Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This paper examines strategies for responding to workplace bullying perpetrated by narcissistic leaders. Using a game-theoretic framework, we develop a three-stage sequential game that incorporates a simultaneous war-of-attrition in the final stage to capture the dynamics of escalation and conflict resolution. Our analysis reveals that victims benefit from consistently signaling a willingness to escalate and formally report abusive behavior, rather than ignoring or tolerating it. Moreover, we demonstrate how leveraging a narcissist’s inherent fears—such as threats to reputation and loss of control—can empower victims to steer the interaction toward favorable equilibrium outcomes. This integrated approach offers a robust framework for understanding and mitigating the complex challenges posed by narcissistic boss bullying.
Source: Journal of Economic Analysis
DOI: 10.58567/jea04040001
Authors: Pascal Stiefenhofer, Cafer Deniz, Liangxun Xie, Jing Qian
Institutions: Newcastle University, Usak University
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4414365530