Roles of Public Relations in Organization and Ethical Practise as a Hallmark Profession - Essay Example

PUBLIC RELATION Introduction The ethical practices used in public relation shows the consideration or the philosophical moral lessons and attitudes that individual and organization are adopting to assist the members of the public sphere in understanding the principles binding them to relate effectively with one another (Josephson, 2009, p. 16). Ethical practice in public relation assists in planning in order to achieve and maintain the goodwill and also to introduce the principles of understanding among the organizational members and the larger public. The public relation roles are to maintain public image, arrange outreach events and handling emergencies which are as well guided by the ethical practices. Therefore this paper seeks to determine the legality of ethical practices and effects of persuasion as used in by the public relation department in relation to the public sphere interests as well as the organizations. Roles of public relation The main roles of the public relation department and industry to the organisation and the general public are to participate in the organisational strategies, policies, processes, values and principles (Grunig, 2009, p. 34). It is also subjected to application of the social networking, research tools and skills that will enable in the interpretation of public expectation and form the basis of decision making and solving process. Public relation offers timely delivery of recommendation and analysis that will form a role in the proper governance and provision of stronger relationship bonds for transparency, verifiable and authentic verification that will sustain the organization for a licence in its operation (Grunig, 2009, p 35). The public relation also has the ability to create sources of internal listening cultures which enable the organisation to adapt, anticipate and respond to the public. Therefore the public relation department offers a crucial ability in the governing of an organisation towards the public participation. Ethical practise as a hallmark profession The ethical practise is considered as a hallmark of professions since it observes five major ethical standards that are implemented in the public relation industry. The ethical standard observes a responsibility where an organisation is accountable for all its process and consideration of the public in the offering of services (Hendrix, 2011, p.77). This ensures that the organization doesn’t blame others if something falls wrong and if they suspect it is wrong they have the power to amend it and make it right, hence be prepared for action taking. It also ensures that there is respect in treating organization members and the public. Every individual is treated with courtesy respect and politeness and in consideration of cultural and business practices (Hendrix, 2011, p.79). The other standard of ethics considered by the public relation include acting with integrity, acting in a way that will promotes trust in the public relation industry and always provide a high standard of the services an organisation offers to the public (Jowett, 2010, p. 52). Integrity is achieved by being straightforward and honest in all practices that members of the organisations are engaging upon. High standards on the other hand can be met once you treat a client with the best professional attitude and responsibility, receiving the best advice and by performance with the terms of the engagement that you are entitled to as per the agreement (Jowett, 2010, p. 50). Also private life and professional life should promote all the practices you ought to pursue in a positive way. In observance of these ethical standards there will be no dilemma in the organization and public sphere from the public relation department (Jowett, 2010, p. 50). Persuasion in public relation Positive persuasion Persuasion is the process aimed at changing an individual or group behaviour or attitude towards something or an event that the persona has an interest for the other party (Josephson, 2009, p. 15). Persuasion is often used as a tool in the pursuit of personal gains. Persuasion has been largely used in the public relation. Despite the fact that persuasion in public relation may be unethical it has largely assisted in revealing the main concepts and principles to consider in bringing the importance of public relation department (Josephson, 2009, p. 16). Persuasion is ethical in the public relation industry since it ensures there is communication among the members of the department in the organization and the public. Communication is essential in public relation since it provides a way out for expressing as it reduces pre-existing bias. Since the main role of the public relation department in any organization is mainly to communicate then persuasion will work out to be much better with the other members and the public sphere (Josephson, 2009, p. 18). Persuasion also can lead to better decision making for members of the public relation since there is an in depth communication that will render the members of the public being persuaded by the message being offered by the members of the public relation industry (Marlin, 2009, p. 13). According to the theories of persuasion depicts that people are motivated so that they can maintain consistency in their practices. The placement of emphasis will result to a rise due to the persuasion by the public relation persuader. The persuader transmits and generates a persuasive message that will ensure there is a maximum probability to emphasize on the persuasive target (Marlin, 2009, p. 12). In many cases, the persuasive target in the public relation department is normally induced to become the primarily agent in which it symbolises the importance that is carried upon by the strength of persuasion. Persuasion is therefore the main pillar in the organizational public relation department to ensure there is an excellent relationship between all members of the organization and the general public hence persuasion is ethical principled (Marlin, 2009, p. 14). Negative persuasion The fact that persuasion is ethical right; there are other instances that make it ethically wrong. Persuasion does not provide a room for the theories of self perfection which had replaced the theory of dissonance (Kendrall, 2010, p.17). Self perfection theory proclaim that people will infer their own behaviours and attitude from the way they will be observing hence this theory shows pro-attitudinal effects thus diminishing the core principles of persuasion. In order for public relation organization to support persuasion, it had been revealed that persuasion takes the form of social influence which has a variety of other forms in dealing with the public interest (Kendrall, 2010, p.17). Persuasion should be highly applied in the public relation industry so that there can be a better interaction between the organisation members and also the members of the public since it are ethical principled (Kendrall, 2010, p.18). Persuasion communication Persuasion communication has got many succeeding ways which include both indirect and direct path in which it influences the conscious and influences of the general public. Persuasion communication ratifications are both positive and negative ones (Perloff, 2011, p. 8). Positive ratification In positive ratification in public relation, persuasion communication is able to appeal to the self interest of the people being convinced or persuaded. The members of the public can be persuaded by the public relation officer whom they engage the principles of persuasion to win the public entire sphere (Perloff, 2011, p. 9). Persuasion communication is therefore convincing in nature and it creates attention to the public through persuading them thus establishing a relationship. Persuasion communication also is effective when members of the public in the sphere are appealed orally. This type of persuasion is engaged by the organizational members of the public relation towards the entire public as a strategy to establish strong bonds and relationship (Perloff, 2011, p. 8). Persuasion in general is a communication skill that enables the interaction and relation in all levels of the organization and the general public. This communication skill ensures that persuader presents themselves in a clear and relevant way according to their point of view so that they can win the general public sphere in which their duties are a major concern as a public relation department in the organisation (Josephson, 2009, p. 13). Persuasion communication is very vital in the internal management within any organisation since an organisation must have a public relation department. Negative ratification In the other hand, persuasion communication in public relation also has negative effects to the public and more so in the organisation. Persuasion communication is a double edged weapon as sometimes the superior that is the public relation department may be fulfilling their own self interest forgetting those of the public sphere (Stacks, 2009, p. 3). Public relation department may be bias on giving out information so that they can meet their own goals without thinking they are undermining the interests of the public. In acting this way, the public relation department will be satisfying their interest and undermining the public hence giving a negative effect (Stacks, 2009, p. 3). The other ratification is that always a sales person glib tongue can easily provide insincere information that will lead to selling or remitting defective goods and services in to the public. The information revealed to the public sphere is mainly full of bias statement that the public relation will use to win the public to satisfy their organizational interest. By doing this all public interest will not be catered for (Stacks, 2009, p. 3). Conclusion Public relation department in organisation is most vital in the running and administering policies, strategies and following the guideline principles stipulated to spread information to the public and within the organization. The public relation shall include either an individual or an organization or both by deeply taking into consideration of the observed ethics the public sphere are of their interest (Josephson, 2009, p. 14). Ethical consideration should be a major concern the public relation department should look upon to meet their professional ethics that the public sphere is also entitled. References Grunig, J.E., and Grunig, L.A., (2009) “Models of public relation and communication”, journal of Public Relation Research Vol.14, pp. 34-41 Hendrix, J.A., (2011) “Public relation cases”, journal of Public Relation Research Vol. 3, no 4, pp. 76-83. Josephson, M. G., and Hovland, C.S., (2009) “Teaching ethical decision and principled reasoning”, journal of business ethics,Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 13-24. Jowett, G. K., (2010) “The functional approach to study of attitudes”, Journal of communication research,Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 45-55. Kendrall, S.W., and kelman, H. C., (2010) “Managing public relations”, journal of Public Relation Research, Vol. 12, pp.17-23. Marlin, R., (2009) “Propaganda and the ethics of persuasion”, journal of public relation: A research review, vol. 2, pp. 9-17. Perloff, R. T., Petty, M. L. And Newson, D.V., (2011) “The dynamics of persuasion”, journal of Business Ethics: A European Review, Vol.2 no. 4 pp 8-16. Stacks, D.W., and Salwen, M.B., (2009) “An integrated approach to communication theory and research”, Journal of communication management, Vol. 2, pp. 2-11. Read More