Diversity in the Workplace

In the case of Booz Allen, I think that steps or programs for a diverse environment can increase communication in an organization. In the Web site, it stated that coworkers could finally support gay and lesbian coworkers because of the program. Tensions between coworkers could be eased by being open about differences. I also think that it is a great way to attract employees or clients because the company promotes diversity.

Torches of Freedom

In 1928, the President of the American Tobacco Company hired Edward L. Bernays to create an ad/pr campaign for Lucky Strikes cigarette's. Back then, the adverse effects of smoking were not known and Bernays' campaign was a success. The campaign featured posh women smoking Luck Strikes in the streets. By today's standards, however, the campaign would not be considered moral or ethical. It followed the utilitarianism perspective of the greatest "good" for the greatest number of people.

Enron?

I don't fully understand Enron or what it's business was. Economics has always been too philosophical and intangible for me, which, it seems, was the business of Enron. In the movie, it said that Enron traded energy. I do not see how a business can make money off of this, and in reality, it didn't. Enron created it's own made-up market. No one who actually looked at the workings of Enron would think that it was right. This was one of the major problems in this case. All businesses must be reviewed, but the people who did so turned their heads because they were benefiting from the "projected profit." By looking the other way, the government really screwed up and is partly at fault for letting Enron get away with their actions. From a PR stand point, businesses should make sure that they are receiving and "donating" money to the right people, not the banks who provide your audit or the politician who oversees energy companies.

Steve Jobs Appology Letter to Apple iPhone Customers

I think that Steve Jobs had some good phrases in his apology, but they were clouded by his tone and pompous attitude toward the early iPhone buyers.

"We need to do a better job of taking care of our Apple customers. In trying to provide more customers with the opportunity to buy the iPhone, we jumped the gn. We offended our early iPhone customers, and for that, we are truly sorry."

I also think that in trying to protect the brand name of Apple, the company should have had more clout in choosing what messages were sent out to the public in this case, how the messages were sent and who sent them. Steve Jobs has too much power in the company.

Social Networking

Although there are so many social networking sites out there already, I think that the safest way for PR organizations to participate is by creating their own through microsites. Clients can have videos on the microsite where users can re-mash them and post them back only on the microsite. More control would exist over your messages, but the public would know exactly where they are coming from. Other interactive online material for clients can be posted and blogs can be created on the microsite as well. It would be like a YouTube or Myspace for Fleishman-Hillard or Ketchum clients. The main idea is transparency. I think that as long as people know exactly where the messages are coming from - that they are indeed coming from a PR agency, etc. - then the re-mashing of videos and blogs are okay.

Glengarry Glen Ross

I am not sure if I liked the play or not. Admittedly, I had no idea what was going on in the beginning. The only thing that I got out of the first act, was that these men were fast-talkers who were dealing in some unethical practices.

I felt that all of the characters were identifiable:
Roma- the young hotshot
Levene- the old post-hotshot trying to hold on to his past
Aaronow- the desperate old timer
Moss- the hard-ass criminal
Williamson- the guy who is just doing his job
Lingk- the push-over husband

Although Levene was the tragic hero of the story, Aaronow was the ethical hero of the play. At the bottom of the board, his character was the most desperate. The audience saw him faced with an unethical plan that will lead him to success when he needed it the most. In the end, however, Aaronow was not the one who fell to temptation. For him, it was better to be at the bottom of the Cadillac board than to risk robbing his employer, getting arrested and ruining his life.

Legal and Ethical Restraints on PR

PRSA code of Ethics and the five values:

ADVOCACY - stewardship because, as a professional, you need to respond how your publics or organization want you to.

HONESTY - truth is being transparent, you may not be completely honest and give all the facts, but the information that you do give is transparent.

EXPERTISE - freedom, you need knowledge and expertise of the rules, ethics and the profession to be free.

INDEPENDENCE - justice, by following the code of ethics, one can gain its independence by being accountable to the code.

LOYALTY - stewardship is being loyal to your publics.

FAIRNESS - humaneness requires fair treatment of all publics, whether the publics are the ones being directly targeted or ones that are indirectly affected by your work