The perception of managers on the role of organisational culture in the adoption of artificial intelligence in South African public sector organisations

Abstract

The rapid advancement of disruptive technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), is fundamentally revolutionising businesses, forcing leaders to reimagine their operating models and strategies. When integrated into existing business processes, AI is poised to improve citizen service, enhance transparency, improve efficiencies, and minimise human error. However, its implementation is not solely a technology issue, but it can be influenced by the organisational culture, deemed to be critical for AI adoption and acceptance. Despite this recognition, there is limited understanding of the extent to which public sector managers consider organisational culture when implementing AI initiatives. Applying Schein’ theoretical model on organisational culture and thematic analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted across 15 public sector organisations, where public sector managers implementing or contemplating implementing AI were interviewed. The study revealed that managers perceive AI as an innovative and disruptive technological tool that can radically transform public sector practices and service provision, enhance customer services, fight fraud and corruption, and improve service delivery, among others. Additionally, managers underscored organisational culture’s influence on the achievement of disruptive transformations like AI however they fail to embed it into their strategies. In this regard, the study advocates managers to embrace a culture of innovativeness, risk-taking, creativity, and open mindsets. Furthermore, to drive the rate of implementation, managers must put in place change management processes and training programmes to improve employees’ understanding of new technological trends. These insights highlight a potential oversight in public sector transformations, suggesting that neglecting the prevalent organisational culture may limit the effectiveness of AI adoption. This study stresses the significance of managers to consider culture in their AI adoption approaches.