Biznesowe aspekty funkcjonowania chińskich klinik poporodowych – analiza socjologiczno-ekonomiczna

The tradition of ‘sitting the month’ derived from China is still a practiced custom to have a postpartum month after childbirth. Traditional rules applicable in a postpartum period were to help women rejuvenate their bodies after childbirth, to restore the balance of the body and ensure its future health. Today’s intensive economic development of China along with the increase in Chinese people’s savings contributes to creating a special and sophisticated offer for affluent social groups. An example of such an offer are postnatal clinics designed for wealthy Chinese women who want to have their postnatal period in accordance with traditional practices. The objective of this article is to show the business aspects of Chinese contemporary postnatal clinics and attempt to answer the question on how modern postnatal clinics combine tradition with modernity to make life easier for mothers, and to what extent they are another idea for doing business. The article addresses the major factors of the demographic and economic environment, which may have an impact on the prosperity of society and on the development of the market of postnatal clinics in the region. It also presents the essence of traditional postpartum practices in China. Offers of services to mothers and their children from fortysix clinics from Taipei in Taiwan were also analysed. It turns out that postnatal clinics are a phenomenon that could occur only within the Asian community. It is a product, which is very well inscribed in the Asian mentality and cannot be transferred to any another, such as, for instance, to the European mentality. Its future is limited to the Asian markets, or, possibly, to countries which have a Chinese diaspora on their territory. Over time, along with the spread of this traditional practice with a modern twist, the number of postnatal clinics can grow, which can translate into lower prices, a worse quality and a narrower range of services offered.

REFERENCES:

• Attané, I. (2012). Tam gdzie dzieci są luksusem. Chiny wobec katastrofy demograficznej. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Studio Emka.
• Bao, Wei, Ma, Aiguo i in. (2010). Diet and Lifestyle Interventions in Postpartum Women in China: Study Design and Rationale of a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. BMC Public Health, 103 (10). Pobrane z: http://www.biomedcentral.com/14712458/10/103. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471245810103.
• Cheung, N.F. (1997). Chinese zuoyuezi (Sitting in for the First Month of the Postnatal Period in Scotland). Midwifery, 13, s. 55–65. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S02666138(97)900577.
• Ge, S., Yang, D.T., Zhang, J. (2012). Population Policies, Demographic Structural Changes, and the Chinese Household Saving Puzzle. IZA Discussion Paper 7026. Pobrane z: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2186804.
• International Monetary Fund (2013). World economic outlook: hopes, realities, risk. World Economic and Financial Surveys. Pobrane z: http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2013/01/pdf/text.pdf.
• Ji, Wei. (2008). Tujie Zhongguo guosu (Obrazowe objaśnienie chińskich zwyczajów narodowych). Xi’an: Shanxi shi Fandaxue chubanshe.
• Lee, P.F. (2011). In Queens, New Mothers and an Old Asian Custom. The New York Times, June 3. Pobrane z: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/05/nyregion/bringinganasiantraditionfornewmotherstonewyork.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0.
• Liu, Nian, Mao, Limei i in. (2006). Postpartum Practices of Puerperal Women and their Influencing Factors in Three Regions of Hubei. China. BMC Public Health, 274 (6). Pobrane z: http://www.biomedcentral.com/14712458/6/274.
• Raven, J.H., Chen Qiyan, Tolhurst R.J., Garner P. (2007). Traditional Beliefs and Practices in the Postpartum Period in Fujian Province. China: a Qualitative Study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 8 (7). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471239378.
• Ren, Cheng. (2005). Zhongguo minzu tongzhi. Jinjizhi (Zbiór zwyczajów chińskich. Zbiór zakazów). Jinnan: Shandong jiaoyu chubanshe.
• Sanjuan, Th. (2009). Leksykon wiedzy o Chinach współczesnych. Warszawa: Dialog.
• Schuhmacher, S., Woerner, G. (1997). Encyklopedia mądrości Wschodu. Buddyzm. Hinduizm. Taoizm. Zen. Warszawa: Warszawski Dom Wydawniczy.
• United Nations (2009). World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision, Highlights. Departament of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Working Paper No. ESA/P/WP.210. Pobrane z: http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2008/wpp2008_highlights.pdf.
• Westley, S., Mason, A. (2002). Asia’s Aging Population. The Future of Population in Asia. Research Program, Population and Health Studies. Honolulu: EastWest Center.
• Wang, Hongyi. (2013). Postnatal care centers’ popularity booms. China Daily, February 26. Pobrane z: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/201302/26/content_16258718.htm.