Издательство Kogan Page, 2008, -161 pp.
Серия PR in Practice
If there is one question that haunts the public relations industry it’s the question of ethics.
In recent years there has been increasing alarm about ‘spin’, particularly in the political and business environments, and this has had a knockon effect on the public relations industry as a whole. It is ironic that at the very time when professional communicators are being used more and more and their expertise is being recognized, there are also persistent rumblings about the integrity of the practice.
We can all think of defining moments when the ethics of the profession have been questioned, but it’s also true to say that the vast majority of practitioners do their job with honesty and openness, trying to be fair both to the organization they represent and to those who they are dealing with in the exteal world.
However, there is no doubt that public relations people sometimes face
difficulties in the complex working environment in which they operate.
Although they want to tell the truth, sometimes their understanding of the truth is imperfect for a variety of reasons. Making consistent ethical decisions in a diverse world where cultures and values clash is not easy. Being loyal to employers while living with conscience can bring conflict. That’s where Ethics in Public Relations by Patricia Parsons can help. Not many public relations people have had training in ethics and ethical decision- making and this book fills that gap. In a very readable and logical manner the author takes us through the practical world of ethics, dealing with definitions, some basic ethical theories and principles and some typical ethical problems. She then goes on to talk about ethics and the practitioner, getting personal. She asks the reader to examine their own moral principles and how these underpin approaches to practice. Looking then at current public relations practice, the author presents us with some of the real ethical challenges that confront those involved, outlining some ethical decision-making tools that can be used to ensure that a thoughtful and consistent approach is taken. She rounds off with some reflections about accountable public relations, drawing out the implications for practice as a whole.
All those practitioners who belong to professional bodies sign up to a code of conduct. Indeed, the Global Alliance of Public Relations and Communication Management thought that ethics was so important that agreeing a global ethical protocol was its first major project when it was formed in 2001. However, codes and protocols need translating into reality. Patricia Parson’s book will help busy practitioners who are conceed about ethics to do just that.
Part 1 What Lies Beneath
Before we begin: new profession… or one of the oldest?
Untangling the web: the ‘truth’ and other strangers
Truth, trust and the virtue of being ‘good’
Whose rights are right?
The trouble with rules
Robin Hood ethics
Part 2 Ethics and the Practitioner
Your staircase to respect
The good, the bad and the (almost) ugly: ethics codes
Sex and the single (or not) PR practitioner: conflict of interest
You… against the world
Part 3 Strategies and Dilemmas
PR ethics and the media: the old and the new
Persuasion… or propaganda?
Good causes and bad taste
Authorship and deception
Part 4 Organizations, Ethics and Public Relations
The true reality of everyday ethics: making decisions
PR and the corporate ethics programme
Making business accountable: the ‘new breed’ of PR
Серия PR in Practice
If there is one question that haunts the public relations industry it’s the question of ethics.
In recent years there has been increasing alarm about ‘spin’, particularly in the political and business environments, and this has had a knockon effect on the public relations industry as a whole. It is ironic that at the very time when professional communicators are being used more and more and their expertise is being recognized, there are also persistent rumblings about the integrity of the practice.
We can all think of defining moments when the ethics of the profession have been questioned, but it’s also true to say that the vast majority of practitioners do their job with honesty and openness, trying to be fair both to the organization they represent and to those who they are dealing with in the exteal world.
However, there is no doubt that public relations people sometimes face
difficulties in the complex working environment in which they operate.
Although they want to tell the truth, sometimes their understanding of the truth is imperfect for a variety of reasons. Making consistent ethical decisions in a diverse world where cultures and values clash is not easy. Being loyal to employers while living with conscience can bring conflict. That’s where Ethics in Public Relations by Patricia Parsons can help. Not many public relations people have had training in ethics and ethical decision- making and this book fills that gap. In a very readable and logical manner the author takes us through the practical world of ethics, dealing with definitions, some basic ethical theories and principles and some typical ethical problems. She then goes on to talk about ethics and the practitioner, getting personal. She asks the reader to examine their own moral principles and how these underpin approaches to practice. Looking then at current public relations practice, the author presents us with some of the real ethical challenges that confront those involved, outlining some ethical decision-making tools that can be used to ensure that a thoughtful and consistent approach is taken. She rounds off with some reflections about accountable public relations, drawing out the implications for practice as a whole.
All those practitioners who belong to professional bodies sign up to a code of conduct. Indeed, the Global Alliance of Public Relations and Communication Management thought that ethics was so important that agreeing a global ethical protocol was its first major project when it was formed in 2001. However, codes and protocols need translating into reality. Patricia Parson’s book will help busy practitioners who are conceed about ethics to do just that.
Part 1 What Lies Beneath
Before we begin: new profession… or one of the oldest?
Untangling the web: the ‘truth’ and other strangers
Truth, trust and the virtue of being ‘good’
Whose rights are right?
The trouble with rules
Robin Hood ethics
Part 2 Ethics and the Practitioner
Your staircase to respect
The good, the bad and the (almost) ugly: ethics codes
Sex and the single (or not) PR practitioner: conflict of interest
You… against the world
Part 3 Strategies and Dilemmas
PR ethics and the media: the old and the new
Persuasion… or propaganda?
Good causes and bad taste
Authorship and deception
Part 4 Organizations, Ethics and Public Relations
The true reality of everyday ethics: making decisions
PR and the corporate ethics programme
Making business accountable: the ‘new breed’ of PR