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On 5 August at 15:00, there will be a 3rd year PhD presentation by Simon Tobias Karg entitled:  

Factors influencing ethical decision making in hierarchical teams

Supervisors: Panagiotis Mitkidis & Dorthe Døjbak Håkonsson
Discussants: Oana Vuculescu & Markus Brunner

Abstract
How do people in hierarchical teams make ethical choices? In my 3rd year presentation, I will highlight structural and personality factors that shape the development of dishonest behavior in leader-subordinate dyads. I will present two papers that study these factors from different angles. 

Paper 1 examines the dynamics ensuing between subordinates and leaders put into situations in which dishonesty benefits both parties alike. In two experiments, I study the mutual social influence of leaders influencing subordinates, and subordinates influencing leaders, and how they enfold over repeated interactions. I find evidence for strong mutual influences, yet the degree and direction of these influences are moderated by the ethicality of the dyad members in the first place. 

Paper 2 zooms in on the Leaders’ perspective, investigating how different incentive structures influence their willingness to enforce honest reporting. I present evidence suggesting that leaders check potentially dishonest reports less when they too benefit from dishonest reporting, and that this tendency may be worse for leaders who are more concerned with being ethical. On the other hand, disentangling leaders’ profits from their subordinates’ profits results in the most efficient way to keep dishonesty in check.