Public Relations Principles: Ethics, Culture, and Practice

Introduction to Public Relations

Public relations can be considered one of the most important mediums through which any organization communicates with people outside of it. There are many modes of communication through which organizations can tailor a particular type of message and then convey it to the concerned audience efficiently and effectively. In order to develop efficient and effective messages, marketers within the organization need to understand the different types of communication methods available so that the organization's message can be delivered in the best possible way (Grunig, 1993).

The audience of any message should always be analyzed with great precision whenever an organization communicates about itself. Understanding the internal audience — that is, the employees of the organization — is often relatively straightforward. However, the real challenge for most organizations arises when they must communicate with the external environment. The Public Relations department can play a vital role in developing a strategy for this communication.

Beyond knowledge of the audience, the public relations department of any organization should also have a thorough understanding of organizational culture, modes of representation, advocacy, and social engagement (Grunig, 1993).

This paper is guided by the following research objectives:

Research Objectives

To identify whether public relations theory should be confined to building the image of the company only.

To identify whether organizational culture can influence the public relations theory and practices prevailing within an organization.

Methodology

To examine how the public relations department of any organization can identify the information needs of users seeking answers to their questions.

To explore how public relations can be developed as a socially responsible department.

Findings: Ethics, Culture, and Communication

A literature review is used as the primary tool to conduct research on the topic of public relations. Since public relations is a subject that falls under the umbrella of social sciences, quantitative analysis may not be the most useful approach in this particular area. Analyzing existing literature and drawing inferences from reliable sources is sufficient to develop a better understanding of the topic. The empirical studies already available on this subject have also largely employed a qualitative approach. Therefore, it is appropriate to make use of secondary sources and develop a theoretical framework consistent with the demands of qualitative research (Lamme & Russell, 2010).

Ethics has been one of the major issues in the field of PR. Some scholars hold the opinion that the interface between PR theory and democratic theory can help minimize problems related to this field. It has also been observed that the public relations departments of many organizations often attempt to conceal much of their internal information. This practice of selective communication with employees should be stopped, as it is likely to harm the brand image of the organization in the long run.

Public relations departments in the majority of organizations do not believe in communicating information to the majority of people. Instead, they often tend to answer the questions of those within their publics who are considered to be most influential or powerful. Organizations should recognize that a broader audience will show greater interest — and can become profitable clients — once they have sufficient knowledge about the company.