INTRODUCTION
There are different kinds of theories which try to acquire a basis for ethical behaviour. Consequentialist theories are used in this essay as ethical theories for public relations. The best known consequentialist theory, utilitarianism, declares that actions of public relations practitioners must be judged by the usefulness they cause. This is also known as teleological approach, which means the study of ends.The opposite approach, deontological, focuses on the duty to respect other people’s rights (Tench and Yeomans, 2006).
Public relations ethics focuses on the ways which would help to overcome the problems of organisations within the public relations and communications (Parsons, 2004). According to Seitel (2001), public relations practitioners must consult with their clients in an ethical way. Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has worked hard on building strong ethics mentality among its members.
This essay firstly introduces the role of public relations, practitioners’ aspects of social responsibility which enables to reach the organisational goals and the ethical media relations (Parsons, 2004). Further on, it is focused on the ethical dilemmas and decision making processes in order to discuss about whether PR practitioners make ethical decisions or not (Parsons, 2004). After this stage, teleological and deontological approaches are used to assess practitioners’ actions from utility or duty based aspects (Tench and Yeomans, 2006).
The Role of Public Relations and The Practitioners’ Aspect of Ethics
According to Tench and Yeomans (2006), Public Relations (PR) does not have one specific definition. In other words, there are some different ideas about PR which are commonly used by both the academics and practitioners. PR helps to sustain mutual communication between an organisation and its publics in order to be responsive to publics’ requests by the help of using research methods (Harlow, 1976:36 cited in Tench and Yeomans, 2006). Public Relation’s Role is explained under these headings by Parsons (2004):
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. The Role of Public Relations and The Practitioners’ Aspect of Ethics
3. Ethical Dilemmas and Decision-Making Processes
4. Teleological and Deontological Approaches
5. CONCLUSION
Research Objective and Themes
This essay explores the ethical foundations of public relations by examining how practitioners navigate professional dilemmas, social responsibility, and the application of normative ethical theories to organizational communication.
- The intersection of public relations and moral decision-making processes.
- The role of consequentialist (teleological) versus deontological ethical theories in practice.
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its impact on long-term organizational success.
- The influence of personal values and professional codes of conduct on communication strategies.
- The challenges of balancing employer loyalty with public interest and social accountability.
Excerpt from the Book
Ethical Dilemmas and Decision-Making Processes
“Ethical issues concerning public relations are primarily relevant to particular political, policy, or product ends and to the specific persuasive means used to pursue these ends (e.g., to attempt to sell a physically harmful product or defective product or to employ deceptive or dishonest message strategies when pursuing political office)” (Botan and Hazleton, 1989:48).
Many companies did not care about ethical issues in the early twentieth century and made good profits. Today shareholders, consumers and public opinion have a great impact on organisations in developed economies (Tench and Yeomans, 2006). In other words, ethics is today very important as managers’ decisions have a great impact on a wide range of stakeholder groups from the employees to customers. According to James Burke, the chief executive officer of Johnson & Johnson’s, companies that are based on ethical practice grew 11.3% annually from 1959 to 1990. Furthermore, the companies without the ethical approach grew 6.2% (Labich, 1992 cited in Tench and Yeomans, 2006).
“Kant (1974) defined ethics as a science that teaches, not how we are to achieve happiness, but how we are to become worthy of happiness” (Toth and Heath, 1992:79)
According to Wilcox et.al. (2000), ethics is about determining what is right or wrong, what is fair or unfair. On the other hand, the situation is mostly not exactly in the black or white area, but in grey one. Nonetheless, Ethical decision making is consisted of recognising the ethical dilemma, deciding what is right and taking action to do this right thing (Tench and Yeomans, 2006). As Marshall (2002) claims, practitioners try to acquire guidance on ethics in order to feel confident that they are doing the right thing. Furthermore, ethical issues should be considered in both personal and professional level (Seymour, 1986).
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the core ethical theories applied to public relations, specifically consequentialism and teleological approaches, while setting the stage for evaluating practitioner behavior.
2. The Role of Public Relations and The Practitioners’ Aspect of Ethics: This chapter explores how public relations functions to build trust and maintain communication, emphasizing the ethical requirements in media and client relations.
3. Ethical Dilemmas and Decision-Making Processes: This chapter examines the nature of ethical dilemmas in business and the decision-making frameworks practitioners use to navigate competing loyalties.
4. Teleological and Deontological Approaches: This chapter contrasts consequentialist utilitarianism with deontological rule-based ethics to assess how different moral frameworks impact professional decision-making.
5. CONCLUSION: This chapter summarizes the necessity of ethical performance for long-term organizational success and highlights the difficulties practitioners face due to economic pressures and complex social environments.
Keywords
Public Relations, Ethics, Consequentialism, Utilitarianism, Deontology, Corporate Social Responsibility, Decision-Making, Professionalism, Trust, Organizational Communication, Ethical Dilemmas, Stakeholders, Social Responsibility, Moral Values, Accountability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The essay explores the ethical foundations of public relations and evaluates the applicability of different ethical theories, particularly consequentialism, in daily professional practice.
What are the central themes discussed?
The central themes include the role of trust in public relations, the implementation of corporate social responsibility, the navigation of ethical dilemmas, and the tension between employer loyalty and public interest.
What is the main objective of this study?
The main objective is to analyze whether PR practitioners make ethical decisions and how teleological and deontological frameworks can be used to assess their professional actions.
Which scientific methods are primarily used?
The work utilizes a literature-based theoretical analysis, drawing upon various scholars and industry codes of conduct to examine the relationship between moral theory and professional PR behavior.
What does the main body cover?
The main body covers the role of PR in organizational communication, the distinction between various duties (to self, client, profession, and society), and the practical application of the 'Potter Box' model for ethical decision-making.
How are the key terms defined in the context of the work?
The paper uses industry-standard terminology, defining ethics as a balance between professional competence, social responsibility, and adherence to either utilitarian consequences or universal moral principles.
What is the distinction between 'acute dilemma' and 'acute rationalization' as mentioned?
An 'acute dilemma' occurs when a practitioner does not know the right course of action, whereas 'acute rationalization' happens when a practitioner knows the right thing to do but fails to execute it due to external pressures.
How does the 'Potter Box' aid in ethical decision-making?
The 'Potter Box' is a model that requires practitioners to collect and analyze data, define the problem, analyze values, and consider the long-term benefits to the greatest number of people to arrive at an ethical decision.
Why is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) considered important for PR professionals?
CSR is crucial because organizations are increasingly valued based on their socially responsible actions, which, according to the author, enhances organizational morale, public reputation, and long-term competitive benefits.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Melis Ceylan (Autor:in), 2007, Discussion of ethics in Public Relations and applicability of consequentalist theories, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/85742
