelons Theory, Management, Corporate Success, Executive Personality, Business Ethics, Firm Strategy, Organizational Behavior, Leadership Style.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
This thesis examines the influence of the "Dark Triad"—narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy—on the decision-making processes and overall success of CEOs and leaders within organizations.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The work covers the prevalence of these traits in executives, the impact on organizational culture and performance, and provides a comparative analysis of how these traits manifest in different business contexts.
What is the central research question?
The study centers on investigating the correlation between Dark Triad characteristics of CEOs and leaders and organizational success.
Which methodology was applied?
The author conducted a systematic literature review, utilizing databases like Web of Science and EBSCOhost using defined inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure high academic quality.
How is the main body structured?
The main part is divided into a theoretical framing section, a literature review of the specific traits, and a detailed analysis phase that synthesizes findings from empirical academic articles.
What makes this work unique compared to previous research?
Unlike earlier works that focused on single traits, this thesis provides a holistic view of the dark triad, specifically investigating the moderating roles of organizational industry and firm structure.
Do dark triad leaders always harm their firms?
No, the findings suggest the impact is context-dependent. Some traits, like the vision and charisma of narcissists, can prove beneficial in dynamic and high-pressure business environments.
Why is narcissism the most frequently discussed trait in the analyzed literature?
The literature analysis reveals a disproportionate number of studies focusing on narcissism, likely because its outward manifestations—such as charisma and vision—are more visible and measurable in leadership roles.
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- Julian Hillenmeyer (Autor:in), 2024, The correlation between Dark Triad characteristics of CEOs and leaders and organizational success, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1502924
