Current studies in the field of occupational sociology often present the deficiency of regarding workplace and work community as a backdrop, in front of which workers perform their duties. The two elements have not been receiving the attention they deserve. In light of this, this thesis argues that instead of merely setting the scene for investigation, workplace and work community are crucial and deciding factors in the construction of work identity. During the process, the influence of clients, including supervisors, peers and customers also comes in and participates in portraying this identity. Employing data collected through personal work experience, participant observation and in-depth interviews in commercial kitchens, this thesis advocates a conceptual model to explain the impact of these elements during the construction of work identity, and the dynamics among them therein. In terms of research method, this is also a demonstration of the importance of "going back to the workplace" when conducting similar researches under the auspice of occupational sociology. / Fung Yat-chung. / "December 2004." / Adviser: Lui Tai-lok. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-01, Section: A, page: 0356. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 200-202). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

This study is about the professionalization of nursing. Nursing leaders at the national level and in New Brunswick initiated a new education policy requiring the baccalaureate degree as entry to practice. The new education policy would eliminate the diploma programs which are two to three years in length in favour of the baccalaureate degree which is four years in length. This study demonstrates that the case of upgrading nurse education was a carefully planned event requiring the acceptance of groups within nursing and the government, and was not part of the occupation's natural evolution. / Publicly, nursing leaders argued that the increase in work complexity necessitates a more qualified and educated workforce. Less publicized reasons for the change were the desire to be perceived as a profession, the hope for more respect from other occupations, increased autonomy, and increased financial rewards. There was, as well, the desire to expand nursing tasks which would address the belief that traditional, valued nursing tasks were being taken on by other health care workers. / Four competing theoretical perspectives were used to interpret the education change in nursing: functionalist, human capital theory, the interactionist perspective, and conflict theory. The findings from this study support the explanatory power of both the interactionist perspective and conflict theory. The interactionist perspective, focusing on intra-occupational processes, suggests that the conflict between the professional nursing association in New Brunswick, who initiated the education policy change, and the provincial nursing union, who vehemently opposed the policy change, stems partially from differences in organizational memberships, beliefs about nursing roles and broader occupational goals. Conflict theory (in particular closure theory), describes how occupations pursuing a 'professional project' may define membership in such a way to exclude other subordinate groups (e.g. the use of credentials). Thus, the baccalaureate entry to practice may be interpreted as an exclusionary strategy which will close off opportunities to diploma nurses in an attempt to enhance nursing's status. In order to achieve this goal, nursing leaders needed the support of the provincial government.

No description available.

by Yeung Wing Tsui, Lisa. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 156-167). / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.ii / Contents --- p.iii / Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter I. --- Professionalism as Cognition in a Discursive Society --- p.11 / The Taxonomical Approach: Reappraisal --- p.11 / The Power Paradigm: Room for Improvement --- p.18 / "Cognition, Professional Discourse and Society" --- p.23 / Chapter II. --- Foucault's Theoretical Contributions to the Study of Professions --- p.37 / """Power/Knowledge"": Archaeology and Genealogy" --- p.39 / """Disciplines"" and ""Disciplinary Society""" --- p.49 / """Disciplinary Apparatus"" and Arenas of Jurisdictional Claims" --- p.56 / Chapter III. --- The Hong Kong Western and Chinese Medical Professions --- p.66 / The General Scenario and Some Theoretical Highlights --- p.67 / The Medical Attitude of Hong Kong People --- p.75 / Chapter IV. --- The Production of the Hong Kong Western- Chinese Medical Discourse in Historical Context --- p.83 / The Social Organization of Health Care Service --- p.84 / Chinese Medicine as a Rational System --- p.89 / The Importance of the Establishment of Tung Wah Hospital to the Production of the Local Medical Discourse --- p.94 / The 1894 Bubonic Plague: Consolidation of the Western-dominant Medical Cognitive Structure --- p.102 / Chapter V. --- "Institutions, ""Disciplinary Power"" and Dissemination of Social Knowledge: Further Medical Discourse" --- p.110 / The Educational and Credential Arena --- p.111 / The Public Arena --- p.118 / The Political Arena --- p.122 / The Legal Arena --- p.128 / The Workplace Arena --- p.132 / Conclusion --- p.138 / Notes --- p.146 / References --- p.158