Critique of Andrew Abbott

Part A: Summary Introduction: Andrew Abbott’s book, The System of Professions: An Essay on the Division of Expert Labour contains a mix of comparative historical analysis and current evaluation, which is assembled within an analytical model that looks at professions from the viewpoint of their jurisdictions, the tasks they do, the expert knowledge needed for those tasks, and how competitive forces internally and externally work to change both the jurisdictions and the tasks. Abbott …

…Factors such as government intervention, the organizational structure of professions, individual merit and choice, and processes of labour division and destruction all play a role in determining the occupational free choice of workers. Abbott's book outlined many of these factors, his findings helped to substantiate ideals related to this topic discussed in class. Bibliography Reference Abbott, Andrew. The System of Professions: An Essay on the Division of Expert Labour. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1988.