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The intention of this paper is to conceptualize charisma as a multidimensional, cognitive‐affective phenomenon for the reason that the current practice of conceptualization and operationalization of charisma in terms of observable extraordinary behaviour of the leader has diluted “attributed extraordinariness” while disregarding other facets that the theorists assume to be part of charisma.

The existing literature on charisma in many diverse disciplines is appraised in order to enumerate the dimensions of charisma. Accordingly, the paper presents a working definition of charisma and makes suggestions on developing a scale of charisma as a multidimensional, cognitive‐affective phenomenon.

The paper concludes that charisma is a cognitive‐affective phenomenon and is characterized by “Leader extraordinariness”, “Leader archetypicality” “Leader group prototypicality” (cognitive dimensions), “Reverence with awe” and “Love with enthusiasm” (affective dimensions).

Other than explaining how a scale of charisma could be developed, the paper also explains how the proposed conceptualization opens up new avenues for the exploration of routinization of charisma and follower psychological dynamics.

While the paper urges leaders to appeal to followers emotionally and to use the impression management techniques, it urges followers to be vigilant about the “dark side of charisma”.

The present paper can be taken as the first attempt at conceptualizing charisma as a multidimensional, cognitive‐affective phenomenon, though charisma has been long thought to be so. As it takes a follower‐centric approach and incorporates many dimensions of charisma which are presently neglected in operationalizing charisma, the suggested scale of charisma will more validly measure the charisma of leaders than scales presently used.

Charismatic leadership can be defined by the features of the leaders, but also by the multiple‐level interaction processes that take place between the leaders and the led. As we approach the phenomenon, it is easy to see that in earlier research charismatic leadership is faced with many kinds of criticism. As seen, its consequences may be dangerous for organizations which may be led for “shared madness”. The undesirable consequences at the societal level include totalitarian aspects as well as truth manipulation practised by charismatic leaders. At the same time, charismatic leadership can be regarded as part of transformational leadership, where vision, intrapreneurship and emotions play a vital role. In this paper we explore charismatic leadership and followership taking a case from ice hockey coaching as an example. We suggest that ethics usually takes a guardian’s role in evaluating the outcome of charismatic leadership processes, that emotionality plays a vital role both in charismatic leadership and followership, and that charismatic leadership needs to be understood in the contexts that may culturally trigger it.

This study explores why consumers view ambush marketing as an ethical marketing approach.

A qualitative study was devised to investigate what ambush marketing means to those consumers who find it ethical or are not annoyed by it. Data were collected via focus groups.

Three main themes emerged from the data analyses. The most dominant theme was Machiavellianism. Favorable evaluations of ambush marketing lean on a Machiavellistic understanding. The second was the Robin Hood effect, which is observed when the ambusher is a smaller or local brand. In the third theme, ambush attacks are considered as charismatic or enjoyable action, in what is termed dark charisma.

Findings of the current study suggest considerable implications both for businesses that deal with sponsorship and for organizing committees.

The extant literature on consumers' attitudes toward ambush marketing mostly focuses on ethical issues and/or the effectiveness of ambush marketing (i.e. harm to official sponsors), using qualitative techniques. However, the literature is devoid of studies exploring consumers' perception on ambush marketing, and more specifically, explanations of what is ethical and unethical from consumers' point of view. To best of the author's knowledge, it is the first study that seeks an explanation about consumers' positive evaluation of ambush marketing.

The role of dark side personality characteristics in the workplace has received increasing attention in the organizational sciences and from leadership researchers in particular. We provide a review of this area, mapping out the key frameworks for assessing the dark side. We pay particular attention to the roles that the dark side plays in leadership processes and career dynamics, with special attention given to destructive leadership. Further, we examine the role that stress plays in the emergence of leaders and how the dark side plays into that process. We additionally provide discussion of the possible roles that leaders can play in producing stress experiences for their followers. We finally illustrate a dynamic model of the interplay of dark leadership, social relationships, and stress in managerial derailment. Throughout, we emphasize a functionalist account of these personality characteristics, placing particular focus on the motives and emotional capabilities of the individuals under discussion.

We review the literature to determine how discretion, defined as the freedom to make decisions, moderates the relationship between leader personality and organizational performance. Discretion increases with level in organizations so that top executives have the most discretion and the greatest opportunity to impact organizational performance. We describe how personality drives executive actions and decision making, which then impacts organizational performance; the more discretion a leader has, the more leeway there is for his or her personality to operate. Finally, using research and contemporary business examples, we illustrate the dynamics linking personality, discretionary freedom, and destructive leadership in and of organizations.