Does Narcissism Influence Entrepreneurial Intentions? A Theory of Planned Behaviour Perspective

Abstract

Recent research on entrepreneurship has established that individuals with certain personality traits are more likely to take up entrepreneurial careers as compared to others. However, it is still unclear whether and how the dark side of individuals’ personality impacts entrepreneurial career intentions. Accordingly, this study, building on the theory of planned behaviour, seeks to explore the mechanisms through which narcissism—a dark personality trait—impacts entrepreneurial intention. The authors contend that narcissism shapes the individual’s attitude and worldview of the prevailing subjective norms, which collectively translate into evaluating entrepreneurship as a favourable career choice. This study empirically validates the hypotheses using a sample of 220 postgraduate students in an Indian business school. The findings offer crucial implications for individuals trying to make career choices; and demonstrate that it would be helpful for individuals to explore the dark side of their personality before arriving at an appropriate career choice.