Advertising and consulting as "fiduciaries" of expressive values? Talcott Parsons's sociology of professions and the new economic mediators of culture

This paper discusses the contribution of Parsons's theory of professions that focuses on the specific modem 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 valub-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.