Case Study Assignment

The upcoming case study I will be writing will be an in depth media analysis of the recent Apple iPhone pricing disaster. I will discuss the hierarchy of values in a public relations strategy, if there was one, Apple's over-hyped product release, and the method with which they delt with public outcry after the price drop. I will determine whether or not they assumed a utilitarian or communitarian theory in dealing with the incident, and try to propose a resolution.

Communitarianism VS Utilitarianism

When in crisis, each public relations professional faces a difficult decision; whether or not to be simply an advocate of their organization or maintain an objective stance. Oftentimes the reaction to a crisis has to be some sort of balance between these two, but in the case of the Dallas Cowboys' star player Michael Irvin and a fight with lesser known offensive lineman Everett McIver, there was no balance.

In a case study of the scuffle which put in Irvin's place on the team in jeopardy, it's essential to recognize the two possible resolutions the Cowboys camp could have come to. The first would be a communitarianism response, which is to place importance on each individual's well being and value truth above all else. Perhaps this would result in the punishment of both McIver and Irvin, but with the way that the team and media handled the situation, the world will never know. The decision made by the team was to keep the details hidden from the media, and they treated the incident as a family matter. By stonewalling the media, they were not serving everyone's best interest. They were valuing the future of the team over each individual player, because of the legal ramifications Irvin could face after another assault charge.

This reaction is indicative of a Utilitarian response. The theory of "the greatest good for the greatest number," fueled the Cowboys media relations team, coaches, and players "no comment" approach to the media.

Now here comes the big question: Which response was ethical?

If ethics is the issue, it is undeniable that the truth should be valued above all else. But in this specific case study, the truth is unknown. The incident could have been handled in house, because it truly was nothing more than horseplay that went a little too far. Jerry Jones and the PR staff could have valued the reputation of the team over the publication of a scuffle of no importance.

However, the way the fight was handled automatically points a finger of guilt. In public relations, I think that the main lesson to be learned is that "no comment," generally causes the media and public to assume the worst.

I cannot say that I condone the Cowboys' actions, but I definitely see the reasoning behind it. With the type of organization that a football team is, individuals forfeit their rights at the door. I'm sure that most players would agree that they will do whatever it takes to get them to the Super Bowl. The amount of secrecy that goes into a football team is high regardless of criminal charges.

Cosmopolitanism and PR

How does Appiah’s Cosmopolitanism relate to the work of public relations? It seems like an obvious comparison, but too often PR professionals do not attempt to understand their publics. By saying publics, I am referring to the media, the customers, and even the general population. In order to maintain a healthy relationship between a company and its consumers, communication is essential.

Ways that a public relations department could keep tabs on public opinion is by maintaining a blog on the company website to keep people informed, while at the same time allowing them to leave feedback. Even the most absurd complaints could be representative of a view shared by a large group.

Does everybody matter?

In Appiah’s Cosmopolitanism, there is much talk of the importance of cultural understanding. Does everybody matter in his definition of cosmopolitanism? If there is one concept that this author wishes to drive home in this book, it is without a doubt that every person matters, no culture has moral superiority to another, and in order to have positive global relations, a greater cultural understanding must be achieved. The first step in achieving this goal of global understanding and harmony is awareness. The ignorance that pervades our society and the world as a whole is responsible for the majority of clashes within different religions and governments. However it does not simply take a well-informed traveler to be a cosmopolitan. Appiah describes instances of travelers and anthropologists that maintain their prejudices and judgments despite their awareness. They assert a superior view as an anthropologist, but do not attempt to put themselves in the shoes of others. The ultimate goal of a true cosmopolitan would be that this understanding would lead to conversation, and this world society could communicate its differences and continually confront them with an open mind.

When it comes to supply chains for large corporations, it is a sticky subject for Americans. From a cosmopolitan view, it’s unethical for companies to use unfair labor practices or outsource their labor in less fortunate countries. It’s unethical as a citizen to support businesses who misuse people for the sake of profit. However, these companies are able to get away with this because of the ignorance on the consumer’s part. As a consumer, I try to pay more attention to where I spend my money. I would prefer to only shop at the organic grocery stores or mom and pop shops, but even as an informed citizen I oftentimes opt for convenience over conviction. These supply chains enable large corporations to sell goods at a reduced price, and as a student I fall into that trap.