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CEO Bright and Dark Personality: Effects on Ethical Misconduct

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Abstract

In recent years, misconduct by CEOs has led to firings, scandals, and financial losses for companies. Our study explores personality antecedents of CEO misconduct using Five-Factor Model personality traits and personality disorder profile similarity indices. The sample of 259 CEOs used in the analysis includes CEOs who were involved in well-publicized misconduct scandals as well as CEOs who had no misconduct scandals. Teams of trained raters measured CEO personality using psychometric personality rating scales and video-based assessment methods. Logistic regression results provided some support for hypotheses regarding relationships between ethical misconduct, fraud, excessive risk taking, and sexual misconduct and personality traits including “Big Five” traits and personality disorder profile similarity indices.

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There were no grants or outside sources of funding for this research. This research article was completed by the authors during the normal course of university professor appointments.

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  1. Department of Marketing, Strategy, and International Business, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, USA

    James R. Van Scotter

  2. University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, USA

    Karina De Déa Roglio

  3. Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil

    Karina De Déa Roglio

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  1. James R. Van Scotter
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  2. Karina De Déa Roglio
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Correspondence to James R. Van Scotter.

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James R. Van Scotter and Karina De Déa Roglio declares that they have no conflict of interest.

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Van Scotter, J.R., Roglio, K.D. CEO Bright and Dark Personality: Effects on Ethical Misconduct. J Bus Ethics 164, 451–475 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-018-4061-5

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