The Guest Editors are pleased to share a call for papers for a forthcoming Special Issue in the Journal of Managerial Psychology on "Personality in the Upper Echelons: Advancing Theory, Methods, and Context."
Building on decades of research rooted in upper echelons theory, this Special Issue aims to push the field forward by addressing several persistent challenges, including conceptual narrowness, methodological limitations, and limited contextual diversity. As highlighted in recent work, there is a need to deepen our understanding of how executive personality shapes organizational outcomes .
The Special Issue welcomes conceptual, empirical (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods), and methodological contributions that advance research on personality among CEOs, TMTs, and boards of directors. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):
- Expanding conceptualizations of personality (e.g., motives, values, identity, life narratives)
- Mechanisms linking executive personality to strategic and organizational outcomes
- Contextual and institutional moderators of personality effects
- Advances in measuring personality in the upper echelons (e.g., multi-method approaches)
- Personality dynamics within boards and top management teams
- Practical implications for governance, leadership selection, and societal outcomes
Submission window: August 1 – September 30, 2026
Full details and submission guidelines are available here:
https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/calls-for-papers/personality-upper-echelons-advancing-theory-methods-and-context
The Guest Editors welcome informal inquiries regarding fit and topic alignment.
Please feel free to share this call with colleagues who may be interested.
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Cameron Borgholthaus
University of Wyoming
Laramie WY
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