public relations projct
TRANSCRIPT
1
ETHICS AND CODE OF
CONDUCT
IN
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Made By:
BARKHA VERMA (8119)
NOVITA KOHLI (8113)
BBS 2-C
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We gratefully acknowledge and thank our Public
Relations teacher Ms. Nomita Sharma for her
support and help, the classroom teachings
provided by her were extremely beneficial and
guided us on how to work on our project.
The project was a learning experience for both of
us. It helped us to understand Public Relations
better as a subject and to gain useful insights. It
also provided a practical approach to Public
Research.
We are also thankful to our respective parents for
providing us with the resources and encouraging
us. We are thankful to everyone who’s helped us
complete the project.
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CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the group of Barkha
Verma and Novita Kohli has successfully
completed their project on ―Ethics and Code of
Conduct in PR‖ as part of their internal
assessment project for Public Relations and
Corporate Image.
Ms. Nomita Sharma
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Preface………………………………………………….5
2. Evolution of Public Relations Ethics………..6
3. Defining ethics………………………………………8
4. Theories of Ethics in PR………………………...11
5. Application of PR Ethics………………………..15
6. Resources of PR Ethics…………………………...18
7. PRSA Code of Ethics (guidelines)…………..19
8. Public Relations Ethics Case Study………..22
9. Pushing the Frontiers in Public Relation
Ethics…………………………………………………..26
10. Conclusion…………………………………………..27
11. Bibliography………………………………………..28
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PREFACE
The central purpose of this project is to provide an
overview of Ethics in public relations. We review the
evolution of public relations ethics, the current state of
practice, and the thoughts of ethicists.
Definitions will be provided and key areas of evolution
and debate within the field will be addressed.
Implications for practitioners are discussed, including
the research showing that a strong sense of ethics and
of how to arrive at ethical decisions can enhance the
career prospects of public relations professionals.
Recommendations for public relations practitioners
are made, including topics such as gaining access to
an organization’s top decision makers, promotion to
an ethical counselor role, PRSA code of ethics and
ethics study, and approaches to ethical analyses.
Finally, practical guidelines for dealing with ethics
will be offered, followed with suggestions.
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EVOLUTION OF PUBLIC
RELATIONS ETHICS
One of the earliest public relations executives to argue
for the role of acting as an ethical counsel to
management was John W. Hill. Hill had a very
developed philosophy of Corporate Responsibility and
Issue Management and this recent analysis found that
ethics pervaded both his work as executive counsel and
his books about public relations. Hill’s grasp of the
interaction between ethics, issues management, and
―far-reaching effects of corporate policy‖ made him not
only one of the most successful practitioners of his
century. John W. Hill was a progenitor of what scholars
called public relations as the ―corporate conscience‖.
As the civil unrest of the 1960s called both government
and businesses to a higher level of accountability, their
communication functions responded with the creation
of more open, ethical, and socially responsible forms of
public relations. The function of issues management
began to advise executives on ethically responsible
policy decisions and symmetrical public relations
began to incorporate the desires of publics for more fair
and balanced decision making.
Although research showed that scant attention was
given to ethics in major public relations textbooks
before this time, the last decade has shown an
improvement. This interest in teaching and discussing
public relations ethics is good news, especially for new
practitioners so that they do not inadvertently limit
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their prospects for promotion. As newer data reveals, job
promotion options may be constrained for practitioners
who do not know ethics or feel prepared to advice on
ethical dilemmas.
Despite the strides made in modern public relations
toward becoming ethical advisors in management, the
field holds ―a tarnished history‖ in the words of one
scholar. Like any young profession, the historical
development of public relations shows a progression
toward more self-aware and ethical models of
communication. By reviewing this development, the
historically negative reputation of public relations, as
well as its potential for encouraging ethical
communication, we can see the maturation of the
profession from one engaged in simple dissemination
of information to one involved in the creation of
ethical communication.
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DEFINING ETHICS
The definition of "ethics" is somewhat consistent from scholar to
scholar.
―Standards of conduct that indicate how one should behave
based on moral duties and virtues.‖
However, the debate comes into play when determining what
these standards of conduct consist of. Are ethics a personal
decision? Do universal ethics really exist? Are ethical
obligations determined by yourself, your employer, the public
relations profession, society? Each of these issues is debated
among scholars.
Traditionally, ethical systems have been categorized into one of
three main categories:
Teleological
Deontological
Situational
TELEOLOGICAL ETHICS
Teleological ethics systems take on a results-oriented
approach and are often referred to as "utilitarian." This
approach asks the question, which decision will provide
the greatest good to the greatest number of people.
Problems with this approach:
How can you calculate greatest good?
Won't you have to act before you can determine the
outcome?
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Positives of this approach
Requires a consideration of all alternatives.
Requires a practitioner to think about the consequences
of their actions.
Examples of teleological ethics
The suggestion that public relations should serve the
public interest.
Making choices not based solely on financial
considerations.
DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICS
Deontological approaches to ethical decision making
are also called "duty" ethics or the "humanitarian"
approach. Deontological systems are based on the idea
that human beings must treat other human beings with
respect and dignity. In this case, ethical behavior is
judged on whether the action violates human rights. The
actions themselves are treated as "right" or "wrong."
Problems with this approach
Which human rights are deemed more important?
As society evolves over time, will norms of basic human
rights change?
Blindly following this approach could lead to
considerable harm.
Examples of Deontological Ethics
Declaration of Independence
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Choosing not to disseminate false information because
that would constitute an act of lying which is "wrong."
SITUATIONAL ETHICS
Situational ethics suggests that decision-making should
be seen as independent of specific circumstances. Instead
of following the same set of rules in each decision,
practitioners engaging in Situational ethics decide on a
case by case basis.
Positives of this approach
Can be helpful when there are several conflicting
ethical obligations.
Useful when blindly following rules, as suggested by
Deontological systems, would result in considerable
harm.
Examples of Situational Ethics in Action
Choosing not to comment to the press when releasing
the information could result in considerable harm to
one's client or the public. The conflicting ethical
responsibilities in this instance include honest and
prevention of harm.
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THEORIES OF ETHICS
IN PR
Several theories have been developed that relate to
public relation ethics and the ethical decision-making
process. For each of these theories, it is important to
take note of the core value espoused in each perspective.
The theories reviewed are:
Theory of Responsible Advocacy
Enlightened Self Interest Baseline
Two-way Communication Model
Attorney/Adversary Model
Each of these theories offers a different justification for
the practice of public relations.
Responsible Advocacy (Fitzpatrick and Gauthier)
This theory of public relations proposes that the best
way to practice public relations ethics is through the
ideal of professional responsibility. The key points of
this theory of ethics are:
Practitioner’s greatest need for ethical guidance is in
the reconciling of their conflicting roles of professional
advocate and social conscience.
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Public relations professionals’ best serve society by
serving the special interests of his or her client or
employer.
First loyalty is always to client; but also has a
responsibility to voice the opinions of organizational
stakeholders.
This theory is espoused in the Public Relations Society
of America Code of Ethics. In the code's statement of
values, it defines advocacy as:
"We serve the public interest by acting as responsible
advocates for those we represent."
Enlightened Self-interest Model (Baker)
Baker proposes enlightened self-interest as a baseline
for justification of persuasive communication activity.
The key point of this model is that:
―Businesses do well by doing good.‖
Those who propose this model use potential for profit as
a basis for justifying acts that are ethical. The creator
suggests that:
By behaving ethically, companies gain a competitive
edge and are more respected in the marketplace.
Businesses which make a short term investment in
order to behave ethically will reap the rewards in the
long term.
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Opponents of this model argue that self-interest cannot
be a core value of public relations ethics programs
because you are effectively ignoring the interests of
your publics. Also, enlightened self-interest can be
interpreted as just an easy way out of making difficult
decisions. Ethics is about doing right where others, and
not just yourself, are concerned.
Two-way Communication (James Grunig)
James Grunig, one of the leading public relations
scholars in the world, proposes his model of two-way,
symmetrical communication as the best way to achieve
ethical decisions. He bases his theory on the following
assumptions:
Collaboration, working jointly with others, is a key
value in ethical decisions.
The process of dialogue with different people allows for
both listening and arguing.
Not everyone will get what they want, but dialogue will
lead to the most ethical outcome.
This approach requires the public relations practitioner
to balance their role as advocate for their client with
their role as social conscience. Opponents of this model
say it falls short for failing to address the question of
how far PR professionals should go in counseling their
clients and employers to address the needs of others.
Other critics contest that two-way symmetrical public
relations is an unrealistic, utopian ideal.
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Attorney/Adversary Model Barney and
Black
This model makes several assumptions as its creators
attempt to compare lawyers to public relations
practitioners. According to Barney and Black, these
two professions are alike in two ways:
1. Both are advocates in an adversarial climate
2. Both assume counterbalancing messages will be
provided by someone else.
In this model of public relations ethics, Barney and
Black suggest practitioners have no obligation to
consider the public interest or other outside points of
view. Because they assume a counterbalancing
message is someone else's job, public relations
practitioners should only consider the view of their
client in their decision-making process.
Those who oppose this approach to public relations
ethics cite differences between the conditioners under
which lawyers and PR practitioners operate. Lawyers
practice in a court of law where fairness and equal
representation are guaranteed. PR professionals work
in the court of public opinion. Opponents say because
a counterbalancing message is not guaranteed,
practitioners cannot afford to overlook the public
interest in ethical decision-making.
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APPLICATIONS OF PR
ETHICS
Ethics is essentially the result of intellectual reasoning, it is
important to have guidelines to follow in the decision-making
process.
―Ethics is not just knowing what is right or wrong, but doing
it!‖
The Potter Box decision-making model
The Navran decision-making model
Codes of Ethics
Potter Box Model
This ethical decision-making model was derived by Ralph
Potter of the Harvard Divinity School. It includes four steps:
1. Define the situation
2. Identify values
3. Select principles
4. Choose loyalties
The benefit of this model is that it forces the practitioner to
prioritize the values and publics that are most important to the
organization in a given situation. In most cases, the public
relations professional is juggling relationships with many
constituents, none of which can be overlooked.
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Navran Model
The creator of the decision-making model devised a six-step
plan to reflect the natural decision process of humans:
1. Define the problem
2. Identify available alternatives
3. Evaluate the alternatives
4. Make the decision
5. Implement the decision
6. Evaluate the decision
Ethical decisions are made by applying series of ―PLUS‖ filter to
steps 1, 3 and 6.
P = Policies - is it consistent with organization guidelines?
L = Legal - is it within the scope of the law?
U = Universal - does it conform to values of my organization?
S = Self - does it satisfy my personal definition of what is right
and fair?
While this may not guarantee an ethical decision, it will
ensure ethical components are taken into consideration.
Developing Codes of Ethics
A code of ethics should serve as a living, breathing document
that was created with the input from all levels of employment
at an organization. There are four issues that should be taken
into consideration when drafting a code of ethics:
1. Determine the purpose and jurisdiction of the code. Is it
created for regulatory or inspirational purposes? Who does the
code apply to? Is it to be used in day-to-day decision-making?
2. Determine the values most important to leaders, employees
and other stakeholders. These values will provide direction in
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the absence of policies. They should be defined, not just listed.
Examples: integrity, honesty, respect.
3. Current challenges facing the organization along with legal
context in which the firm operates should be addressed in the
rules and guidelines of the code. Examples: discrimination,
conflicts of interests, globalization.
4. How the guidelines will be implemented and enforced is
another consideration when drafting a code of ethics. How will
employees be trained, monitored and evaluated in their
ethical behavior? Will there be rewards and opportunities for
feedback?
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RESOURCES FOR PR
ETHICS
Public Relations Society of America Code of Ethics
The Institute of Public Relations Code of Conduct
Canadian Public Relations Society Code of
Professional Standards
International Association of Business
Communicators Code
Association of Fundraising Professionals Code of
Ethics
Josephson Institute for Ethics
Ethics Resource Center
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PRSA CODE OF ETHICS
ETHICAL GUIDANCE FOR TODAY’S
PRACTITIONER
The practice of public relations can present unique and
challenging ethical issues. At the same time, protecting integrity
and the public trust are fundamental to the profession’s role
and reputation. Bottom line, successful public relations hinges
on the ethics of its practitioners.
To help members navigate ethics principles and applications, the
Society created, and continues to maintain, the PRSA Code of
Ethics. Under the Code, widely regarded as the industry
standard, members pledge to core values, principles and
practice guidelines that define their professionalism and
advance their success.
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Building Principles on Core Values
The Code, created and maintained by the PRSA Board of Ethics
and Professional Standards (BEPS), sets out principles and
guidelines built on core values. Fundamental values like
advocacy, honesty, loyalty, professional development and
objectivity structure ethical practice and interaction with
clients and the public.
Translating values into principles of ethical practice, the Code
advises professionals to:
Protect and advance the free flow of accurate and truthful
information.
Foster informed decision making through open
communication.
Protect confidential and private information.
Promote healthy and fair competition among professionals.
Avoid conflicts of interest.
Work to strengthen the public’s trust in the profession.
Code guidelines, like tactics supporting strategies, zero in on
putting value and principles into play for working professionals
facing everyday tasks and challenges. Among them,
professionals should:
Be honest and accurate in all communications.
Reveal sponsors for represented causes and interests.
Act in the best interest of clients or employers.
Disclose financial interests in a client’s organization.
Safeguard the confidences and privacy rights of clients and
employees.
Follow ethical hiring practices to respect free and open
competition.
Avoid conflicts between personal and professional interests.
Decline representation of clients requiring actions contrary to
the Code.
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Accurately define what public relations activities can
accomplish.
Report all ethical violations to the appropriate authority.
Addressing Practice Challenges
Digging even deeper, BEPS takes on current practice issues and
challenges in periodic Professional Standards Advisories (PSA's).
Applying the Code to specific scenarios, BEPS has addressed
practices including:
Pay-for-play journalism.
Anonymous Internet posting, ―flogs‖ and viral marketing.
Front groups.
Disclosure of payment of expert commentators.
Truth in wartime communications.
Overstating charges or compensation for work performed.
Offering a Professional Model
In the Code preamble, PRSA asserts that ―ethical practice is the
most important obligation of a PRSA member.‖ While the Code
covers members, PRSA maintains that all public relations
professionals should look to it as a model of professional
behavior. Additionally, PRSA regards the Code as a ―model for
other professions, organizations and professionals.‖
Resources for Your Benefit
To make the topic of professional ethics accessible,
understandable and practical, PRSA offers a host
of resources — the PRSA Code of Ethics, Professional Standards
Advisories, topical analyses and case studies.
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―Public Relations Society of America Board
of Ethics and Professional Standards‖
PUBLIC RELATIONS ETHICS CASE STUDY
SAFEGUARDING CONFIDENCES
The Worldwide Widget Co. (WWC) has a non-disclosure policy
that’s set in stone. Smythe & Smythe Public Relations has just
won the WWC account and all the account personnel working on
the account have signed WWC’s non-disclosure policy form. The
forms are on file in WWC’s Law Dept.
Three weeks after work for the new client has started, the
account team is given a briefing about a new product that will
revolutionize the widget market. The new widget model is half
the price of conventional widgets and does the work in half the
time. In addition, secret tests show that it lasts twice as long.
The account team is cautioned not to say a word about this to
anyone – not even other S&S PR employees or family members.
After a month of work on a dynamite new public relations
program that could preempt the market, S&S PR staffers are
invited to a fund raising party for the Newtown Symphony
Orchestra. The top echelon of influential Newtown citizens are
at the function, where food and wine flow like – food and wine!
An S&S PR junior staffer assigned to the WWC account lets the
wine flow too freely and, before anyone can do anything about
it, he discloses all he knows about the new widget to an editor
with the Newtown News. If president of S&S hear him blab the
final piece of information to the editor. Pulling the staffer aside.
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What would be the next courses of action? With the staffer? With
the editor? With the client?
1. The ethical issue and/or conflict
The client should be informed about what has occurred? Should
he try to get the editor to hold up releasing information about
what he was just told? What are his responsibilities to his
employee?
2. Internal/external factors that may influence the decision
• Enforcement of the non-disclosure policy by WWC
• Policy of the Newtown News regarding curtailing information
until later .
• Responsibility to an intemperate employee
3. Identify key values
Honesty – We adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and
truth in advancing the interests of those we represent and in
communicating with the public.
Independence – We are accountable for our actions.
Loyalty – We are faithful to those we represent, while honoring
our obligation to serve the public interest.
Fairness – We deal fairly with clients, employees, employers,
competitors, peers, vendors, the media and the general public.
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4. Identify the parties who will be affected by the decision and
define the public relations profession’s obligation to each
• WWC management and employees
• Newtown News and other media
• S&S employees
5. Select ethical principles to guide the decision
The core principle of the ―Safeguarding Confidences‖ section of
the PRSA Code of Ethics Code Provisions is: ―Client trust requires
appropriate protection of confidential and private
information.‖ The intent of this provision is: ―To protect the
privacy rights of clients, organizations and individuals by
safeguarding confidential information.‖ A guideline under this
provision stipulates that a member shall: ―Immediately advise
an appropriate authority if a member discovers that
confidential information is being divulged by an employee of a
client company or organization.‖
6. Make a decision and justify
The client’s interests are paramount in this case. The client
should be immediately informed of the information leak by the
S&S president. The circumstances should be explained regarding
the tipsy staffer and the presence of the newspaper editor. The
agency president and the client should determine the next step,
which might include making an early announcement of the
product launch to nail down the market possibilities. A more
sensitive course of action would be to ask the editor to curtail
the information until a later date in the best interest of WWC, its
employees and the citizens of Newtown. If your relationship is
good, this might work, in return for giving the editor a jump on
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the story. Since a non-disclosure statement was signed by the
junior staff member and the agency had pledged not to disclose
information, there are possibly legalities involved that could
make the agency responsible for any loss of future market share,
at the worst. Loss of the account is also highly likely.
Unfortunately, the budding staffer would have to be discharged
so that other staff members would realize that they must keep
information on a confidential basis.
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PUSHING THE FRONTIERS IN
PUBLIC RELATIONS ETHICS
To answer the demand for ethics training from the
professional front, training in ethical decision making
is being offered by some employers, universities, and
professional associations. Only recently have public
relations scholars incorporated a substantial amount
of moral philosophy into the body of knowledge we
know as communication. The inclusion of this
scholarly literature in our own field can powerfully
extend the ethical reasoning capabilities of public
relations professionals. These approaches, which are
reviewed below, offer substantive ethical guidelines for
analyzing dilemmas.
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CONCLUSION
The ability to engage in ethical reasoning in public relations is
growing in demand, in responsibility, and in importance.
Academic research, university and continuing education, and
professional practice are all attending more than ever to
matters of ethics. The public relations function stands at a
critical and defining juncture: whether to become an ethics
counselor to top management or to remain outside the realm of
the strategic decision making core. How we choose to respond to
the crisis of trust among our publics will define the public
relations of the future.
Although it is true that no single person or function can be the
entire ―ethical conscience‖ of an organization, the public
relations function is ideally informed to counsel top
management about ethical issues. Public relations professionals
know the values of key publics involved with ethical dilemmas,
and can conduct rigorous ethical analyses to guide the policies
of their organizations, as well as in communications with
publics and the news media. Careful and consistent ethical
analyses facilitate trust, which enhances the building and
maintenance of relationships – after all, that is the ultimate
purpose of the public relations function.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY OF
REFERNCES
Here is a list of some of the research articles where this
information was compiled.
Barney, R and J. Black (1994). Ethics and Professional
Persuasive Communications. Public Relations Review, 20(3),
233-248.
Fitzpatrick, K. and Gauthier, C. (2001). Toward a Professional
Responsibility Theory of Public Relations Ethics, Journal of Mass
Media Ethics, 16(2 & 3), 193-212.
Grunig, J.E. (2000). Collectivism, Collaboration and Societal
Corporatism as Core Professional Values of Public Relations,
Journal of Public Relations Research, 12(1), 23-48.
Fitzpatrick, K. and Seib, P. Public Relations Ethics. Chapters 1, 2,
3.