A new study shows supply chain executives demonstrate higher levels of psychopathic tendencies than any other role in the business world, reports the AustralianFinancial Review.
Researchers from Bond University in Australia and the University of San Diego completed a study of 261 corporate professionals working in the supply chain management sector. They found that 21 percent of surveyed supply chain heads exhibited clinically significant levels of psychopathic traits like insincerity, lack of empathy, egocentric behavior and the ability to be charming and superficial at the same time.
The supply chain executives' levels of psychopathic traits were similar to those of the broad prison population. About one in five people in prison and one in 100 people in the general community are psychopathic, according to emerging studies.
Nathan Brooks, study author and forensic psychologist working on his PhD at Bond University, said the study's findings showed supply chain executives were able to strip emotion out of their decision-making process and exhibit ruthless behavior, according to the report.
"Ruthlessness is a big one. They're very calculated," Mr. Brooks said. "It's a cold, clinical and calculated approach where they're able to just look at what is in it for the company."
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