Analyzing Ethical Practices of Public Relations Practitioners in FDRE Ministerial Offices
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Date
2020-08
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AAU
Abstract
Ethics in public relations plays a great role in human communication. It brings the credibility to the given organization. It helps to establish faithful relationships between organization and its publics. So as to achieve goals and/or interests of the organization and publics, the PRs practitioners should ensure the reliable services by fulfilling ethical standards and code of ethics. The study intends to analyze ethical practices of public relations practitioners at FDRE government ministries through such measurements of PR professionalism including professional ethics, availability of standards and code of ethics, autonomy, serving the public interest and so on. The study assessed three FDRE ministries PR directorates and PR practitioners by using a cross sectional survey and involved the existing 20 ministries in the country. It used a descriptive design based on purposive sampling technique to select source of data.The study used mixed approach and both qualitative and quantitative data collection tools such as questionnaire, FGD and interview were used. Employees, PR practitioners and PR directors were subjects of the study. The findings of the study shows that PR profession receives less attention in the organizations; there is a political influence which makes the PR office the government mouthpiece; the PR staff didn‟t get professional training and participation in PR association. Moreover, there were lack of center of excellence to PR growth, lack of practitioners’ skill and unavailability of common standards and code of ethics. As a result, it needs availing of favorable conditions from the government, PR practitioners and other concerned bodies. The researcher recommends that all the PRs practitioners should acknowledge that there is an obligation to protect and enhance the profession; keep informed and educated about practices in the profession that ensures ethical conduct and counsel its members in proper decision making by observing the ethical recommendations.
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Ethics in public relations