Professionalism of the built environment researcher

What is professionalism? How important is professionalism to any particular field of endeavour and to society as a whole? Does a researcher have to demonstrate professionalism? How is the professionalism of a researcher determined, and how is it assessed?
How important is professionalism to the field of research on the built environment? What form does professionalism among researchers on the built environment take? Who should develop the professionalism of such researchers? How should studies of professionalism in the field the built environment be done; what is the method to be applied in such studies? Who will be the gatekeeper of professionalism in that field, and who will undertake the assessment of the levels of professionalism?
The study is exploratory in nature. It seeks to address the questions outlined above on professionalism in the field of built environment research. It suggests that the community of researchers on the built environment should give professionalism greater attention. It recommends that further studies on the parameters of the area of research be undertaken and proposes some relevant topics.