Academy of Management Journal cited in Forbes.
… Psychological research confirms, to a certain extent, quite a few parts of this folk wisdom. What few people realize, however, is that these birth order effects can also play out in the business world.
A 2019 study published in the Academy of Management Journal examined this question head-on by focusing largely on CEOs. The researchers theorized that, based on evolutionary arguments, firstborns would likely be more conservative. It was also hypothesized that these firstborns would be less inclined to take risks than their later-born siblings — since, historically, these children would have already lived a life of competing for resources and carving out alternative niches.
Their findings supported the theory: firstborn CEOs generally avoided strategic risk, while later-borns were more prone to push boundaries and experiment. And, unsurprisingly, the Murdochs have seemingly repeated this pattern, too. Rupert’s eldest son and chosen successor has long been positioned as the safe pair of hands. Lachlan was likely seen as the little boy — and now is the man — who would preserve both the family empire and the patriarch’s conservative worldview. …
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Learn more about the AOM Scholars and explore their work:
- Seung-Hwan Jeong, Georgia State University
- Scott D. Graffin, University of Georgia
