Captain Kirk, Managers and the Professionalization of Safety

Historically, management as a means for governing business organizations has developed at the expense of professions as autonomous, self-regulated bodies. Therefore, the current call for "professionalization" in the domain of safety might be surprising. This chapter explores this apparent contradiction in the form of an imaginary dialogue between an operator and a manager. The current "injunction to professionalism" is critically assessed. Alternative views of professionalization are developed, with implications for alternative managerial roles.