Special interest group coalitions: Ethical standards for broad-based support efforts

Coalitions are an increasingly important tool of special interest group public affairs efforts. While coalitions are not usually formed with the intent to deceive, some groups take shortcuts which amount to buying results and manipulating the public. These “front” groups which deceive or mislead the public or policy-making bodies can undermine the professionalism of public relations and damage the public trust.The author examines case studies of coalitions formed by a for-profit corporation, a trade association and a foreign government. Findings were that: (1) coalitions perform an important role if they represent a broad public interest but if they do not represent a broad base, they may be deceptive, unethical, and potentially damaging to the public interest; (2) media play an important role as diligent watchdogs but don't always rise to this responsibility, and (3) the public relations profession bears the brunt of public and media concern over unethical coalition activity. Ethical guidelines for coalition development are offered.