Elearning - Lspr.edu: Master of Arts in Communication: Corporate Communication Studies

Course : Public Relations Ethics (1505PRE13)
elearning.lspr.edu
Master of Arts in Communication : Corporate Communication Studies
LSPR eLearning Program
Session Topic : Guideline for Ethical PR

Practices
Course: Public Relations Ethics

By Bambang Sumaryanto, M.Si
Content
Part 1
Overview
Part 2
PRSA Code of Conducts
Part 3
Ethical Decision Making Process
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Part1: Overview
Overview: Objectives
Objectives
1. Discuss a variety of approaches to ethical decision
making
2. Provide Guidelines that can be used in addressing
ethical dilemmas
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Overview: 5 Factors
5 Factors regulate Social Conduct *)

Allen H. Center
Former Vice
President of
Motorola
1. Tradition
How has the situation been viewed or
handled in the past?
2. Public Opinion
What is currently acceptable
behaviour to the majority of ones
peers
Patrick Jackson
President PRSA
(1980)
*) Allen H Center & Patrick Jackson: Public

Relations Practices - 202
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Overview: 5 Factors (cont.)
3. Law
What is,
1.Permissible and
2.Prohibited by legislation
4. Morality
Generally connotes a spiritual or religious prohibited
5. Ethics
Standards set by,
a profession,
an organization or
oneself
based on conscience
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Overview: Ethics Standard
Range of Ethics Standard

Anything in my own interest is right as long as I dont go to jail
to
Anything that pricks my conscience is wrong,
no matter what anyone else says or does
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Part2: PRSA Code of Conducts
PRSA Code: Professional Values
PRSA Code of Conducts

Professional values
1. Advocacy
2. Honesty
3. Expertise
4. Independence
5. Loyalty
6. Fairness
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PRSA Code: Code Provisions
Code Provisions
1. Free flow of Information
CP: protecting and advancing the free flow of accurate and truthful
information is essential
to serving the public interest and contributing to informed decision
making in a democratic society
2. Competition
CP: promoting healthy and fair competition among professionals
preserves an ethical climate while fostering a robust business
environment
3. Disclosure of Information
CP: open communication fosters informed decision making in democratic
society
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PRSA Code: Code Provisions (cont.)
4. Safeguarding Confidences
CP: client trust requires appropriate protection of,
confidential and
private information
5. Conflict of interest
CP: avoiding real, potential or perceived conflicts of interest builds the trust
of,
clients,
employers and
publics
6. Enhancing the Profession
CP: PR professionals work constantly to strengthen the publics trust in the
profession
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PRSA Code: PRSAs Guide
PRSAs Guide
1. Define the specific ethical issue
Identify,
2. factors (in/ext) that may influence the decision
3. key VALUES
4. the PARTIES who will be affected by the decision and define
the PR professionals OBLIGATION TO EACH
5. Select ethical PRINCIPLES to guide the decision making process
6. Make a decision and justify it
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PRSA Code: Case Study
Case Study 1
Assume that you are the president of PR Expertsa Jakarta-based public
relations firm representing the Asosiasi Perusahaan Semen Indonesia
(APSI). APSI has been closely monitoring high-growth communities across
the country, like Jakarta, that are preparing to vote soon on regional
transportation and road improvement plans.
Case Study 2
APSI has hired your firm to organize and manage a citizens group in
Jakarta called Masyarakat Transportasi Jakarta (M-TransJ).
The groups sole purpose is to persuade voters to pass Jakarta
aggressive road expansion plans (and bring more business to local and
national cement and asphalt companies).
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PRSA Code: Case Study (cont.)
Case Study 3
A reporter from the Jakarta Tribune learns about M-TransJ and contacts
you for information regarding the individuals or organization(s)
funding/backing the group.
Your client asks you to keep their involvement confidential. Your gut
tells you to disclose the information; however, you are concerned about
losing the business if you go against your clients wishes.
What do you do?
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Part3: Ethical Decision Making Process
Ethical: Decision Making Process
Ethical Decision Making Process

1. Define the specific ethical issue and/or conflict.
Is it ethical to omit sponsor information, or to disseminate false
information regarding the
citizens group, M-TransJ, which my firm has been asked to
organize and manage?
2. Identify internal/external factors that may influence the decision.
Do local, state or federal laws require a particular decision?
What do my company values, policies or procedures require?
What action do I believe is in the publics best interest?
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Ethical: Decision Making Process (cont.)
3. Identify Key Values

1. Honesty - I am obligated to tell the truth when communicating with
the public.
2. Fairness - I must deal fairly with my client, competitors, peers,
vendors, the media and the general public.
3. Independence
I will provide objective counsel to my client.
I am accountable for my actions.
4. Identify the public,
who may be affected by the decision and
define the public relations professionals obligation to each.
Jakarta citizens, voters, government officials and media; public
relations profession; colleagues/employees; self.
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5. Select ethical principles to guide the decision making process.

a. A core principle of the PRSA Member Code of Ethics regarding Disclosure
of Information is:
Open communication fosters informed decision making in a democratic
society.
The stated intent of this provision is: To build trust with the public by revealing
all information needed for responsible decision making.
b. The Code guidelines that address this situation require that members:
Reveal the sponsors for causes and interests represented;
Be honest and accurate in all communications; and Avoid deceptive
practices.
c. Another Code guideline under Enhancing the Profession
that applies to this case advises members to:
Decline representation of clients or organizations that urge or require actions
that are contrary to this Code.
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6. Make a decision and justify.

a. The public relations professionals greatest loyalty is to his/her
client/employer; however,
the professional is obligated to provide counsel and actions that serve
in the best interest of the public.
Responsible advocacy requires that the interests of those affected by
this decision (Jakarta citizens, voters, government officials and media;
profession; colleagues/employees; self) be considered.
b. Although the potential for conflict between loyalty to client and
revealing your clients involvement exists in this situation,
the value of honesty helps resolve this conflict.
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c. Appropriate counsel would require the public relations professional

to truthfully respond to the media by
disclosing your client as the sponsor of the citizens group, M-TransJ,
and
advising your client of the reasons for acting in the best interest of the
public(s).
d. This decision also would serve your clients best interest since
deceiving the media and the public(s)
could contribute to declining public(s) trust in the association,
not to mention potential legal liabilities associated with local, state and
federal disclosure requirements.
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e. This decision would preserve the integrity of processes of

communication and also help the association (and the public relations
professional/firm)
maintain important relationships with Jakarta citizens, voters, media
and government officials.
This decision is supported by the PRSA Member Code of Ethics, which
prohibits deceptive practices
e.g. Not disclosing sponsors for causes and interests represented.
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Ethical: Ethically
What is acceptable Ethically?

Is it acceptable,
1. for ministry office supported by taxpayers to spend money for a
PR firm to put out its news and promote its work?
2. to announce publicly that an official has resigned: for personal
reasons when in fact he/she was fired for the good of the
organization?
3. for big business to preach that their growth creates jobs,

when many of them have doubled in sales over a 10 years period
yet
their employment total remains what it was 10 years ago?
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Course : Public Relations Ethics (1505PRE13)
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Course : Public Relations Ethics (1505PRE13)

LSPR eLearning Program

Session Topic : Guideline for Ethical PR

Course: Public Relations Ethics

PRSA Code of Conducts

Ethical Decision Making Process

5 Factors regulate Social Conduct *)

*) Allen H Center & Patrick Jackson: Public

Overview: 5 Factors (cont.)

Overview: Ethics Standard

Range of Ethics Standard

Part2: PRSA Code of Conducts

PRSA Code: Professional Values

PRSA Code of Conducts

PRSA Code: Code Provisions

PRSA Code: Code Provisions (cont.)

PRSA Code: PRSAs Guide

PRSA Code: Case Study

PRSA Code: Case Study (cont.)

What do you do?

Part3: Ethical Decision Making Process

Ethical: Decision Making Process

Ethical Decision Making Process

Ethical: Decision Making Process (cont.)

3. Identify Key Values

Ethical: Decision Making Process (cont.)

5. Select ethical principles to guide the decision making process.

Ethical: Decision Making Process (cont.)

6. Make a decision and justify.

Ethical: Decision Making Process (cont.)

c. Appropriate counsel would require the public relations professional

Ethical: Decision Making Process (cont.)

e. This decision would preserve the integrity of processes of

What is acceptable Ethically?

3. for big business to preach that their growth creates jobs,

Course : Public Relations Ethics (1505PRE13)

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