Alternative Medicine Essays (2087 words) - Alternative Medicine

Alternative Medicine Alternative Medicine by Joe Grodjesk Sociology Of Medicine Professor Buban May 5, 2001 Alternative Medicine Throughout recorded history, people of various cultures have relied on what Western medical practitioners today call alternative medicine. The term alternative medicine covers a broad range of healing philosophies, approaches, and therapies. It generally describes those treatments and health care practices that are outside mainstream Western health care. People use these treatments and therapies in a variety of ways. Alternative therapies used alone are often referred to as alternative; when used in combination with other alternative therapies, or in addition to conventional therapies they are referred to as complementary. Some therapies are far outside the realm of accepted Western medical theory and practice, but some, like chiropractic treatments, are now established in mainstream medicine. Worldwide, only an estimated ten to thirty percent of human health care is delivered by conventional, biomedically-oriented practitioners (Fields of Practice). The remaining seventy to ninety percent ranges from self-care according to folk principles, to care given in an organized health care system based on alternative therapies (Fields of Practice). Many cultures have folk medicine traditions that include the use of plants and plant products. In ancient cultures, people methodically collected information on herbs and developed well-defined herbal pharmacopoeias. Indeed, well into the twentieth century much of the pharmacology of scientific medicine was derived from the herbal lore of native peoples. Many drugs commonly used today are of herbal origin: one-quarter of the prescription drugs dispensed by community pharmacies in the United States contain at least one active ingredient derived from plant material (Fields of Practice). Twenty years ago, few physicians would have advised patients to take folic acid to prevent birth defects, vitamin E to promote a healthy heart, or vitamin C to bolster their immune systems. Yet today, doctor and patient alike know of the lifesaving benefits of these vitamins. Twenty years ago, acupuncture, guided imagery, and therapeutic touch were considered outright quackery. Now, however, in clinics and hospitals around the country, non-traditional therapies are gaining wider acceptance as testimonials and studies report success using them to treat such chronic maladies as back pain and arthritis. The number of people availing themselves of these alternative therapies is staggering. In 1991 about twenty-one million Americans made four hundred and twenty-five million visits to practitioners of these types of alternative medicine; more than the estimated three hundred and eighty-eight million visits made to general practitioners that year (Apostolides). The U.S. Department of Education has accredited more than twenty acupuncture schools and more than thirty medical schools now offer courses in acupuncture (Lombardo; Smith). As the number of Western medical institutions researching alternative therapies increases, the legitimacy of at least some alternative therapies will also increase. Does all this recent medical establishment attention mean that the non-conventional therapies really work? Critics say a definitive scientific answer must await well-designed experiments involving many patients. Up to now, most of the studies have relied on personal observation and anecdotal testimony from satisfied patients. The official position of the American Medical Association (A.M.A.)--alternative medicine's chief critic--is that a patient's improvement or recovery after alternative treatment might just as well be incidental to the action taken. This may be true for scientists and researchers, but the fact is that the people seeking alternative treatments disagree. The solution is obvious: more research needs to be conducted. Some alternative treatments, such as acupuncture and herbal medicine, have impressive histories dating back thousands of years. In America, professional and public interest in the field of alternative care has grown to such an extent that, in 1992, the U.S. government established the Office of Alternative Medicine (OAM) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Its mission is to speed the discovery, development, and validation of potential treatments to complement our current healthcare system. One of the OAM's first tasks was to develop a classification system for the dozens of various therapies and practices. The systems of alternative medical practice the OAM has classified so far share many common therapeutic techniques. Traditional oriental medicine and naturopathic medicine, for example, both use herbal remedies, acupuncture, and mind/body control. However, some alternative systems, such as environmental medicine and homeopathic medicine are distinct and separate. Followi ng are some the more popular alternative therapies Americans use. Acupuncture Acupuncture is an

Organizational Culture Analysis Manager at Walmart

Organizational Culture Analysis Manager at Walmart Modern globalization has affected organizational culture greatly. Nowadays, people from different countries have an opportunity to work abroad. Of course, some specific difficulties may appear. It is essential to consider the organizational structure and culture before applying to the company position as there are several factors which may affect human behavior. Speaking about organizational culture it may be defined as follows.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Culture Analysis: Manager at Walmart specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Organizational culture is â€Å"the set of shared, taken-for-granted implicit assumptions that a group holds and that determines how it perceives, thinks about, and reacts to its various environments† (Kinicki, Kreitner, 2006). Employees’ behavior depends on the organizational culture. Working as a manager in Walmart, I noticed the importance of the issue. Observ able Artifacts Each organizational culture consists of the following layers, observable artifacts, espoused values, and enacted values. Observable artifacts are the visible aspects of the corporate culture which may be considered by everyone who wants to get to know more about the company (Kinicki, Kreitner, 2006). As for Walmart, people are able to check the corporate vales of the company at its website which states that Walmart cares for the services offered to the customers, respects each individual, and strives for excellence. Moreover, observable artifacts of the organizational culture are the stories of success of separate people and of the particular stores. Decorations, dress and even advertising are the observable artifacts of the company. Looking at the staff it is possible to understand that the company image is rather high, and the observable artifacts are on the level. Espoused Values Espoused values are the values which â€Å"are expressed on behalf of the organizati on or attributed to an organization by its senior managers in public statements† (Khandelwal, Mohendra, 2010) but they are distinct from the really practiced ones. One of the main purposes of such values is to create a specific image of the company, still, without the intention to realize the mentioned facilities in practice. There are may be a lot of reasons why companies refer to such strategies. Speaking about Walmart, I managed to notice the following espoused values which were not realized but which were substituted with the specific practices. Thus, declaring about the company customer obsession Walmart practiced communication skills as the substitution. The place of innovation and creativity was substituted with mere innovation which is a common practice in all organization. Declaring the desire to openness and learning, the top managers of the store stressed on hardworking. Enacted Values Enacted values, contrary to espoused vales, are the norms which are practiced in the corporation in reality. Thus, it does not matter how the company wants to look like and which norms it proclaims, the enacted values are specifically the issues the company peruses (Phillips, Gully, 2011).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Speaking about Walmart, the staff is to follow particular rules and norms of behavior, for example, the discipline is followed there greatly. The company has specific corporate traditions, such as celebration of the employee’s birthdays and particular attention to the customers who have chosen the store. Therefore, it should be concluded that each company has three layers of values which may be expressed in various forms and with peculiar power. Thus, some companies may have more enacted values (such as Walmart) and others may refer more to the espoused ones. Reference List Khandelwal, K. A., Mohendra, N. (2010). Espo used organizational values, vision, and corporate social responsibility: Does it Matter to organizational members? Vikalpa, 35(3), 19-37. Kinicki, A., Kreitner, R. (2006). Organizational Behavior: Key Concepts, Skills Best Practices, 4/e. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Phillips, J. M., Gully, S. M. (2011). Organizational Behavior: Tools for Success. Stamford: Cengage Learning.