Ethical Practice

This week's readings about ethical practice in public relations is a very detailed analysis about the importance of it in organizations, as well as how to go about making ethical decisions in companies.

I personally feel that the consideration of ethics in organizations is essential in today's society, because the consumers are becoming increasingly aware of humanistic behaviours of companies in the business world, and are also more concerned about the preservation of the environment. If companies do not take in consideration the issue about ethics, they would not gain positive publicity despite campaigns or advertising, and therefore lose consumer attention.

Two important points from this reading is the ethical challenges for practitioners and using ethnics as a public relations strategy.
I think the points raised about the challenges PR practitioners face is very helpful because it gives specific insights into the problems that they can possibly face. For example, the point mentioned about peer pressure to develop quotes based on what the spokesperson has said before in order to meet deadlines is a very evident problem that journalists face.

Using ethics as a public relations strategy as identified in the readings also show how a growing sensitivity among consumers for a cleaner environment, preservation of wildlife and their habitats and flexible working hours. Therefore it is important to take note of that trend in society in order to target audiences in campaigns.

The issue of ethics in public relations can be easily justified in theory, but I feel that it is difficult to put it into practice because not everyone in an organization would have similar interests in it. This is especially difficult if higher authorities in an organization does not take ethics into consideration, which makes it impossible for an individual to stick to morally correct decisions.

Overall, this readings on the importance of ethics in public relations is an interesting area of study, and is something to keep in consideration in order to become a professional public relations practitioner!