Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2019.1660907
Exploring dark creativity: the role of power in an unethical marketing task
Carolin Palmer
orcid.org/0000-0002-4987-3190
Sascha Kraus
orcid.org/0000-0003-4886-7482
Domingo Ribeiro-Soriano
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
(N¼387) 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.
Keywords
Creativity; dark creativity; power; unethical marketing task; marketing expert
Hrčak ID:
254365
URI
Publication date:
9.2.2021.
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