Public Relations Ethics Research Articles

“If it can be done, it will be done:” AI Ethical Standards and a dual role for public relations

This research reports a five-year study with different types of participants to examine questions related to ethics in artificial intelligence (AI) and the use of AI in public relations and professional communication. AI specialists from computer engineering and closely related fields, as well as CCOs, communication directors/managers, public affairs officers, and CEOs participated in this research, explaining and assessing the role of ethics in AI. Through numerous points of data collection, the topic of AI ethics in public relations was examined through a mixed method approach. This study offers insight into the ethics and design of AI systems that communication professionals must not only use in practice but also understand, advise upon, ethically oversee, and occasionally defend in the public sphere when used (or commissioned) by our organizations. After a review of broad literature and longitudinal data from hundreds of sources, recommendations for a more robust framework for AI ethics in public relations are proposed. Ethical considerations and quantum and neuromorphic computing are posed as means to avoid technocracy, and base use of these advanced systems on moral values.

Preparing Public Relations’ Practitioners for the AI Era: Advancing Pedagogical Principles in Public Relations’ Artificial Intelligence Education

At the forefront of industries profoundly influenced by artificial intelligence (AI), public relations (PRs) are undergoing a transformative revolution. The increasing applications of AI in PRs are driving a demand for proficient practitioners. Recognizing this, PR educational institutions must adapt by delivering tailored AI education. Despite the growing importance of AI, a literature review reveals a lack of a well-designed AI curriculum in PRs. This essay draws insights from recent research on AI value alignment, dialogic communication, and PR ethics, articulating three foundational principles for AI education in PR: authentic dialogue, client value centricity, and legal and ethical considerations. Aligned with these principles, the essay outlines four essential knowledge areas for PR AI education: programming and coding proficiency, AI fundamentals, the retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) system, and the LangChain framework for information security, as well as AI deployment and model optimization. An illustrative syllabus is presented to solidify these concepts. The essay further explores potential future directions and implications of integrating AI into PR education.

Analisis Pentingnya Kode Etik Public Relation dalam Menjaga Citra Perusahaan

Public Relations (PR) has a crucial role in a company's success. PR helps shape a company's positive image in the eyes of the public, maintain good relationships with customers and stakeholders, support marketing strategies, and maintain the company's reputation when facing a crisis. This research uses the Literature Review Study research method. By using this method, research will explore the concepts contained in the PR code of ethics, such as honesty, integrity and social responsibility. The literature review will provide an in-depth understanding of the ethical values ​​that are the basis for maintaining and building a positive company image. This research shows that Public Relations practitioners as one of the links between a company and its public certainly have guidelines that must be implemented. This guideline relates to the ethics and morals that a Public Relations practitioner must carry out in supporting his work. Public Relations Ethics is used as a guideline for professionalism and consideration for a Public Relations practitioner in acting and making decisions. A Public Relations practitioner certainly has duties and responsibilities that play an important role in the company's image.

Information Quality of Regional Government’s Websites in Central Java Province

As stated in the Public Information Disclosure Act, Government Public Relations bears a dual responsibility, managing both the main website of the regional government and the PPID (Information and Documentation Management Official) websites. This research analyzes the content of the PPID websites of 29 districts and 6 cities in Central Java Province. This research used a website assessment instrument consisting of 84 questions. This instrument is a modification of the Industrial Website Evaluation Model which focuses on information quality and information disclosure policies in Indonesia. The research results indicate that the implementation of the public information disclosure policy has not yet fully aligned with government public relations ethics. Several aspects still require improvement. Government Public Relations needs to focus on empathy in managing the PPID website and needs to acknowledge the behavior of the public who tend to access the main website belonging to each institution, not the PPID website. Therefore, government public relations needs to distinguish between the content of the main website and the PPID website. However, commitment is required in managing the PPID website to ensure that people are motivated to access information and can do so effectively.

Challenges and Upholding Integrity: The Research on the Imperative of Ethical Public Relations

Public relations is an important element of the media society, establishing the links of mutual communication between the organization and the various stakeholders [1]. These stakeholders usually include but are not limited to customers, suppliers, shareholders, media, government, and the companys employees. Public relations (PR) professionals are crucial to guiding the ethical standards of organizations. They can either encourage ethical or unethical conduct during campaigns. This paper discusses the ethical foundations in public relations, the ethical challenges in the profession, and ways that public relations professionals can act more ethically. The paper emphasizes the importance of making ethical decisions in PR to build trustworthy, mutually beneficial relationships for both the organization and the various stakeholders. By examining the ethical dilemmas inherent to the profession itself and analyzing real-world cases, this paper argues that engaging in ethical public relations is not only a moral obligation but also a strategic imperative. Ethical public relations can preserve professional integrity, build trustworthy relationships with stakeholders, and contribute to the long-term success of both the organization and the PR practitioners careers.

Public relations professionals' views of moral entrepreneurship: an exploration of the concept, its benefits and barriers

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine US public relations professionals' perceptions of the benefits and challenges associated with the concept of moral entrepreneurship, defined as the purposeful process of changing or creating new institutionalized ethical norms. This study argues that the concept of moral entrepreneurship provides organizations with a potentially valuable framework to actively recognize societal pressures and problems and act accordingly to better the environment in which the organization resides and operates.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory study uses purposive in-depth interviews with 25 diverse public relations professionals, who represented communication firms, in-house public relations departments, higher education, nonprofits and government.FindingsRespondents assigned a high value to the concept of moral entrepreneurship: In addition to its being viewed as the right thing to do, they recognized its practice as a way to help organizations recruit and retain employee talent and improve stakeholder trust. However, based on the interviews, organizational leadership is the primary initiator of ethical changes; therefore, without a seat at the management table, practitioners lack the influence to initiate such new organizational directions and take on the role of moral entrepreneurs only when directed to do so by their superiors. Barriers to adopting a moral entrepreneurship approach included a limited budget and shortage of staff, employees' resistance to change, fear of failure, poor leadership and a politically polarized workplace.Practical implicationsPractice implications include considerations for furthering moral entrepreneurship in organizations.Originality/valueThis study is the first to explore the applicability of the concept of moral entrepreneurship in public relations. The paper underscores the need for further discussion around novel approaches to ethics in public relations that go beyond simple compliance with professional codes and industry standards and that help organizations lead societal change.

Exploring the ethics of political PR professionals using moral foundations theory.

This paper offers a multidimensional theoretical scheme to analyze professional ethics in the field of political public relations. We suggest investigating the decisions of these professionals using moral foundations theory because human ethical reasoning is contextual, and the examination of ethics in a one-dimensional manner as previous researchers have done overlooks the complexity of the moral choices that such professionals make. The prospects of the proposed theoretical approach are demonstrated on 16 interviews with post-soviet Russian political PR industry leaders that were conducted from March 2018 to April 2020. Our empirical findings show that Russian political PR specialists employ all moral foundations, however, in their narratives the "care/harm" and "authority/respect" foundations were not mentioned very often. Overall, this paper makes a critical contribution to research on professional ethics in political public relations, and it provides important insight into the specifics of moral reasoning in the Russian political PR industry that is insufficiently described in the current literature.

Perception of Postgraduate Students on Ethical Public Relations Practice in Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

In every organization, Public Relations serve as a vital anchor that keeps its reputation and external relationships afloat. It is a shield that minimizes risk and damage upon progress, initiating robust growth and evolution. The rationale for this study is that every successful public relations activity is guided by certain moral principles and is geared towards ensuring that the communication needs of all key stakeholders are addressed. These obviously include the postgraduate students of Ebonyi State University who constitute a critical component of the university publics. Besides, in building the reputation of an organization, it has to start with the internal publics. It is against this backdrop that it becomes imperative to assess the practice of ethical public relations as perceived by postgraduate students among the university staff at Ebonyi State University. The objectives were to determine whether Ebonyi State University postgraduate students perceive the level of communication flow between the students and staff as highly commendable; ascertain the level of goodwill elicited from postgraduate students and as well determine the major challenges that confront the postgraduate students. The study was anchored on a two-way symmetrical model. A mixed research method was adopted for this study and data were gathered using a questionnaire and in-depth interviews with staff of the public relations unit of Ebonyi State University. The population of the study consists of 990 postgraduate students in the 9 faculties of the university between 2018 to 2022 academic sessions. The population includes 88 PGDs, 540 Masters, and 362 PhDs. A sample of 285 respondents was chosen for the study based on the Australian sample size online calculator. The findings of the study revealed that poor communication and inadequate feedback mechanism pose serious challenges to the ethical practice of public relations at Ebonyi State University. It was therefore recommended that in order to build and enhance healthy relationships between the university and its postgraduate students, it is vital to find innovative ways to communicate with the postgraduate students to keep them not only engaged but informed.

Relações Públicas e influenciadores: dependência, simulação de espontaneidade e o Guia Conar de Publicidade

Abstract This article discusses professional responsibility in public relations activities in the development of communication strategies that involve the relationship with influencers. Shares part of the results of empirical research Grounded Theory ( PARAVENTI, 2020 ) on ethics in public relations and confronts them with the guidelines of the Conar Guide to Advertising by Influencers ( CONAR, 2021 ). There is a demand to expand the professional and academic discussion about the effects of sponsored and conflicting influence on the public sphere.

Should the campus newspaper change its brand? Applying formative research and dialogic theory to address DEI questions

Organizations face a growing and urgent need to address diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their branding and communication. However, it is important not to make decisions based on anecdotal evidence, but rather to conduct formative research with key stakeholders and employ two-way, symmetrical communication strategies fundamental to dialogic theory and ethical public relations practice. When students at a large public university petitioned to change the campus newspaper's name, the Daily Forty-Niner, because of its parallel connection with the California Gold Rush that resulted in thousands of Native Americans' deaths, understanding the opinions of the university's key stakeholders became critical. Through an online survey with students, faculty, administrators, staff, and alumni (N = 2542), this study assessed understanding of the name's history, knowledge of the controversy behind it, and the desire to change the name. Results showed that more than 60% of key stakeholders believed the name to be tied to the Gold Rush; however, less than a third were aware of the controversy surrounding the paper's name. There was also no overall consensus regarding changing the name, with 27.6% supporting a name change, 36.7% opposing it, and 35.7% indicating no preference. Reasons behind participants' responses are discussed in depth, and results from this study are presented within the tenets of dialogic theory to highlight how key stakeholders' perceptions can inform such decisions. While this research can serve as a valuable foundation for other campuses and organizations facing DEI issues, we recommend conducting further research, especially with Native stakeholders and other affected groups, as well as establishing ongoing dialogue before and during the decision-making process.

Public relations ethics in the 21st century: a state-of-the-field review

PurposeTo conduct a systematic review of public relations ethics (PRE) research and scholarship in the 21st century and suggest future research directions. The study is prompted by macro-level phenomena that have impacted societies since the beginning of the 21st century—notably globalisation 4.0 and the fourth industrial revolution.Design/methodology/approachA systematic review was used to search academic literature. Articles discussing PRE in nine leading English-language public relations and business ethics journals between 2000 and 2019 were reviewed. A code-frame facilitated data extraction and subsequent quantitative analysis; qualitative analysis identified key themes.FindingsThe review identified 288 articles, with discussions involving PRE increasing over time. Most works approached the topic generally, rather than from a specific sub-disciplinary perspective, and drew from professional settings. Works were dominated by authors from North American institutions and North American samples. Research became increasingly empirical and intra-disciplinary and discussion about ethics was broadly categorised as part of public relations practice or from the perspective of the “academy”. Overall, the field can be described as of notable size, maturing, yet unbalanced in some regards.Originality/valueThe review helps to identify whether PRE research reflects major changes in the 21st century and augments the sparse recent reviews of PRE research.

Approaching the public relations profession with ease and ethical expertise: A class project to encourage, equip, and empower students entering the internship market

ABSTRACT Public relations and strategic communication are offered in communication departments with a field of study largely geared toward professional communicators. The majors place a heavy emphasis on internships, which seem to be more competitive than ever. A class project can jumpstart students’ preparation for entry-level positions in the industry by bolstering their ability to receive and excel at an internship. This paper provides instructors of courses in public relations and strategic communication with the tools to implement a semester-long class project. The series of assignments will embolden students to enter the communication profession with confidence and ethical certitude, grounded in practice and theory of ethics in public relations and strategic communication. Grading rubrics and further detailed instructions for each assignment are provided in the Supplementary Information.

Reinforcing purchase behaviors through CSR and ethical practices

PurposeThe study examines the relationship between consumers’ ethical sensitivity, corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and impulse behaviors. Ethical behavior has been a subject of increasing research interest. However, there is an imperious need to inspect ethical decision-making through holistic attention to impulse purchasing.Design/methodology/approachThe study develops a set of hypotheses to understand the relationships. The online survey method was used to collect data, and 420 valid questionnaires, in total, were retrieved. In a two-step process, first, reliability and validity were initially measured. Second, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe analyses support the social marketing theory (SMT) and the general theory of marketing (GTM) ethics related to business strategy. Moreover, the study examines the mediating role of organizational trust, organizational identification and eco-branding in these relationships. The ethical and CSR practices for stakeholders positively affect organizational identification and trust that mediate the relationship between impulse buying and ethical attempts. Furthermore, from an ethical and climate change perspective, eco-branding positively mediates the relationship between impulse buying and environmental advertising. The moderating role of trust is significant in the relationship between impulse buying behavior (IBB) and repurchase behavior.Originality/valueA critical factor explaining individuals’ behaviors has never been investigated using a holistic approach to IBB with ethical and CSR practices. The study profoundly contributes to knowledge about consumer ethics, with potential effects for ethical public relations, while also offering new research avenues for future exploration.

Rolul modelelor teoretice ale relațiilor publice în construirea identității etice profesionale

This study explores a series of scientific research on public relations ethics to identify the role of the models of public relations in building ethical identity. Models of public relations are able to explain the negative image of this profession, synonymous with lies, manipulation, deception, and are responsible for dividing the ethical identity of public relations practitioners into two competing paradigms: the advocate, which puts the organization’s interests of above those of the public and, respectively, the guardian of the management of the organization, who finds a wise balance between loyalties to the organization and to the public in accordance with the highest ethical standards of dialogue.

ETHICS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS AND CURRENT CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY APPLICATIONS

ETHICS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS AND CURRENT CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY APPLICATIONS

Public Relations Professionals Identify Ethical Issues, Essential Competencies and Deficiencies

ABSTRACT The 2017 Commission on Public Relations Education (CPRE) report found new professionals are not meeting employers’ expectations regarding ethics knowledge, skills and abilities. This mixed-method study identifies the most common ethical issues facing public relations professionals today, essential competencies associated with ethics in public relations, and which of those skills are lacking. The study began with a Delphi survey with public relations leaders followed by 40 personal interviews. Implications for educators and public relations professionals are provided. In addition, a model of public relations practice, drawing on virtue theory, is proposed that contrasts the role of an ethical conscience with that of a spin doctor.

Mass Communication Cannot Be Separated From Ethical Problems

This paper deals with mass communication cannot be separated from ethical problems. One of our goals in studying the science of communication lies in the dimension of ethical communication. Ethics can be defined as a set of moral principles or values. Ethical standards can differ from one discipline to another. In the discipline of communication, a set of communication ethics has been adopted into various communication contexts and communication fields, some of which we have understood together are business communication ethics, interpersonal communication ethics, and public relations ethics. Mass communication ethics is a moral philosophy that deals with the obligations of the press and about the judgments of the good press and the bad press or the right press and the wrong press. Each mass media has its own code of ethics because indeed each type of mass media has its own character or characteristics, so we know that in this world there are print media journalistic ethics, journalistic code of ethics, radio, and television journalistic code of ethics.

Public relations ethics in information management

Public relations is involved in all communication between an organization and the pu-blic. In the contemporary world, PR practitioners have become the facilitators of information. Information and communication technology (ICT) have imposed new rules in the fi eld of public relations. Communication strategy and information management have become crucial parts of modern public relations. People change their habits with regard to the consumption of traditional and new media. The challenges imposed by the development of information and communication technology are also related to understanding the new information so-ciety. For that reason information ethics deals with the ethical implications of dissemination, use, development and safety of information. Public relations follow new information and communication trends, and they need to build fi rm ethical principles for the age of informa-tion. The author examines the ethical implications of the framing concept in public relations.

EVALUATION OF ETHICS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS IN SERVICE SECTOR

EVALUATION OF ETHICS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS IN SERVICE SECTOR

PENGUATAN ETIKA KEHUMASAN MELALUI REORIENTASI HUMAS PADA LEMBAGA PENDIDIKAN ISLAM

This paper presents the strengthening of public relations ethics through the reorientation of public relations in Islamic educational institutions, where public relations has an important role in managerial activities in Islamic educational institutions. In its implementation, the role of public relations in Islamic educational institutions is still underestimated and lacks the right portion in its application. PR is only understood as a complementary administration in practice, thus causing educational institutions unable to manage good relations with the surrounding community as partners. This study uses a qualitative approach to the type of library research, where researchers want to clearly describe the object of study to be studied. Analysis of the data uses content analysis. The results of the study indicate that the reorientation of public relations in Islamic educational institutions must be based on; First, qaulan sadidan, Islamic educational institutions must convey factual and reliable information; Second, qaulan baligha, Islamic educational institutions communicate effectively, communicatively and easily understood; Third, qaulan ma’rufa, the communication process should avoid words that can offend partners / customers; Fourth, qoulan karima, public relations activities must respect partners, listen to aspirations and promote ethics; Fifth, Qaulan Layyina, public relations must be a friendship and friendship dissertation; Sixth, qaulan maysura, Islamic educational institutions must convey information that is easily understood and digested by the communicant.