ABSTRACT
A cursory examination of the literature reveals four core words used with varying meanings, by different writers: profession, professionalisation, professional and professionalism. Carr-Saunders claimed that a profession ‘may perhaps be defined as an occupation based upon specialized intellectual study and training, the purpose of which is to supply skilled service or advice to others for a definite fee or salary’. By contrast, P. Elliott presented another perspective when he stated that ‘a professional group controls a body of expert knowledge which is applied to specialist tasks’. Many attempts have been made to describe, rather than to define, the professions by their characteristics. Occupations whose practitioners have mastery over an area of knowledge have a degree of power by virtue of their expertise, but many professions have sought and obtained legislation that disqualifies untrained or unregistered personnel from practising. Professions, according to Elliott, are of two historical types: status profession and occupational profession.
