Regulation
Social
Political
Cultural
Ethics
100
Name 2 different kinds of regulation.
Laws, constitutions, censorship, self-regulation, environmental regulation, cultural and social boundaries and treaties
100
Name two types of media that PR campaigners may use when communicating a campaign in a lesser-developed country.
Radio broadcast, posters, advertisements, physical public announcements
100
What is the main point of difference between public relations and propaganda?
Ethics
100
Name 2 of Hofstede’s five cultural constructs.
Power distance, Uncertainly avoidance, Individualism, Masculinity, Long-term orientation.
100
What is the difference between morals/morality and ethics?
Ethics are society’s shared standards, while morals are personal beliefs.
200
What does ACMA stand for?
The Australian Communications and Media Authority
200
How can stereotypes have a positive impact on individual’s thoughts?
Stereotypes can act as a regulator of the mind, providing us with information and insights, regardless of whether they are inaccurate or not. This provides us with parameters that help us to make sense of the world around us.
200
Is public relations and propaganda the same thing?
No, public relations aims to operate on a higher ethical platform – PR definitely is used to influence people’s decisions, but it is meant to be informative, whilst propaganda intentionally attempts to distort the nature of an issue to represent a certain point of view, regardless of whether the aims are morally or ethically correct, but they are distinctly linked.
200
What are the main characteristics of a high context culture?
Group harmony, Collectivism, Implicit unstated communication, Relational Prestige.
200
Identify 3 of the 5 values of Parsons’ ethical framework.
Parsons’ (2004) ethical framework specifies the application of five values: veracity (truth telling), non-maleficence (no harm doing), beneficence (doing good), confidentiality (respecting privacy) and fairness (social responsibility).
300
Identify one positive and one negative aspect of censorship.
Positive: Censorship helps to preserve culture, stopping it from being diluted and distorted through outside influences. Negative: Many individuals dislike the idea of having information withheld from them and will oppose censorship heavily.
300
Explain some difficulties that must be overcome when utilising advanced technology in a public relations campaign?
The majority of the world’s population do not have access to new technology, with the majority of people yet to see a computer. Current technology is so instantaneous that users may become inundated with messages, thus having to sift through information.
300
Explain why governments are fearful of their citizens having unregulated exposure to other culture.
Governments seek to generate a particular form of discourse or behaviour that constitutes certain cultures. To these governments, exposure can dilute and modify government portrayals of the ‘real’ thing.
300
Define power distance.
The extent to which the less powerful of institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally.
300
What can be done to ensure the public relations function and industry fulfills its ever more important role as the social conscience of the organisation?
1. Education about the importance of ethical behaviour in regards to PR and its influence on long-term strategy 2. Identification of ethical principles of the organisation 3. Have organisation provide ‘ethical training’ for employees 4. Establishing and enforcing legislation and industry codes of conduct
400
Explain why public relations should be regulated?
Public relations is closely link to communication, politics and economics and must be regulated to ensure that ethical behaviour is being carried out, as well as correct and reliable information being communicated.
400
Name one way in which regulation has evolved to incorporate the regulation of advancing technology.
1. Regulatory boards for online chat rooms and social media websites have been implemented to ensure that all users display appropriate behaviour. 2. Some countries have implemented the censorship of the internet to “protect” their citizens from being subjected to particular online material.
400
Why did WHO have to alternately exercise or restrain power to gain the cooperation of governments and NGOs?
Every country’s political situation, culture and regulatory issues varied. WHO had to adapt to each country’s situation, alternately exercising or restraining power to gain the cooperation of governments and NGOs. No one standardized approach would have worked in all situations.
400
Explain why PR practitioners have to constantly monitor regulatory systems.
Cultures and regulations are constantly in flux. Any change in behaviour or attitudes of a culture has a direct impact on the regulatory systems that are in place. If regulatory systems are not monitored, then miscommunication and misinterpretation could result between a PR practitioner and their global counterpart.
400
Explain why practising PR whilst fulfilling ethical and moral standards is difficult.
Several organisational factors make practicing PR whilst fulfilling ethical and moral standards difficult: 1. Majority PR practitioners are in low ranking to middle ranking positions in private or public bureaucracies 2. As most PR practitioners do not have the status to engage critically with dominant coalitions (such as clients or employers), only a few have the capacity to undertake a career-limiting and ethically challenging project 3. Moral conflicts with the client’s instructions and intentions
M
e
n
u