The Professions and Social Structure

Professional skills development in a resource-poor setting: the case of pharmacy in Malawi

“…In industrialised setting, where professionalism needs to be vigorously defended, competency provides a toolkit to justify the superiority of professional knowledge. The pharmacy profession strives to acquire higher competencies, often through continuing/postgraduate education, in order to maintain professional status (Freidson, 2001;Parsons, 1939). On the contrary, competency is turned into a toolkit to curtail demand for professional skills in the HRH discourse, where professional HRH is scarce.…”

Human Values and the Market: The Case of Life Insurance and Death in 19th-Century America (translated by E. Berdysheva)

“…Такие «бизнесмены от смерти» отличаются от «профессиона-лов смерти», врачей и священников, чья связь со смертью легитимирована их ориентацией на оказание помощи 23 . Т. Парсонс и Р. Мертон проводят различие между моделями индивидуальной мотивации и институциональными структурами бизнеса и профессий [Parsons 1949;Merton 1975]. Независимо от индивидуальной мотивации практикующих врачей, их корыстолюбия или милосердия, в профессиях происходит институционализация альтруизма, тогда как бизнес институционализирует корыстный интерес.…”

Toward Professionalization: Fund Raising Norms and Their Implications for Practice

“…Parsons claimed that professions serve an altruistic, social function: ''a fullfledged profession must have some institutional means of making sure that such [professional] competence will be put to socially responsible uses.'' 4 This view was attacked by Johnson and others who emphasized the power of professions. 5 Instead of altruism, some suggest that professions aim to create ''market shelters'' 6 and market monopolies.…”