Ethical Pedagogy in Marketing: Faculty Perspectives on Generative Artificial Intelligence Using Thematic Analysis

Authors

• Maria Naureen Shahid, Department of Leadership and Management Studies, National Defence University, Islamabad, PakistanFollow
• Oscar Robayo-Pinzon, School of Business Administration, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, ColombiaFollow
• Sandra Rojas-Berrio, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, ColombiaFollow
• Sana Irfan, Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU), Rawalpindi, PakistanFollow

Abstract

Because of the potential misuse of ChatGPT for coursework and student learning, marketing educators must investigate how to protect students' honesty and integrity. Additionally, it is crucial to examine whether marketing professors are modifying their pedagogy to promote learner autonomy rather than dependence on Artificial Intelligence (AI). This study addresses two central questions: How do marketing educators preserve students' honesty and integrity amidst the potential misuse of ChatGPT for coursework and learning? How are marketing professors adjusting their pedagogy to ensure learner autonomy rather than dependency on AI tools like ChatGPT? To explore these issues, semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-five professors from six countries, averaging 12.9 years of experience in teaching marketing courses. Results from thematic analysis revealed the benefits and drawbacks of AI-powered technology. The category with the highest number of mentions is Challenges and Concerns of AI in Education, with codes associated with concerns about ethical aspects, diminishing student skills, and the possible dependence that students may generate on these AI systems. In opposition, the category AI Entrance into Education reflected professors' openness to adopting Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) and awareness of the need to change teaching methods.

Keywords

ethical issues, generative artificial intelligence, higher academic integrity, marketing education, thematic analysis

Author Bio(s)

Maria Naureen Shahid, Ph.D. (Corresponding Author; ORCID: 0000-0001-7290-7531) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Leadership and Management Studies at National Defence University (NDU), Islamabad, Pakistan. Please direct correspondence to maryahshahid@gmail.com or mariashahid@outlook.com

Oscar Robayo-Pinzon, Ph.D. (ORCID: 0000-0002-1475-2460) is a principal professor at the School of Business Administration at Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia. Please direct correspondence to oscar.robayo@urosario.edu.co

Sandra Rojas-Berrio, Ph.D. (ORCID: 0000-0002-1148-3779) is a member of the Faculty of Economics at Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia. Please direct correspondence to sprojasb@unal.edu.co

Sana Irfan, Ph.D. (ORCID: 0000-0002-2994-7746) is with the Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU), Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Please direct correspondence to sanairfan@fjwu.edu.pk

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

Recommended APA Citation

Shahid, M. N., Robayo-Pinzon, O., Rojas-Berrio, S., & Irfan, S. (2026). Ethical Pedagogy in Marketing: Faculty Perspectives on Generative Artificial Intelligence Using Thematic Analysis. The Qualitative Report, 31(6), 6115-6148. DOI: https://doi.org/10.46743/1052-0147.7349

ORCID ID

0000-0001-7290-7531