Publication Date

Fall 2016

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Amber N. Schroeder (Director), Elizabeth L. Shoenfelt, and Reagan D. Brown

Degree Program

Department of Psychological Sciences

Degree Type

Master of Science

Abstract

Professionalism is a term frequently used in organizations yet perceptions of what it means differ from person to person. Given its frequent use and its link to various job outcomes, such as organizational commitment (Bartol, 1979), there is a need to have a universal definition of professionalism. While there are existing models of professionalism these models are typically developed for a specific field or industry. Thus, there is also a need for a comprehensive model of professionalism that can be used across multiple fields and industries. This study worked to develop a model of professionalism that creates a comprehensive model that addresses both of these issues using eleven existing measures of professionalism as its foundation. Four dimensions of professionalism were identified via these models and defined using a combination of existing research and researcher expertise. These dimensions were divided into elements which were used as items in a measure to validate the new model. A five-factor model demonstrated the best fit and was found to have both convergent and discriminant validity.

Disciplines

Business Law, Public Responsibility, and Ethics | Management Information Systems | Marketing | Psychology

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