Trust+in+relationships

 =   = **Trust in Relationships **

 The [|Public Relations Society of America]  (PRSA) defines public relations as a means for our “…complex society to reach decisions and function more effectively by contributing to mutual understanding among groups and institutions”. Others suggest it is the “conscience of management”. PRSA further defines public relations professionals as “counselors to management” and “mediators” who “…ensure organizational actions are in the best interest of not only the organization, but also of those affected by the actions”. These definitions underscore the necessity for ethical public relations practice and the need for trust in relationships both internal and external to the organization.  **__Trust in Public Relations Codes of Ethics__** PRSA’s most recent code of ethics includes a statement of six professional values “to serve as the code’s foundation”. PRSA believes these “professional values are integral to the integrity of the profession as a whole.” These values: [|advocacy, honesty, expertise, independence, loyalty, and fairness] emphasize individual professionalism, however place little emphasis on mutuality. This is interesting as relationship building is a primary objective of public relations, and is reflected in the two-way symmetric communication model, which Grunig suggests is the most ethical of public relations models. The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) appears to acknowledge this aspect of ethics in its //Declaration of Principles//. CPRS strives to: "affirm that the obligations of a public //trust// are inherent in the practice of public relations"; and "safeguard good taste and //truthfulness// in all material prepared for public dissemination and in all aspects of the public relations practitioner's operations".

In a recent study, public relations practitioners were asked to identify the values they felt most important to the practice of public relations. Boynton found their answers reflected PRSA’s core values as well as respect, //trustworthiness//, accessibility and proactivity. This suggests that PR practitioners recognize the importance of ethical relationship management to their profession.

There are a number of ethical theories PR practitioners can turn to when exploring trust in relationships and its relation to public relations practice. Two of these theories include social contract and communitarianism . Social contract theorists argue “…businesses have a social contract with the public, which requires that businesses act not just to maximize profits but to benefit their constituents, the consumers”. Public relations professionals, charged with being the ‘conscience’ of their organizations, must therefore find the common ground and mutual benefit for their organizations //and// their public. Research on social contract theory demonstrates that it can be broadly applied to corporate social responsibility, employee relations, media relations, community relations and crisis management.
 * __Trust in Relationships and Public Relations Practice__**

The recent theory of communitarianism seeks to “balance individual rights and community responsibilities” and “calls for individuals to recognize that in order to continue to enjoy certain ‘rights’, they must recognize and fulfill certain responsibilities for the communities and societies of which they are a part”. Companies are being affected by this change in values as consumers seek to do business with those who share similar values. This has resulted in a stronger interconnection between organizations and their communities which is changing the function of community relations.

Being the conscience of management is a complex responsibility for public relations practitioners as business communication is subject to economic and political forces and practitioners “…want to defend the interests of their employer”. This dichotomy reinforces the need to understand and attempt to define ethical behaviour in public relations practice.