Exploring dark creativity: the role of power in an unethical marketing task

Palmer, C.; Kraus, S.; Ribeiro-Soriano, D.

Abstract

Creativity is seen as a significant driver for successful marketing activities. However, little attention is paid to its shady side and little research on the prerequisites for unethical behaviour of marketing experts and executives is on hand. In our experimental study, we examine the mutual influence of power, honesty-humility, and benevolent creativity as predictors for ‘dark creativity’ (the use of creative ideas for malevolent actions). Participants (N = 387) were randomly assigned to a high vs. low power condition (role of marketing director vs. marketing intern). Dark creativity was correlated to benevolent creativity, power motive, and honesty-humility, but did not depend on the power condition participants have been assigned to. In a hierarchical regression analysis only benevolent creativity and power motive predicted dark creativity. Additional variance was explained by role identification. This article is the first to investigate the impact of power on creativity in an immoral occupational task. Our findings support the concept of dark creativity as a combination of cognitive abilities and motivational aspects. The manipulation of power condition should be replicated in further research.

Citation

Palmer, C., Kraus, S., & Ribeiro-Soriano, D. (2020). Exploring dark creativity: the role of power in an unethical marketing task. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istrazivanja, 33(1), 145-159. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677x.2019.1660907

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 29, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Feb 27, 2020
• Publication Date: 2020
• Deposit Date: Mar 11, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 11, 2020
• Journal: Ekonomska istraživanja.
• Print ISSN: 1331-677X
• Electronic ISSN: 1848-9664
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 145-159
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677x.2019.1660907
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1268388