The Role Of Ethics In Public Relations

Chapter 5 in Johnston and Zawawi's, "Public Relations: Theory and Practice," discusses the importance of ethics in the public relations field. The chapter canvases the idea of 'best practice public relations.' We as future public relations practitioners are presented with the knowledge that,
"As ethics is important to organizational excellence on the one hand and to public relations on the other, practitioners should be at the forefront of the movement for ethical organizational conduct." (Johnston & Zawawi, 2004; p. 111).

We are introduced in this chapter to terms such as counselor, advocate, corporate monitor and corporate conscious, and are invited to explore the various roles these aspects play in public relations ethics. We also learn that ethical dilemmas are a major part of the public relations practioners' responsibilty, and that these dilemmas occur on a variety of level, including;
-interpersonal;
-organisational;
-stakeholder.
(Johnston & Zawawi, 2004; p. 116).

I found this chapter useful, mainly as a result of the annotated bibliography assignment due earlier this week. Ethics seems like a fairly straight forward term to define, but when applied to public relations it becomes much more complicated. There are many things that the public relations practitioner must consider, not the least of which the relationship he or she is helping to build between the organisation and its publics.

This week we began exploring the legal side of public relations, an area in which i personally still have much to learn. I look forward to continuing my readings on this particular field, as i find it both interesting and extremely challenging.

This week I commented on Nathan Swan's blog:
http://cmns1290nathanswan.blogspot.com/

Value Of Strategic Public Relations

This week's reading concentrated on the importance of strategy, planning and scheduling in public relations practice. Prior to this reading, I had no comprehension of just how vital these three elements are to public relation's practitioners.

I found Grunig's study (Grunig 1997; 286-300) in the United States to be particularly interesting, and, to be completely honest, a little flattered as seen through the eyes of a future public relations practitioner.

I found the entire chapter to be a very helpful learning tool, however it was the section dedicated to strategy that i found particular interest in. I now feel better educated in areas such as how an exit strategy should be planned, vision and mission statements.

In all honesty, before reading Chapter 7 of the text book (Johnston & Zawawi, 2004; 169-196), I was unaware that there was a difference before the two. Before embarking on this course, I had not even heard of a vision statement. As the text so clearly defines, "The vision statement describes the future state of the organisation at a selected time," (Johnston & Zawawi, 2004; 174) and, "The mission statement is formulated to help close the gap between the unsatisfactory present and the more perfect future." (Johnston & Zawawi, 2004; 175) I found these definitions easy to understand and consequently very helpful in furthering my understanding of this course.

I am also now more confident in areas such as budgeting, scheduling and Gantt Charts, yet another concept that i have never encountered before. I found the case studies and examples (such as the AlintaGas mission statement) both effective and interesting.

Overall, I must say I am glad I read this chapter.

This week, I commented on Michaela Virgara"s Blog. Check it out.
http://cmns1290michaelavirgara.blogspot.com/

Internal Public Relations

Internal public relations is an idea that explores the relationships inside an organisation, or internal publics. Internal publics can be defined in two main groups, "an organisation's employees, and an organisation's members." (Johnston & Zawawi, 2004; 290) An organisation's employees encompasses everyone from the Chairman of the Board to temporary casuals, while an organisation's members refers to individuals who join the association out of special or professional interest.

As a casual employee myself, I strongly agree that, "maintaining employee goodwill makes good business sense." (Johnston & Zawawi, 2004; 290) In light of recent changes in IR laws across NSW and Australia, this reading draws some extremely good points about the value of maintaining employee goodwill. Regarding this idea, I found the following section of this chapter very interesting,

"In Australia, the unions need to be considered in any employee relations program. To develop positive employee relations, it is important to open and maintain communication links with union leaders and representatives. Traditional management thinking seems to resist discussion with union leaders because it is thought that sharing the discussion table will diminish management's power. However, developing an open communication policy with representatives of the organised workforce can prove a more efficient and productive management strategy."
(Johnston & Zawawi, 2004; 290)

I agree. It is immensely intimidating to face an employer alone when addressing an issue that is troubling you. It is easy to feel alienated and vulnerable in this situation. It is a nice comfort to know that you are supported and that you can address these issues freely without fear of termination.

Apparently John Howard does not think so..........

The chapter goes on to discuss ways in which an organisation can improve it's internal communication through tools and channels such as newsletters, noticeboards, memos, awards and events, all of which, in my opinion, are excellent ways to make employees feel appreciated.

Have you ever been a victim of bad internal communication????


This week, I commented on Taegan Reid's blog.
http://taeganreidcmns1290.blogspot.com/