The book will trace the development of ethical theory from the ancient Greeks to modern time to give the reader an understanding of the principles that underlie current standards of behavior. The emphasis is on their practical application for public relations practitioners and students through the analysis of contemporary cases. The book's goal is to guide readers in building a personal framework for ethical reasoning that will enable them to: 1. Recognize the ethical issues at play in the practice of public relations, including those inherent in business decisions that don't directly involve communications. 2. Analyze the conflicting duties and loyalties at play in these situations, as well as the likely consequences to all affected publics, so they can choose the best option in their own practice or counsel their clients in their decision-making. 3. And finally justify their decision and/or counsel in terms that others will understand and ultimately accept.

The book fills a gap in currently available books on the subject, which either lack theoretical grounding or practical application. It does not advocate a specific ethical approach, gives readers sufficient grounding in the three major theories, virtue, deontological, and teleological to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each and to construct their own framework, appropriate to their circumstances. The illustrative cases used in the book span the range of public relations functions, including employee communications, media relations, social media, philanthropy, speechwriting, community relations, issue management, brand journalism, and more. In many cases, there are interviews with the actual managers who participated in selected cases, including such well-known figures as Harold Burson, Robert Dillenschneider, Herb Schmertz, Ed Block, Al Golan, and Richard Edelman.