The Impact of Narcissistic Leadership on Employees Across Cultures: A Comparative Analysis of Japan and the United States

Narcissism, a personality construct that has received substantial academic attention, is typically characterized by arrogance, egocentrism, diminished empathy, and a fragile self-concept. Paradoxically, however, this personality profile is frequently observed among highly effective or prominent leaders. This study aims to investigate whether cultural contexts influence the factors contributing to the success of leaders with narcissistic personality traits. Specifically, the research employs individualistic culture (the United States) and collectivistic culture (Japan) as independent variables, with employee performance serving as the dependent variable. Through a comparison, the study finds that narcissistic leadership tends to have a more positive impact on employees in individualistic cultures. In contrast, in collectivist cultures, narcissistic leadership often results in negative outcomes. The study concludes that cultural differences play a significant role in determining the effectiveness of narcissistic leadership, and multinational companies should carefully consider these differences when designing leadership strategies in diverse cultural environments. This research offers valuable insights into the role of narcissistic leadership in cross-cultural management and provides recommendations for organisations seeking to optimise leadership styles across diverse cultural settings.