Cultural Norms and Agency in Human–AI Collaboration: How Kreng-Jai and Seniority Orientation Shape Fairness, Acceptance, and Trust in AI-Enabled HRM

Abstract

This study investigates how Thai cultural norms shape employee perceptions of human-in-the-loop (HITL) AI systems in performance appraisal and compensation decisions. Drawing on procedural justice and culturally grounded views of fairness, the study examines the roles of Kreng-Jai and seniority orientation in influencing procedural justice, system acceptance, and trust in AI-enabled HRM. Hypotheses were tested using PLS-SEM and multi-group analysis based on a vignette-based experimental survey of 387 white-collar employees and middle managers from large Thai firms in banking, telecommunications, and FMCG. The results indicate that perceived AI autonomy is positively related to perceived procedural justice, and perceived procedural justice is positively associated with system acceptance and trust. However, Kreng-Jai weakens the relationship between AI autonomy and procedural justice, while seniority orientation reduces the positive effects of procedural justice on acceptance and trust. Multi-group analysis further reveals stronger positive relationships in the AI-aligned condition than in the AI-override condition, with Kreng-Jai exerting a stronger negative moderating effect when AI recommendations are overridden. The study identifies Thai cultural norms as boundary conditions that shape perceptions of procedural justice, system acceptance, and trust in AI-enabled HRM.