Dark personality traits and tolerance towards unethical behaviors on entrepreneurship: A comparison between entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs

Abstract

Entrepreneurs create businesses and employment. However, their behaviors might generate negative outcomes. Since external funding for startups is vital and challenging to get, this ecosystem becomes a breeding ground for unethical behaviors. This paper will explore the association between the tolerance to unethical behaviors and the Dark Triad Traits (DT) of personality, as well as the moderator role of being an entrepreneur in this relationship. For that purpose, 84 entrepreneurs and 112 non-entrepreneurs completed a survey comprising the Dirty Dozen Scale to assess the DT and the new Tolerance to Unethical Behaviors in Entrepreneurship (TUBE) scale which was able to distinguish entrepreneurs from non-entrepreneurs. Findings suggest that entrepreneurs show higher levels of Machiavellianism and tolerance to unethical behaviors than non-entrepreneurs.