MANAGEMENT AS A PROFESSION

The rapid development of business and the separation of the ownership and management in the organization have contributed to the emergence of management as a distinct profession. To discuss whether management is a profession or not, it would be relevent to have a clear understanding of the essential features of profession.

The profession is an occupation, which involves the rendering of personal service of a special and expert nature. In order to practice their profession they must have minimum academic and professional qualifications prescribed by law or by the related professional associations. The essential features of a profession are as follows:

(1) Organized and specialized knowledge,
(2) Formal education and training,
(3) Service motive,
(4) Professional association, and
(5) Ethical codes.

Now, let us examine to what extent management fulfills the above requirements of a profession.

(1) Organized and Specialized Knowledge

Profession emerges from the establishment of an organized and specialized knowledge, which can be studied. It is true for all professions, including management. During the last five-six decades there has been a constant and steady growth of management techniques, principles and skills. Today, management is a separate discipline having a specialized and organized body of knowledge.

(2) Formal Education and Training

Profession requires a formal education and training in the specific area. No one can practice a profession without going through the prescribed course. Many institutes of management have been set up in foreign countries, which offer courses for specialized training in management. Formal education and training have become very helpful in getting jobs as managers. However, no minimum qualifications or course of study have been prescribed for managers by law.

(3) Service Motive

A profession is a source of livelihood primarily motivated by the desire to serve the community. Due to their expert knowledge, they are always in a position to charge higher fees. They earn but not at the cost of social interests. The success of profession cannot be measured in terms of money. Therefore, a profession enjoys high community respects. Management is an integrating agency, which integrates various resources and converts them into productive units. This is a major contribution of the management to the society, which cannot be measured in terms of money alone.

(4) Professional Association

In every profession there is a statutory association or institution which regulates that profession. The association is a representative body, which regulate and develop the profession and prescribe the criteria for individuals entering the profession. In management also, association has been formed for the regular exchange of knowledge and experience. However, they do not have the statutory power to regulate the activities of managers. Membership of this association is not compulsory in order to become a manager. Hence, the management does not satisfy this criteria of management.

(5) Ethical Codes

A profession must possess some ethical standards of conduct for its members, which contains rules and regulations providing the norms of honesty, integrity and professional ethics. Any member violating the code can be punished and his membership can be canceled. But there are no enforced ethical codes in the field of management. So, management does not satisfy this feature of a profession.



From the above discussion, it is very clear that the management does not satisfy all the features of a profession. Like other professions, management does not restrict the entry into managerial job to people. No minimum qualifications have yet been prescribed for managerial personnel. No management association has the authority to grant certificates for practice. In the absence of statutory association, ethical codes are also missing. Thus, management is not strictly a full-fledged profession like medicine, law or chartered accountancy. Even though, it does not satisfy all the features of professions, it is treated as a separated and distinguished profession now a days. At present a large number of new graduates are attracted to this field.