Cases in Public Relations Translating Ethics into Action

Cases in Public Relations presents the complexities and challenges of public relations in today's ever-changing world. Containing cases written specifically for this course by researchers and practitioners from all parts of the country, this text offers the most contemporary and diverse set of cases available. While clearly illustrating the functions of public relations practices, each case also challenges students to consider the real-world context and ethical dimensions of public relations.

Brigitta R. Brunner is Professor of Public Relations at Auburn University.

Corey A. Hickerson is Professor of Public Relations at James Madison University.

Section I: Introduction to Cases, Ethics, and Public Relations

Chapter 1: What is the Case Method?
What is a Case?
How do faculty teach via case method?

Chapter 2: Ethical Frameworks and Professional Codes
Ethics, Morals, and Laws
Different Types of Ethical Frameworks
Virtue
Deontology
Utilitarian
Professional Codes
PRSA Code of Ethics: Preamble
IABC Code of Ethics for Professional Communicators
The Page Principles


Section II: Public Relations Functions

Chapter 3: Conflict and Crisis Management
The Lands' End Content Marketing Debacle: A Cautionary Tale of a Retailer's Inadvertent Foray into Polarized Politics by Nathan Gilkerson

The September 11 Memorial by Hannah Karolak and Susan Mancino

Ethical and Effective Post-Crisis Stakeholder Relations by Colleen Arendt

"Am I Safe?": The Ethical Implications of Running and Maintaining a Sharing Economy Organization by Lindsey J. DiTirro, Lauren Berkshire Hearit, and Emilly Martinez

Chapter 4: Social Media and Technology
Seeing Through the Golden Arches: Transparency in the Digital Age by Prisca S. Ngondo and Clay Craig

Scrubbing and the Ethics of Digital Reputation Management by Alison N. Novak

Applebee's Social Media "Meltdown": Managing Ethics in an Online Brand Community by Amber L. Hutchins and Desirae K. Johnson

Chapter 5: Corporate Social Responsibility
All Your Clothes Are Made with Exploited Labor: Patagonia Takes Action to Spur Action by Jean Kelso Sandlin

A Tale of Two Case Studies: Comparing Coca-Cola's Divergent Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives and the Resulting Ethical Implications by Lucinda L. Austin, MaryClaire Schulz, and Barbara Miller Gaither

Restructuring Corporate Philanthropy: Belk Strategically Apples Ethical Responsibility to Underpin Community Engagement by Alan Freitag

Ethical Corporate Philanthropy: A Case Study on Communicating CSR by Heidi Hatfield Edwards


Section III: Public Relations Contexts
Chapter 6: Consumer Relations
Volkswagen the Betrayer: A Case Study of Gross Disregard for the Welfare of Stakeholders Worldwide by Chiara Valentini and Dean Kruckeberg

Blackfish backlash: SeaWorld's Attempt at Navigating a Crisis Situation by Leslie Rodriguez Rasmussen and Melody Fisher

Food Fight: How Ethical Management Saved Market Basket by Brenda J. Wrigley

Ethical Activism? Food Babe, Big Food, and the Online Pressure for Disclosure by Ashli Quesinberry Stokes

Chapter 7: Community Relations
"Do Not Use!": Ethical Implications of the 2014 Elk River Chemical Spill by Xiaochen Angela Zhang and Jonathan Borden

Maintaining the Public Trust: A Town Meeting About Rising Natural Gas Prices by Mary Beth Reese and Erin E. Gilles

Shifting Blame: Addressing the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality's Complicated Ethical Responsibility in the Flint Water Crisis by Catherine J. Bruns

Chapter 8: Sports Communication
Should the Fan Experience Impact the Game? by John Forde

The NFL Concussion Crisis: More Than Just a Bad Headache by Terry L. Renter and LaMar C. Campbell

Paper Classes or Academic Anomalies: A Kantian Examination of UNC's Response to it is Shadow Curriculum by Christie M. Kleinmann

Chapter 9: Health
Healthcare Public Relations and Moral Obligations: Patient Safety and the Boston University Medical Center Tuberculosis Case by Carey Noland and Heather Carmack

Emergent Ethical Health Care Public Relations in the Digital Age by Alisa Agozzino and Katee Fenimore

Healthcare Organizations and Patient Safety: Questions of Ethical Public Relations Practices by Carrie Reif, Julie A. Lasslo, and Kathryn E. Anthony

Chapter 10: Government Relations
Dealing with Subsequent Crisis Response: Timeliness and Transparency in Government Response to the New Jersey Boardwalk Fire by Mildred F. Wiggins Perreault and Anli Xiao

Connecting Government Relations to Ethics: Louisiana's Centralized Media Relations by Chistopher J. McCollough

MERS Outbreak Case in Korea: A Snapshot of Government Responses and Public Relations Considerations by Ji Young Kim

Chapter 11: International
Skol's "Viva Redondo" ("Live Round") Crisis by Deborah de Cillo Ottoni Teixeira and Michelle M. Maresh-Fuehrer

Toshiba Accounting Scandal: Japanese National Culture, Corporate Governance, and Public Relations Ethics by Koji Fuse, Jacqueline Sears, and Keyona Adaiah Butler

Taylor Guitars, Guardians of the Forest by Janis Teruggi Page and William S. Page

Chapter 12: Nonprofit & Education
The Wounded Warrior Project by Pamela G. Bourland-Davis and William Thompson

Why Are There So Many Crucifixes? By J.J. McIntyre and Kristen A. McIntyre

Connecting Ethics and Practice as PR Students Transition from Learners to Educators by Douglas J. Swanson

Section IV: The Future of Public Relations

Chapter 13: Trends in Public Relations, Communication, and Society that Will Challenge Ethics
Taking a Bite Out of Apple: The Federal Bureau of Investigation v. Apple, Inc. by Heather J. Hether

Chiquita Brands, its Illegal Payments to Paramilitary Groups in Colombia, and the Transnational Public Relations Crisis that Followed by Vanessa Bravo, JuanCarlos Molleda, Andrés Felipe Giraldo-Dávila, and Luis Horacio Botero-Montoya

Making Plastic Green: Capital One's Commitment to Sustainability by Stephanie A. Smith

Index