Werbung und Unternehmensberatung als „:Treuhänder“: expressiver Werte?

This paper discusses the contribution of Parsons’s theory of professions that focuses on the specific modern relationship between value commitment and rationality to the analysis of the field of advertising and (management) consulting occupations, both being considered to be a new type of professions (named economic communicators of culture). However, there are some differences between the classical professions and these new occupational groups. One main difference is the significance of expressivity: advertisers are concerned with expressive functions of consumerism while consultants are implementing values of self-realization and individualism in the work sphere. Therefore, we refer to both, Parsons’s category of expressive culture and to his theory of symbolic media of interchange where he developed the idea that value-commitments are no longer anchored (internalized) in personality structures and institutionalized in occupational roles, but “circulating”. This idea stresses the role of reputation as a source of professional influence and recognition. The connection of these three elements of Parsons’s theory (professions, expressive culture, symbolic media) will contribute to a better understanding of the significance of these new occupational groups, the economic communicators of culture.     

Zwischen Disziplin und Expressivität.

Creativity, flexibility and authenticity have become important virtues in modern industrialized countries. Employers demand from their employees continuously more autonomy and initiative. Likewise many employees want to gain self-realization through their work. Taking advertising as a case in point, the article sketches the outlines of a new creative working ethos. Prototypes of this ethos are the experts in the culture and media industries. These occupational fields are very much more than others by current economic changes resulting in insecure career prospects, competition and the ?project logics“ of employment. The analysis shows what kind of identity this ethos offers, how it meets the new economic requirements and how it is anchored in the institutional settings of the occupational group. Finally, the article discusses the question how this type of creative expert is fabricated in the tension between professionalism and market.     

Bindungsmacht in Paarbeziehungen. Warum Beziehungen scheitern

Berliner Journal für Soziologie - Seit Jahrzehnten ist ein Anstieg der Zahl von Trennungen und Scheidungen zu verzeichnen. Bislang liegen allerdings nur wenige sozialwissenschaftliche...