Crafting harm: how Machiavellianism, competitive worldview, and supervisor bottom-line mentality fuel malevolent creativity?

Purpose The study aimed to understand Machiavellianism’s role in malevolent creativity through the lens of the dual process model (DPM) of ideology and prejudice. In doing so, the competitive worldview (CWV) was proposed as the underlying mechanism of this relationship. In addition, the study aimed to highlight the supervisor’s bottom-line mentality (SBLM) as the boundary condition of the proposed relationship. Design/methodology/approach The data of 182 respondents were collected from the hospitality sector using a time lag design. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the scales' reliability and validity. The SPSS Process Macro was used for model testing. Findings The results showed that Machiavellianism was positively related to malevolent creativity, and CWV mediated this relationship. Further, the results highlighted that SBLM moderated the CWV—malevolent creativity relationship, such that the effect was more substantial when SBLM was high than when it was low. However, SBLM did not moderate the mediated relationship between Machiavellianism and malevolent creativity. Research limitations/implications The study’s results are based on a cross-sectional time lag design; therefore, the causality of the relationship is not established. Future studies are recommended to use multisource or longitudinal designs. There are important implications for organizational policymakers regarding recruitment and selection, performance management, and training and development practices. Originality/value This study has introduced DPM of ideology and prejudice as a unique lens for understanding Machiavellianism—malevolent creativity relationship and hypothesized CWV as its underlying mechanism. In addition, the study is the first to use SBLM as the boundary condition of this relationship.