Analytic Quality Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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.

____________________________________________________________________

Professional body

core definition

A professional body is a group of people in a learned occupation who are entrusted with maintaining control or oversight of the legitimate practice of the occupation.

explanatory context

Professional bodies have, in some countries, a significant role in the oversight of education linked to the professions

analytical review

The Australian Council of Professions defines ‘a professional body’ as follows:

A professional body represents a profession when it is a body formally constituted for this purpose, and comprises substantial numbers of practitioners in a defined field.

The Wikipedia (2004) definition of professional body is:

A professional body or professional organization is an organisation, usually non-profit, that exists to further a particular profession, to protect both the public interest and the interests of professionals. The balance between these two may be a matter of opinion. One the one hand, professional bodies act to protect the public by maintaining and enforcing standards of training and ethics in their profession. On the other hand, they may also act like a cartel or a labor union (trade union) for the members of the profession, though this description is commonly rejected by the body concerned. Membership of a professional body does not necessarily mean that a person possesses qualifications in the subject area, nor that they are legally able to practice their profession — although in some countries and professions, membership of a professional body is required for somebody to legally practice.

associated issues

Role of professional and regulatory bodies (PRBs)

Professional and regulatory bodies play three roles (Harvey & Mason, 1995).

First, they are set up to safeguard the public interest. This is what gives them their legitimacy.

Second, professional bodies also represent the interest of the professional practitioners and here they act as a professional association or trade union (including legitimating restrictive practices), or as a learned society contributing to continuous professional development.

Third, the professional or regulatory body represents its own self-interest: the organisations act to maintain their own privileged and powerful position as a controlling body. This is where control, legitimated by public interest becomes confounded by control based on self-interest.

related terms