What is a Profession?What is a Profession?

Definitions Definitions ► “field” - a set of questions, a corpus of theory

and knowledge, a social idea – can have more than one discipline in the same field (e.g., GIS and surveyors in their separate disciplines can work in the same field of “GIScience and Technology”)

► “discipline” – a certain way of being trained, certain skills, an academic conception (evidenced by journals, conferences) – GIS is a leading discipline within the field of “GIScience and Technology”

Definitions - cont. Definitions - cont.

►“profession” – cooperative practice evidenced by a group of people who act in ways that take into account how others act.

Unwin’s Definition of Unwin’s Definition of “Profession”“Profession”

► Professionals are paid for the services they provide.

specialized knowledge Not done by the average person.

► Professionals have a common interest, be it the law, the church or whatever.

► Professionals have accepted rules of conduct that helps guarantee that they will act “correctly.”

Class ExerciseClass Exercise

Unwin: Profession - Unwin: Profession - cont.cont.

► Provides a guarantee of competence.► Any profession should be recognized by

other professions. ► Provision of professional development (PD)

of its members at entry and their continuing professional development (CPD).

► Any profession should have a means of enforcing its rule of conduct and guarantee of competence. Unwin: “Usually, this involves the threat of

incompetence or unethical behaviour leading to the miscreant being 'struck off,’ with varying consequences for their future practice.”

Why Ethics of Concern for Why Ethics of Concern for GIS?GIS?

►Vendors: warranty, user documentation transparency and ethics of selling systems

►Data providers: Standards and compliance, Copyright & IPR

►Researchers: veracity, scholarship, product endorsement (is it right to publish work that uses the intellectual achievements of others without acknowledgement?

Ethical Concerns - cont.Ethical Concerns - cont.

►Applications engineers: fitness and quality of solutions.

►Educators: education vs. training►General public: access to technology

and data.

Openshaw’s GIS “Crimes”Openshaw’s GIS “Crimes”

► Type 1 - GIS fails for whatever reason but is otherwise harmless.

► Type 2 - GIS use or misuse causes unnecessary and measurable harm to others.

► Type 3 - GIS is not used in areas where it might have been, and where it would have improved the quality of any decisions made.

► Type 4 - simply talking about GIS without actually doing it.

Openshaw, S., 1993. Commentary: GIS “crime” and GIS “criminality.” Environment and Planning A, 25, 451-458.

Why a Why a CodeCode of Ethics? of Ethics?

► Deters unethical behaviorDeters unethical behavior► Provides a support system for membersProvides a support system for members► Serves as an enabling documentServes as an enabling document► Acts as a basis for adjudicating disputes Acts as a basis for adjudicating disputes in in

lawlaw► Enhances a profession’s reputationEnhances a profession’s reputation► Acts as a source for public evaluationActs as a source for public evaluation► Aids with professional socializationAids with professional socialization

Frankel, 1989

Challenges for GIS industryChallenges for GIS industry

► Differing notions of who we are accountable to?

► Locus of training in higher education, not with technical institutes?

► GIS grew up mostly in 1980s when regulation was unfashionable.

► Labor demand has exceeded supply.► Widespread lack of appreciation of the

problem.► Several codes could be taken -- so which?