This paper develops a conceptual model of PhD supervisors’ abuse and exploitation of their students and the outcomes of that abuse. Based on the literature about destructive leadership and the “dark side” of supervision, we theorize about why and how PhD student abuse and exploitation may occur. We offer a novel contribution to the literature by identifying the process through which PhD students experience supervisory abuse and exploitation, the various factors influencing this process, and its outcomes. The proposed model presents the Dark Triad, perceptions of goal blockage, and perceptions of ethical culture as potential characteristics of the PhD supervisor and implies the mediation of the perceptions of power and politics in the relationship between the Dark Triad and student abuse and exploitation. Institutional policies and practices concerning doctoral students and their characteristics are proposed as moderators in such a relationship. Finally, the model suggests that student abuse and exploitation may hinder or even end students’ academic careers. The manuscript discusses the theoretical and practical contributions and managerial implications of the proposed model and recommends further exploration of the dark sides of academia.

本文开发了博士生导师对其学生的虐待和剥削以及这种虐待的结果的概念模型。基于有关破坏性领导和监督“阴暗面”的文献，我们对博士生虐待和剥削可能发生的原因和方式进行了理论分析。我们通过确定博士生经历监督虐待和剥削的过程、影响这一过程的各种因素及其结果，为文献做出了新的贡献。所提出的模型将黑暗三合会、对目标障碍的看法和对道德文化的看法呈现为博士生导师的潜在特征，并暗示了在黑暗三合会与学生虐待和剥削之间的关系中对权力和政治的看法的中介。关于博士生及其特征的机构政策和实践被提议作为这种关系的调节器。最后，该模型表明，对学生的虐待和剥削可能会阻碍甚至结束学生的学术生涯。手稿讨论了所提议模型的理论和实践贡献以及管理意义，并建议进一步探索学术界的阴暗面。