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Ethics of Public RelationsEthics of Public Relations
Lecture 2Lecture 2
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Essence of Ethics
Morally Questionable Acts
Dynamic Relationships that Affect Ethical Decision Marketing
Factors Affecting Ethical Decisions
Norms and Counter Norms
Managing Ethics
ETHICS IN PR
Ethics is an area of concern for Public Relations due to 4 reasons:
1. PR has a reputation for unethical behaviour
2. PR is often the source of ethical statements of an organisation and the repository for ethical and social policies
3. PR Practitioners have struggled to create a suitable code of ethics for themselves
4. PR Practitioners should act on the basis of their organisation as the ethical ombudsman for the publics they serve.
ETHICS
Ethics is what is morally right or wrong in social conduct, usually are determined by standards of professions, organisations and individuals.
Utilitarian Approach – “The greatest good for the greatest number”
Deontology – “ Do what is right, though the world should perish”
WHAT IS ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR?
Ethics standards or moral values that dictate what is right and
wrong culturally based formed upon society’s expectations vary by person, and by situation
Everyone develops their own “code of ethics”
FACTORS REGULATING SOCIAL CONDUCT
Five factors regulate social conduct:
1. Tradition: ways in which the situation has been viewed or handled in the past.
2. Law: Behaviours that are permissible and those that are prohibited by law.
3. Morality: generally a spiritual and religious prohibition.
4. Ethics: Standards set by the profession, an organisation, or oneself, based on conscience – was it right or fair to others as well as to self?
ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
PR Practitioners must have 2 guiding principles:
1. They must have the will to be ethical, intending not to injure others but rather be honest and trustworthy
2. They must make every effort to avoid actions that would have adverse consequences for others.
WILL THE PR PRACTITONER:
Lie for a client or employer?
Engage in deception to collect information about another practitioner’s client?
Help conceal a hazardous condition or illegal act?
WILL THE PR PRACTITONER:
Provide information that presents only part of the truth?
Offer something (gift, travel or information) to reporters that may compromise their reporting?
Present true but misleading information in an interview or news conference that will mask some unpleasant fact?
MORAL OBLIGATIONS
The PR Practitioner must have 5 moral obligations:
To ourselves: To preserve our own integrityTo our clients: To honour our contracts and to use our
professional expertise on our clients’ behalfTo our organisation or employer: To adhere to
organisational goals and policiesTo our profession and professional colleagues: To uphold
the standards of the professional and by extending the reputation of our fellow practitioner
To society: To consider social needs and claims
ETHICAL PUBLIC RELATIONS
The PR department is frequently the ethical heart of an organisation.
By providing professional responsibility and recognition, PR organisation can encourage ethical behaviour and awareness among their members.
PR Practitioners represent valuable touchstones in any organisation.
PUBLIC RELATIONS ???
Many people perceive public relations as something less that respectable as clever strategies to convince the public that what’s wrong is right.
Some see PR Professionals as manipulators of the public mind, rather than conveyors of the truth
Public Relations as being unethical – lying, spin-doctoring, and even espionage.
Many critics argue that there can be no ethical public relations because the practice itself is akin to manipulation and propaganda. The Truth Matters, Loyalty Matters, Lies Matter, Values
Matter.
IS THERE SUCH A THING AS PR ETHICS?
Center for Public Integrity criticize the public relations industry:
for a lack of ethics, counting the influence of public relations and lobbying as one of the primary threats to truthful
journalism.
Corporate Watch consider public relations firms and professionals as deliberately unethical
SOME SURVEYS
International Survey of more than 300 companies worldwide – Top Ethical Issues
Employee Conflict of Interest 91 % Inappropriate Gifts 91 %Sexual Harassment 91 %Unauthorized Payments 85%
Wall Street J Survey of 1400 working womenManagers lying, expense account abuse, taking credit for others
work
SURVEYS
Surveys – Incidence of Unethical behaviors in areas (from a Wall Street Journal Survey):
Government 66%Sales 51 %Law 40 %Media 38 %Finance 33 %Medicine 21 %Banking 18 %Manufacturing 14 %
COMMON EXAMPLES
Individual values and the company Stealing from the companyPadding expense accounts to obtain reimbursements for
questionable business expensesDivulging confidential information or trade secrets Using company property and materials for personal useConflict of Interest
IS THERE SUCH A THING AS PR ETHICS?
Lack of honest and open communication during numerous corporate crises, such as Enron
PR Firms: Ethical Blunders & Identity Crisis. Is ethical public relations even possible?
Are public relations professionals really “the ‘invisible men’ who control our political debates and public opinion, twisting reality and protecting the powerful from scrutiny” - P.R. Watch
ETHICS & TOP MANAGEMENT
Internal and external PR communications control of the flow of good and bad news to the staff and community.
An organization's ethics flow from the top down and back up again, and permeates throughout the company mindset.
A stranger off the street can sniff it out just by walking in the door. Nothing is hidden, especially in this wired age where news — especially bad news — gushes in an instant.
THE ETHICAL FOUNDATION
In the public relations discipline, ethics includes values such as:
1. Honesty,
2. Openness,
3. Loyalty,
4. Fair-mindedness,
5. Respect,
6. Integrity, and
7. Forthright Communication.
ESSENCE OF ETHICS
Codes do not produce ethical behaviour
Our ethics tend to flow from our core values
WATCHDOGS AND LAPDOGS
Conflicts of interest lead to ethical problems
Individual behavior is strongly influenced by incentive
TRUST & PR
Safeguard client/company information
Relationships with the different publics
Professional Privilege – includes obligations to society at large
Social Responsibility – Impact beyond the company
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
A business’s collective code of ethics towards
the environment
its customers
its employees
its investors
Responsibility Towards Customers Social
Responsibility
Responsibility TowardsInvestors
Responsibility Towards Environment
Responsibility Towards Employees
INFLUENCE ON BUSINESS SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
MANAGING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROGRAMS
Top Management Support
Strategic Planning
Appointment of a Director
Social Audit
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Promotes free, ethical competition of ideas, individuals, institutions in a market place of public opinion.
Reveals the source or goals of influence
Enforces high standards of conduct
PRSA CODE OF ETHICS
Promote the free flow of information
Allow competition
Disclose source of information
Safeguard confidences
Communicate conflicts of interest
Enhance the profession
PRSA VALUES
Loyalty
Advocacy
Fairness
Honesty
Independence
STEPS TO AN ETHICAL STATEMENT
Get support by CEO for the mutual support of key stakeholders
Get stakeholders participation
Expand words into expectations
Establish feedback mechanism
Assure implementation/monitoring of results
Reward employees who perform and deliver on values
MORALLY QUESTIONABLE ACTS
Non-Job FailuresCheating on your expense accountsStealing suppliesSandbagging
Job FailuresSuperficial Performance appraisalCheatersFalsely praising poor performersDenial of training opportunitiesUndermine management
MORALLY QUESTIONABLE ACTS
Job DistortionsBriberyManipulation of suppliers/buyersFalsifying information
Job CreationBlending policies for certain customersBlending policies for salespeopleCaught with violating rulesArranging for promotions
NORMS & COUNTERNORMS
NORMS
LT Relationships with customersObjectivityOpennessCandid CommunicationHonestyFlexibility/AdaptabilityCost EffectivenessTaking ResponsibilityCustomer ServiceDevelop Younger SalespeopleTeam EffortConsensusLoyalty
COUNTERNORMS
SandbaggingEmotional InvolvementSecrecyStonewallingLyingDogmatismPadding expensesPassing the buckSales forceLook out for Number 1Individual Goals FirstTaking unfair creditCriticize the company
THE NEW ETHICS
Rights
Protection
Self Interest
Equality
Quality of Life
Consumerism
MANAGING ETHICS
Diagnose the reward system
Analyse rules and procedures
Training and education
Develop investigative structures
MORAL COURAGE
Leaders exhibit moral courage by being willing to make personal sacrifices
Leaders should not become too preoccupied with pleasing constituents
Leaders focus on needs of others – they have a commitment to serve
Business as usual may be evidence of a leadership failure
THE ESSENCE OF ETHICS [1]
Codes of Ethics do not necessarily lead to ethical behaviour.
The core values we profess are not necessarily those by which we live
There is a place for compassion in leadership
Bureaucracy can come in conflict with ethics
Managers who vent their frustration on subordinates are not acting ethically
THE ESSENCE OF ETHICS [2]
Study the ethics of organisations which have reputation for being ethical
Build ethics into organisation policies and practices
Make sure quality and service and integrity permeate the entire organisation
Develop high expectations of all members of your organisation
THE ESSENCE OF ETHICS [3]
Create an organizational culture that encourages ….
Open and honest communicationContinual learningPersonal developmentRespect for people
COMPANY PRACTICES & BUSINESS ETHICS
Firms are creating ethical codes to guide employee decisions
Top management support is essential
Company policies are expanding to encompass e-mail and other forms of communication
ETHICS & PROFESSIONALISM
Be honest at all timesConvey a sense of business ethics based on your own
standards and those of societyRespect the integrity and position of your opponents and
audiencesDevelop trust by emphasizing substance over trivialityPresent all sides of an issueStrive for balance between loyalty to the organisation and
duty to the publicDon’t sacrifice long term objectives for short term gains
CASE STUDY
Coca-Cola's Dasani in the UK -
The Public Relations Fiasco