Regulating in the information society

摘要

Professional services have traditionally been characterised by an in-built power imbalance between the consumer and the professional. In the absence of consumer knowledge, regulation has been seen either as a technical challenge for the profession or as a political challenge for the elite. This paper explores the changing patterns of professional-consumer interaction, in this context, over the last 20 years, and considers the implications these changes have had on the regulation of professional services.