subject: The Right Prescription Combines The Best From The East And West [print this page] The right prescription lies in integrative medicine and management that combines
the best of Eastern and Western practices
After a century of pill-and-scalpel medicine, doctors have discovered that fighting disease
and restoring health are not the same. As medical science examines herbs and
acupuncture in traditional Chinese medicine, a new blend of medicine emerges.
In Asia, it is quite common for sick people to turn to traditional medicine for remedies.
In the West, the alternative medicine is catching on very rapidly. For example, nearly
half of all US adults now go outside the health system for some of their care. Some 600
million visits per annum were made to non-conventional healers more than to medical
doctors. Complementary and alternative medicine term covers practices ranging from the
credible (tui na, acupuncture, chiropractic, tai chi, yoga) to the laughable (coffee enemas)
treatments. This new kind of medicine is gaining popular following - an integrative
medicine that employs the rigour of modern medical science for fighting diseases and the
traditional Eastern medicine for restoring health.
Similarly, the prescription for corporate health can take a leaf from physical health.
Managers should adopt the best of Eastern and Western practices. For instance, the
Western practice of hiring and firing should be tempered with the Eastern philosophy of
treating employees as part of a big corporate family and ensuring that there is
communication and harmony throughout the corporate family. The short term Western
perspective of corporate performance driven by the stock market indicators can be
tempered by the long-term view of profit performance. The hire and fire recruitment
policy of the West should be tempered with the long-term employment practices of the
East.
For instance Japan's slow economic recovery has been blamed on its life-long
employment policy. On the other hand too, the downsizing and delayering era in the
West have created a backlash, as employees are no longer loyal to the companies and will
not make sacrifices of themselves for the company. The moderation of both professional
management and entrepreneurship is the most appropriate prescription for companies.
There are some criticisms heaped against the practice of family-run businesses, prevalent
amongst the Asian businesses. These stem from the Confucian teaching of family filial
obedience and loyalty. On the other hand, we are seeing the abuses of professionally run
businesses in the West. All the financial scandals and abuses in the West are happening
in so-called businesses run by professional management.
There is no such thing as which is the best. The adoption of the best practices of either
one or a combination of both is the most appropriate action to take. The Western
medicine is the best for curing and treating a disease. The Eastern medicine is more
suitable for healing and recovery. The medical science is beginning to understand that
the two stages, namely curing and healing are different. The best practices from both
Western and Eastern perspectives are the most appropriate prescriptions.
