Professional vocation: on the subject of non-economic factors in economic growth

In the conditions of society’s innovative development people pay attention to the importance of human potential, the issues of motivation, incentives of creative and professional activity, the mechanisms forming the spiritual and emotional connection between people and their profession, the strategic goals of profession and social values. The phenomenon of professional vocation is considered as a source of innovation activity motivation and a “point of growth” of human potential.

The phenomenon of professional vocation attracts attention of a wide range of specialists.

This phenomenon reflects spiritual connection between people and their profession and is associated with a high level of commitment and dedication, selflessness and creative attitude to work.

The phenomenon of professional vocation and its role in ensuring economic growth is interesting due to the following reasons.

First, the sociological study of the economic growth factors is based on the fact that modernization is a process, first initiated and directed by human activity.

Second, modernization should be considered as a creative process. N. Luhmann focuses on the non-obvious measures implemented during the modernization and the risks of the functional systems misalignment (political, financial, etc.), including those associated with inclusion in the “world society”1. Modernization is not a clear and unambiguously positive process.

Third, economic growth does not always act as a guarantee of social well-being and mental health. E. Fromm gives an example, when on the background of economic prosperity the United States and several Western European countries witnessed a high rate of suicide and homicide2. The scientist believes that the problem can be solved due to overcoming alienation in work, creating such an environment in production when labor is justified and an employee participates in the decision making.

Fourth, the population is ageing; the number of older people is growing. The question to reconsider the social role of the elderly in modern society arises. The studies carried out by Russian scientist V. Dobrokhleb reveal that in Russia a certain share of the older age cohorts has resource potential (health, the high level of education, intelligence, the need to continue a working career, participate in public affairs)3.

Fifth, the modern social research is mostly focused on the study of deviancy, while the issues of standards are neglected. There is a practice to define the society’s states, relevant to the standard, through the concepts, representing the variances. In our opinion, the growth factors have the same research value as the degradation factors.

The ethical aspects of vocation are of particular importance in modern foreign publications. So, some people believe that profession chosen not in compliance with vocation can not meet the society’s needs; that is why it can not perform its social function. So, the author of numerous works in the field of theological and applied ethics James M. Gustafson says: “Considering profession as vocation reveals two features: 1) a high level of motivation and 2) a deeper vision of goals, profession serves4”. According to the scientist, “profession without vocation has no moral and humanistic roots; it loses its humanistic essence and limits the vision of the purposes it (profession) serves5”.

We agree with M.K. Gorshkov that the economy’s humanization is considered as the main imperative underlying the economic growth models; and the success of the Russian society’s modernization is associated with the improvement of the social environment, the spiritual development of the society and the moral values of people6.

Professional vocation is considered as an economic growth factor, a spiritual regulator of professional activity. It is connected with the moral and emotional attitude to work, developed labor motivation and creativity.

These assumptions are based on theoretical principles of German sociologies, such as M. Weber, G. Simmel and F Tonnies. They disclose the essential features of the professional vocation phenomenon7.

There are some results of the research carried out by the author.

• 1.    The conducted study reveals high prevalence of vocation as an identification characteristic of a person⁸.

The managers and employees most frequently give a positive answer to the question: “Does your profession (main occupation) coincide with your vocation, abilities and interests?” (in % of the respondents number):

managers of

• •    high-level 94.0;

• •    mid-level 79.8;

• •    lower level 57.9;

employees of

• •    production sphere 65.5;

• •    non-production sphere 75.9;

people with

• •    higher education 63.2;

• •    with secondary special education 49.8.

• 2.    The results of the 2011 study⁹ indicate that the choice of profession in accordance

  Table 1. Satisfaction index value in case of the question: “Does your profession (main occupation) coincide with your abilities and interests?”

  Are you satisfied with…?	Satisfaction index
  	Does your profession (main occupation) coincide with your abilities and interests?
  	Yes.	No.	Difficult to answer
  Your health	0.424	0.329	0.385
  Your financial situation	-0.341	-0.635	-0.422
  Your work	0.428	-0.373	0.009
  Relationship in your family	0.729	0.473	0.609
  Your life in general	0.640	0.507	0.486

  
  

  Table 2. Satisfaction index value in case of the question: “Does your profession (main occupation) coincide with your vocation?”

  Are you satisfied with…?	Satisfaction index
  	Does your profession (main occupation) coincide with your vocation
  	Yes.	No.	Difficult to answer
  Your health	0.472	0.229	0.453
  Your financial situation	-0.308	-0.575	-0.417
  Your work	0.506	-0.236	0.094
  Relationship in your family	0.728	0.562	0.638
  Your life in general	0.667	0.529	0.547

  
  

The unemployed (23.2%) and housewives (22.9%) admit the compliance of profession (main occupation) with vocation more rarely.

with abilities, interests and vocation is associated with higher satisfaction of life, work, the financial situation and a higher level of professional optimism.

The satisfaction indices in the group of young people aged 20–29 are presented in tables 1 and 2 .

The satisfaction index ranges from “1” to “-1”, provided that the index value marked as “+” shows the numerical superiority of positive answers and as “-” – of negative ones. The index value equal to “1” corresponds to 100% frequency of the answers “satisfied”;

the value “-1” – to 100% frequency of the answers “not satisfied”.

The satisfaction indices are calculated by the formula:

Isat = (A – B) / 100 , where

A is a frequency of the answers “satisfied”;

B is a frequency of the answers “not satisfied”.

The research into the indicators of subjective well-being in conjunction with the indicators of professional vocation shows heuristicity of the proposed approach and considerable possibilities of its practical use.

The article does not represent all the study results.

At the same time, the concept “professional vocation” can be considered under the axiomatic approach due to the prevalence of the phenomenon, the sustainability of the data and the significant value essence.