The Effect of CEO Narcissism on Corporate Tax Policies

Kari Joseph Olsen (University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business) & James Stekelberg (University of Arizona, Eller College of Management), CEO Narcissism and Corporate Tax Policies:

We examine the effect of CEO narcissism on corporate tax policies. Narcissism is a multifaceted personality trait associated with a propensity to cheat and engage in questionable behavior. Narcissists feel that they are above the law and are aggressive in pursuing what they believe is theirs. Narcissists also take more risks than do others and possess heightened sensitivities to the rewards of risk taking. Consistent with these predictions regarding the behavioral tendencies of narcissistic individuals, we document a positive association between CEO narcissism and various measures of corporate tax avoidance and tax risk. Our study contributes to the literature by documenting a setting in which the individual personality characteristics of the CEO can impact firm-level tax policies.