ABSTRACT
Almost all professional codes of ethics and philosophical principles assert an obligation to serve the greater good, an obligation that may be at the heart of “public” relations practice. Whether it is a product or a message that may be deemed dangerous or controversial or an act of charity that seeks to demonstrating benevolence or caring, the choices made by public relations practitioners in promotions or deterrence campaigns impact those within or outside the organizations they represent in positive or negative ways. Through the “buy one/give one” practices of social entrepreneurism to grassroots charity challenges described in two of these cases, individuals and organizations frequently seek to involve many outside their organizations in what they deem to be prosocial activities. In other cases, those with the power to influence their employees or members may praise or censure in an attempt to promote the public good. Applying a variety of philosophical principles in the analyses, the five cases in this chapter offer insights into real or fictional actions taken by individuals, organizations, and agencies that appear to benefit or harm the social good for their clients, customers, employees, and neighbors.
