Management as a profession

Mr. Louis Allen defined profession as "a specialized kind of work practiced through and by use of classified knowledge, a common vocabulary, and requiring standards of practice and code of ethics established by a recognized body." Whether management can be called a profession or not will be clear if we compare its features with the characteristics of recognized profession like medicine, law, accountancy, etc., which are discussed below:

1. Systematic Knowledge: Every profession has a well defined area of organized knowledge. Management also deals with distinct area of knowledge which is developed around functions of management. Techniques of management developed by drawing knowledge from other branches like economics, mathematics and so on, facilitate managers to perform their job better. Coordinated decision making in organization is made possible by application of the same theory by all managers in their decision making. Managers should possess experimental attitude in acquisition of new knowledge so as to prove successful in an ever-changing organizational environment.

2. Formalized method of acquiring knowledge: For present day managers, formal education and training is an important source of knowledge. Transfer of knowledge gained through experience from one living mind to another or intuitive knowledge are no longer considered adequate for practicing managers.

3. Performance-based status: Manager's status in the present day organization is linked to its performance rather than other extraneous factors like family or political connections. This way management is exacting philosophy with performance orientation.

4. Code of ethics: Professionals must be governed by a strict code of ethics formulated and enforced by professional bodies to protect their members integrity. Since it is difficult to identify clearly the membership of management associations and their role, managerial codes of ethics has not yet evolved so as to acceptable to all practicing managers.

5. Dedication and commitment: True professionals through dedication and commitment serve their clients interest. Financial reward is not the measure of their success. Managers today are expected to serve the long-run interest of the organization but they are also conscious of their social responsibilities. Besides, they are entrusted with wealth producing resources of society which they are expected to put to the most effective use.

We may conclude from the above that management cannot be regarded as a profession in all respects but it has some of the characteristics of a profession.

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