Analytic Quality Glossary
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Citation
reference: Harvey, L., 2004, Analytic Quality Glossary, Quality
Research International, http://www.qualityresearchinternational.com/glossary/
This is a dynamic glossary and the author would welcome any e-mail
suggestions for amendments or additions.
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A profession is a group of people in a
learned occupation, the members of which agree to abide by specified rules of
conduct when practicing the profession.
explanatory
context
There are many professions and they are
controlled to varying degrees by professional, regulatory or governmental bodies. Typical
professions are medicine, dentistry, law, engineering, architecture, social
work, nursing, accountancy. Most definitions of profession identify Ôworking
for the public goodÕ as among the characteristics of the profession.
The terms ÔprofessionÕ (the area of study
and work) and Ôprofessional bodyÕ (the organisation that regulates or has
oversight of the profession) sometimes merge in popular usage.
analytical
review
The
Australian Council of Professions (2004) defines Ôa professionÕ as follows:
A profession is a disciplined
group of individuals who adhere to ethical standards and uphold themselves to,
and are accepted by, the public as possessing special knowledge and skills in a
widely recognised body of learning derived from research, education and
training at a high level, and who are prepared to exercise this knowledge and these
skills in the interest of others.
It is inherent in the definition of a profession that a code of
ethics govern the activities of each profession[al]. Such codes require
behaviour and practice beyond the personal moral obligations of an individual.
They define and demand high standards of behaviour in respect to the services
provided to the public and in dealing with professional colleagues. Further,
these codes are enforced by the profession and are acknowledged and accepted by
the community.
Boone (2001) states:
Professions are based on
scientific and philosophical facts acquired through scholarly endeavor (1). Individuals who
enter a profession do so for reasons that distinguish them from other work or
vocations. They understand that their work renders a unique public
service with a scientific or philosophical basis and/or body of knowledge that
requires an extended period of academic and hands-on preparation.
Professions are also based on specialized skills necessary for the professional
to perform the public service.
Southern Illinois
University (2004) proposes that
professions have the following common characteristics:
á
Associated
with a profession is a great body of special knowledge.
á
Preparation
for a profession includes training in applying that knowledge.
á
The
standards of a profession are maintained at a high level through the force of
organization or concerted opinion.
á
Each
member of a profession recognizes his or her responsibilities to the public
over and above responsibilities to clients or to other members of the
profession.
This matches the earlier views of
Burbules and Densmore (1991) identify the characteristics of a profession as:
professional autonomy; a clearly defined,
highly developed, specialized, and theoretical knowledge base; control of
training, certification, and licensing of new entrants; self-governing and
self-policing authority, especially with regard to professional ethics; and a
commitment to public service.
Pratte and Rury (1991), focus more on
status and remuneration in their list of the characteristics of a profession:
remuneration, social status, autonomous
or authoritative power, and service.
related terms
See
sources
Australian Council of Professions, 2004, About
Professions Australia : Definition
of a Profession http://www.professions.com.au/defineprofession.html
Boone, T., 2001, ÔConstructing a ProfessionÕ Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline:
An international electronic journal for exercise physiologists, 4(5) May, ISSN
1099-5862 http://www.css.edu/users/tboone2/asep/ConstructingAprofession.html
Burbules, N., & Densmore, K., 1991,
The limits of making teaching a profession. Educational Policy, 5(1), pp. 44Ð63.
Pratte, R., & Rury, J. L., 1991,
ÔTeachers, professionalism, and craftÕ, Teachers College Record, 93, pp. 59Ð72.
Southern Illinois University, 2004, Engineering as a Profession http://civil.engr.siu.edu/intro/profession.htm,
undated page, accessed November
2004.