Chapter Nine. Fiducial Responsibilities Of Professionalism

Abstract

This chapter discusses the consequences of structured situations and professionalism bring into view two other sets of characteristics of professionalism which are equally structural, thus invariant. One set is comprised of two fiducial responsibilities to which professionals are held structurally, positionally. The other set is comprised of two occupational orientations to which professionals are also held equally structurally, equally positionally. Taken together, these two additional sets of characteristics further distinguish professions at a structural level from all other expert and middle-class occupations, including haute couture and haute cuisine. The chapter proposes that two sets of fiducial responsibilities track in tandem the two structural consequences of professionalism, the variable immediate consequences and the invariant institutional and immediate consequences. The general thesis in the chapter follows from the specific comparison of professions to other expert occupations.Keywords: fiducial responsibilities; professionalism