Professionalization in Britain: A Preliminary Measurement

In: Sociology: the journal of the British Sociological Association, Volume 3, Issue 1, p. 37-53

Abstract

An attempt to construct a measure of differences among occupations in degrees of professionalization was prompted by the literature on the process of professionalization. Data were obtained on a sample of 43 `qualifying associations'; so that, in effect, the study is limited to those occupations sufficiently professionalized to have an association which aims to examine individuals wishing to practise. The data were subjected to a cumulative scaling procedure which gave a mean scale value of 0.73. This suggests that there is a substantial unitary variable within the concept of professionalization as it is usually defined. Within the limits of the data and sample, the items linked by the scale may be held to denote the characteristics of a profession. The professionalization scores of qualifying associations in various fields of work are examined. A positive correlation with the age of the association is found.