Do narcissistic managers prefer incentive systems based on financial instruments? An analysis based on choice experiments

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to analyse the preferences of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in relation to the different components of incentive systems: financial vs. non-financial. The incentive systems could be an instrument for the sustainable development of Firms. Upper Echelons Theory establishes that the traits of executives affect the decision-making processes, and among these traits, narcissism is a potentially influential factor in these processes. Therefore, the extent to which the level of narcissism influences the choice of one instrument or another is also analysed. For this purpose, a choice experiment has been carried out to analyse the preferences of CEOs. The questionnaire developed incorporates both the choices about different systems and the NPI-16 test that allows individuals to be classified according to their narcissistic nature. The main results show that, in general, there is a stronger preference for non-financial instruments than for financial instruments in the design of incentive systems. However, narcissistic CEOs show a clear inclination towards financial incentives that bring them benefits rather than provide incentives.