Evaluating ethical perceptions in human and hybrid decision-making across organizational cultures

Abstract

This dissertation analyses the influence of hybrid decision-making (a combination of human and AI-based processes) and human-only decision-making on ethical perception, emphasizing the moderating role of organizational culture. Drawing upon Rest's (1986) four-component model of ethical decision-making, the study investigates how cultural types (hierarchy and adhocracy) interact with decision-making processes and how they shape ethical perceptions. Additionally, individual differences in social desirability, ethical orientation, and openness to experience were included as covariates to control for their potential effects. Using an experimental study, the results showed that participants perceive human-only decisionmaking as more ethical than hybrid decision-making. Especially in hierarchical cultures, hybrid decision-making was perceived as less ethically consistent than human-only decision-making. However, In adhocracy cultures, both decision-making processes had no significant difference in ethical perception. Moreover, none of the covariates significantly influenced ethical perception, suggesting that organizational and decision-making factors play a larger role. This thesis highlights how organizational culture and technological integration shape perceptions of ethicality in decision-making, offering insights for businesses integrating AI into decision-making processes. While limited by the use of hypothetical scenarios and self-reported measures, this thesis provides a foundation for further exploration of hybrid decision-making in real-world contexts.

Date of Award	6 Feb 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Cristina Soares Pacheco Mendonça (Supervisor)