Download LMC 208: Public Relations

Communication Practice
Dr Bianca Wright
What Are Ethics?
Ethics are beliefs about right and wrong
that guide the way we think and act.
What Are Ethics?
• Ethics are beliefs about right and wrong that guide the way we
think and act.
• Ethics and morals are not the same thing.
• Morals are often associated with religious beliefs and personal
behaviour.
• “Ethics, on the other hand, is derived from the Greek ethos,
meaning “custom”, “usage”, or “character”. It is often thought of
as a rational process applying established principles when two
moral obligations collide.” (Day 2000: 2).
• This means that there is often a conflict between two “right”
moral obligations and often no one right answer.
• Ethics is meant to help you make a decision in those
circumstances or when faced with a dilemma.
The Three Branches of Ethics
• Metaethics
• Normative Ethics
• Applied Ethics
Codes of Ethics
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Societal codes
Professional codes
Organisational codes
Personal codes
The Golden Mean
Recognising that moral absolutes can
be troublesome, Aristotle defined this as
the point of ethical balance between two
extremes.
The Categorical Imperative
Immanuel Kant said people should
make ethical decisions as if their
chosen action would establish a
universal law -- a clear principle that
would apply to everyone.
Utilitarianism
Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill
developed the philosophy that all
actions should be directed at producing
the greatest good for the greatest
number of people.
Objectivity versus Advocacy
Are public relations practitioners
ethically obligated to communicate the
full truth or only the information that
benefits their client or organisation?
The SAD Formula
• The Situation Definition
• The Analysis of the Situation
• The Decision