Chapter 17: Making Business Accountable--the New Breed of PR

OVERVIEW

Reading about ethics is about as likely to improve one's behavior [sic] as reading about sports is to make one into an athlete.

”Mason Cooley

It has often been said recently that public relations, at the interface between the organization and its publics, is in the ideal position to take on the role of organizational conscience. This is despite the scepticism of many people outside PR. The truth is, however, that the extent to which this is a viable role for public relations is dependent on the future professionals in our field: that ˜new breed of PR. This consideration of future practitioners begs the question: can ethics be taught?

Teaching ethics to students (or practitioners) of public relations, or any other discipline for that matter, cannot provide any degree of assurance to their future employers and clients , or to the profession as a whole, that these individuals will behave in an ethical manner. Indeed, to provide ethics education with any semblance of a guarantee would be foolhardy if not downright unethical. So, why bother? And if reading is a part of continuing your education, do you suppose that by reading this book you are likely to take steps to improve your moral behaviour? I suppose more to the point is: do I, as the author of said book, expect you suddenly to become more moral?