Evaluating the profession and professionalism of business managers: control embedded in character

Abstract

Amidst growing claims very recently by several distinguished scholars that business management should be considered as a true profession, we evaluate its professional status from a sociological analysis of the profession. We argue that whether it is a profession or not, the managers need to demonstrate professionalism. We understand the notion and meaning of professionalism and its importance for professions and non-professional occupations. In course of evaluating and discussing professionalism by Evetts, as embodiment of elements of both occupational value and ideology, as controlling the organization of work of business managers, we argue that professionalism of business managers is best understood when the ‘notion of control’ is embedded in the very idea of ‘character’.