CORPORATE PSYCHOPATHY

Over the past few decades, research on corporate crime and white-collar offenses has steadily expanded its scope, bringing attention to a frequently overlooked factor: the role and impact of individual psychological traits in organizational decision-making processes that can produce large-scale economic and social harm.
A growing body of studies suggests that some of the most severe economic crises and patterns of systemic corruption cannot be attributed solely to structural weaknesses. They may also be linked to the presence, in positions of power, of individuals exhibiting psychopathic traits-such as lack of empathy, absence of remorse, strategic manipulation, and a drive for dominance.
Far from the stereotype of the violent offender, psychopathy can manifest in individuals who are fully integrated into professional and institutional environments. When such characteristics emerge in corporate or organizational leadership roles, their effects extend well beyond internal dynamics: they can escalate into systemic consequences, influencing corporate stability, market trust, and the balance of socio-economic systems.
This volume examines corporate psychopathy as a configuration of traits, dynamics, and behavioral patterns that, within specific organizational contexts, foster toxic leadership, abusive practices, and high-impact destructive decision-making. Through a critical analysis of international scholarship, the book offers new interpretive frameworks for understanding contemporary phenomena of systemic corruption and economic crises, providing valuable insights for scholars, professionals, and managers tasked with navigating power dynamics within organizations.