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