The meaning and essential nature of a profession: a multi-perspective approach

ABSTRACT

In the existing literature, there is a lack of consensus among scholars within different research disciplines on the meaning and particularly essential elements of a profession. Consensus would be beneficial to the ongoing debates relating to the notion of a ‘profession’, and related concepts such as ‘professionalisation’ and ‘professionalism’, within the new social systems and organisational work context. To address this limitation of the literature, this paper aims to develop and propose a multidisciplinary understanding of the meaning and essential elements of a profession. To accomplish this aim, we draw on the disciplines of psychology, management and sociology and integrate these diverse perspectives to extend prior theorisations. Implications of our integrative analyses for advancing profession-related research and practice are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Definition of profession
• nature of profession
• perspectives of a profession

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge that this study did not receive funding from any source.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hossein Ali Abadi

Hossein Ali Abadi is a Lecturer in Management in the School of Business and Law. He has an international career spanning work in the industry and academia, in the Middle East, England and Australia including human resource roles in the manufacturing industry.

Desmond Tutu Ayentimi

Desmond Tutu Ayentimi is a lecturer in the School of Business and Economics at Tasmania University, Australia. His most recent research projects include: HRM practice transfer from advanced economies to developing economies; Workforce diversity, equality and inclusion; Employment relations; Human Resource Development and Policy development towards the fourth Industrial Revolution

Alan Coetzer

Alan Coetzer is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Business and Law and teaches Strategic Human Resource Management, and Workplace Learning. Alan has occupied several management and team leader roles and has been involved in performing a range of HR activities including recruitment, selection, staff development, staff appraisal and pay negotiations with unions. He is a Certified Professional of the Australian Human Resources Institute.