Managerial Decision Styles and Machiavellianism: A Comparative Study

Decision styles and Machiavellianism were studied among four groups of managers in pharmaceutical companies. Using a Decision Styles Inventory, directive, analytic, conceptual and behavioural decision styles were studied, each representing a different combination of cognitive complexity and brain hemisphere preference in decision making. Machiavellianism was assessed using the Mach IV scale of Christie and Geiss (1970) and its components, namely, tactics, views and morality. The sample studied comprised 39 marketing, 23 financial, 35 medical and 21 operations managers. No significant interdependence was found between decision style, Machiavellianism and managerial group. Further research is recommended to investigate differences in decision style between managers and non‐managers, and to establish the effects of Machiavellianism in the workplace.