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Article Commentary: Research on the Dark Side of Personality Traits in Entrepreneurship: Observations from an Organizational Behavior Perspective

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  • Anthony C. Klotz
  • Donald O. Neubaum

Abstract

While the personality of entrepreneurs can be cast in positive and negative lights, it is essential that researchers understand the complex process through which personalities shape behavior and influence outcomes. Building on Miller's observations on downsides of entrepreneurs’ personalities, we present five broad lines of inquiry derived from the organizational behavior literature to guide future research on the role of personality in entrepreneurial phenomena. These streams of research have implications for how personality is conceptualized in the entrepreneurship literature, and we urge researchers to examine interactions among different personality traits, and between traits and contextual and affective variables which play a critical role in personality–outcome relationships. Finally, we encourage scholars to consider the personality of new venture team members, and how some traits may serve important resource–conservation roles.

Suggested Citation

  • Anthony C. Klotz & Donald O. Neubaum, 2016. "Article Commentary: Research on the Dark Side of Personality Traits in Entrepreneurship: Observations from an Organizational Behavior Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 40(1), pages 7-17, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:40:y:2016:i:1:p:7-17
    DOI: 10.1111/etap.12214
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bee, Colleen & Neubaum, Donald O., 2014. "The role of cognitive appraisal and emotions of family members in the family business system," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 5(3), pages 323-333.
    2. Stephen E. Lanivich, 2015. "The RICH Entrepreneur: Using Conservation of Resources Theory in Contexts of Uncertainty," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(4), pages 863-894, July.
    3. Katalin Takacs Haynes & Michael A. Hitt & Joanna Tochman Campbell, 2015. "The Dark Side of Leadership: Towards a Mid-Range Theory of Hubris and Greed in Entrepreneurial Contexts," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(4), pages 479-505, June.
    4. Van Gelderen, Marco & Kautonen, Teemu & Fink, Matthias, 2015. "From entrepreneurial intentions to actions: Self-control and action-related doubt, fear, and aversion," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 655-673.
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    1. Katrina M. Brownell & Audra Quinn & Mark T. Bolinger, 2024. "The Triad Divided: A Curvilinear Mediation Model Linking Founder Machiavellianism, Narcissism, and Psychopathy to New Venture Performance," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 48(1), pages 310-348, January.
    2. Goran Calic & Rene Arseneault & Maryam Ghasemaghaei, 2023. "The Dark Side of Machiavellian Rhetoric: Signaling in Reward-Based Crowdfunding Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(3), pages 875-896, January.
    3. Simmons, Sharon A. & Carr, Jon C. & Hsu, Dan & Craig, S. Bartholomew, 2023. "Intention to reengage in entrepreneurship: Performance feedback, sensation seeking and workaholism," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    4. Brownell, Katrina M. & McMullen, Jeffery S. & O'Boyle, Ernest H., 2021. "Fatal attraction: A systematic review and research agenda of the dark triad in entrepreneurship," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(3).
    5. Hayet Saadaoui, 2024. "Is more always better with respect to entrepreneurial self-efficacy? An experimental investigation," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 94(5), pages 1-26, July.
    6. Leung, Y.K. & Franken, I.H.A. & Thurik, A.R., 2020. "Psychiatric symptoms and entrepreneurial intention: The role of the behavioral activation system," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 13(C).
    7. M. M. Sulphey & Martin Klepek, 2024. "A Study on the Antecedents of Individual Entrepreneurship Orientation of Female Students: An Examination Using Structural Equation Modeling," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(2), pages 21582440241, May.
    8. Santoro, Gabriele & Quaglia, Roberto & Pellicelli, Anna Claudia & De Bernardi, Paola, 2020. "The interplay among entrepreneur, employees, and firm level factors in explaining SMEs openness: A qualitative micro-foundational approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    9. Helen Bollaert & Gaël Leboeuf & Armin Schwienbacher, 2020. "The narcissism of crowdfunding entrepreneurs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 55(1), pages 57-76, June.
    10. Gabriele Santoro & Antonio Messeni-Petruzzelli & Manlio Giudice, 2021. "Searching for resilience: the impact of employee-level and entrepreneur-level resilience on firm performance in small family firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 455-471, June.
    11. Sean R. Valentine & Sheila K. Hanson & Gary M. Fleischman, 2019. "The Presence of Ethics Codes and Employees’ Internal Locus of Control, Social Aversion/Malevolence, and Ethical Judgment of Incivility: A Study of Smaller Organizations," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 160(3), pages 657-674, December.
    12. Gish, J. Jeffrey & Guedes, Maria João & Silva, Bárbara G. & Patel, Pankaj C., 2022. "Latent profiles of personality, temperament, and eudaimonic well-being: Comparing life satisfaction and health outcomes among entrepreneurs and employees," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 17(C).
    13. Florentine U. Salmony & Dominik K. Kanbach, 2022. "Personality trait differences across types of entrepreneurs: a systematic literature review," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 713-749, April.
    14. Vera Hedwig Schmidt, Corinna & Rössig, Sarah-Alena & Ruth, Martin & Christina Flatten, Tessa, 2025. "The bright side of a dark personality – How dark triad traits influence entrepreneurial passion," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    15. Harms, P.D. & Patel, Pankaj C. & Carnevale, Joel B., 2020. "Self-centered and self-employed: Gender and the relationship between narcissism and self-employment," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 170-179.
    16. Harms, P.D. & White, Joshua V. & Fezzey, Tyler N.A., 2024. "Dark clouds on the horizon: Dark personality traits and the frontiers of the entrepreneurial economy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    17. Rayenda Khresna Brahmana & Maria Kontesa, 2023. "‘No Better Fund Without Me!’ Do Narcissistic Start-up Entrepreneurs Succeed in Venture Funding?," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 32(3), pages 638-666, November.
    18. Liridon Kryeziu & Mehmet Bağış & Mehmet Nurullah Kurutkan & Çağdaş Ateş, 2024. "Dark triad personality, motivational dynamics and nascent entrepreneurs entrepreneurial intentions: cross-country comparison," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 2669-2702, December.
    19. Ms. Faiza Amir & Zaheer Ahmed Khan, 2021. "Moderating Effect of Employee Engagement on the Relationship between Personality Traits and Team Performance: A Study of Employees in Private Colleges in Oman," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 15(3), pages 1-67, July.
    20. Nooshabadi, Javad E. & Mockaitis, Audra I. & Chugh, Richa, 2024. "Chief executive officer’s dark triad personality and firm's degree of internationalization: The mediating role of ambidexterity," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(4).
    21. Wiklund, Johan & Yu, Wei & Tucker, Reginald & Marino, Louis D., 2017. "ADHD, impulsivity and entrepreneurship," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 627-656.
    22. Cai Li & Majid Murad & Hassnain Javed & Saba Fazal Firdousi & Sheikh Farhan Ashraf, 2021. "An empirical investigation on the relationship between individual traits and entrepreneurial business intentions: measuring a mediation effect of entrepreneurial self-efficacy through partial least sq," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 11(1), pages 533-549, December.

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