Corporate Psychopaths and Organisational Type

Abstract

When I started reading about Corporate Psychopaths I thought that such people might favour working in financial companies over other types of company because the former can offer the potential for rich rewards. However, as I presented to various audiences on the subject of Corporate Psychopaths I began to revise this opinion, because after each presentation a few people would come up to talk to me and would assure me that they had met psychopaths in universities, charities, volunteer groups, the police force, hospitals and many other types of organisation. This chapter investigates whether the incidence of Corporate Psychopaths is higher in any particular type of organisation. It discusses some of the theoretical implications of having Corporate Psychopaths in organisations and then presents evidence that they are more prevalent in financial services institutions and the civil service than in primary industries and retail services.