Prior studies have examined effectuation and causation as alternative behavioural logics used by entrepreneurs to manage uncertainty, noting a number of antecedents of the tendency to rely on a given logic at different levels of analysis. This study aims to broaden the understanding of individual-level antecedents by examining the role of the so-called dark side of the CEO personality on decision-making processes within smalland medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Using the lens of upper echelons theory and traitactivation theory, we focus on three personality characteristics: narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. The impact of dark triad traits on the behavioural logic employed by the CEO is argued to be moderated by the perceived level of uncertainty experienced by the firm. A set of hypotheses regarding these relationships are tested with a random sample of CEOs of Russian SMEs. The findings suggest that CEOs scoring higher in psychopathy tend to adopt a causal logic, while Machiavellians rely on an effectual logic. The level of uncertainty shapes these relationships by weakening the links between dark triad traits and behavioural logics.

This paper aims to identify the determinants of return to work after maternity leave in Russia. Can an organisation influence employees’ decision about withdrawal from the market after leave arrangement, or does it fully depend on the contextual and personal characteristics of the employee, as assumed by the discourses of merit and choice? Logistic regression analysis helps to answer the raised questions, referring to responses of 721 mothers with previous working experience. The research revealed that employers indeed can improve inclusion of employees with childcare commitments, fostering their return after the maternity leave. Despite high regional diversity of Russian population, contextual specificity barely influences the decision of employees regarding their returning to work with the same employer, similarly to their level of education, firms’ equity or amount of children. Among personal characteristics, income was found to play an important role in return decisions, as well as the age of the smallest child. The paper contributes to the debates on the fluidity of gender and work identity as well as organizational control over the identity work.

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