Biotechnology & Genetic Organisms: The Monsanto Company (Case Study Sample)

The Monsanto case1
Name
Institution
Issues
The Monsanto Company specializes in biotechnology or rather the manipulation of genetic organisms. With a record of over $15.9 billion sales, The Monsanto company is deemed as largest seed company in the world. The Monsanto company has skilled personnel in all the fields e.g. research, manufacturing, law and the agricultural sector who have significantly contributed to this reputation in this great company. Scientists incorporated in the Monsanto company spent lots of time in the last few decades in the exclusive modification of crops. The process of adjustment was greatly done through the insertion of new genes or adapting the genes that existed within the plant seeds. The primary objective was attaining higher crop yields, insect resistance crops, and disease resistance crops ("Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association et al. v Monsanto Company and Monsanto Technology LLC", 2011). The type of crops developed by the Monsanto Company ae genetically engineered hence they can survive lengthy drought periods and kill the invasive insects in existence. The genetically modified crops can as well ward off weeds that deter crops growth
The Monsanto Company faces various issues about their products and the codes of moral principles and values that govern the company on the legal and illegal activities carried out. First, the company sues farmers for saving their seeds after the harvest time. Farmers carry out this act with great intentions of cost saving since some them have no financial resources of buying the seeds or even settling the cases that are made against them. The Monsanto company has the full dedication to agriculture; the company is committed to the success of farmers who are their clients. The company is faced with various critics on their products like in the case where the health implications of the genetically engineered food may not be known for the coming years. The stakeholders contend that adequate standards have not been created towards the determination of the safety of biotech crops. Some geneticists believe that the splicing of these genes into seeds could create small changes that might cause an adverse impression on the health of humans and animals that consume them. The company is faced with a dilemma since it is expected to work extra hard to make deliveries of products that meet their needs and expectations and at the same time make profits.
Analysis
In this context, Leeds School Model for Values-Based Decision Making is an important model that can contribute significantly to solving the dilemma of the Monsanto company. In approaching the dilemma, the Monsanto Company could define the difficulty as previously detailed explained in the above section of this paper and continuously seek the alternative for resolving the highlighted problems using the Leeds Model of ethical decision-making steps. About the various choices of action offered by the model, then the possible right thing would be considered. The selection of the best work should be chosen with basis on analysis and emphasis on the right course of the measure. The decision made on the selected action gets communicated, and finally, the reflections on the decision achieved in the mode of approaching the dilemma are made (Brookes & Barfoot, 2016). This type of decision making involves making an analysis on the way of life and making detailed considerations in the mode of life of the individuals. The design incorporates choices and decision-making situations which are evident that the people are faced with a necessity to accept the responsibility for their actions. The Leeds decision model purposefully acts in the changing conditions, especially in the case where they have to contemplate about the forecast of the needs, requirements, and actions of their clients in the future.
The stakeholders of the Monsanto company include; the laboratory based St. Louis that gives tours to farmers, where they are shown the technologies of various equipment, e.g., a machine like corn chipper which picks up seeds and removes genetic material from them. That material is analyzed to see how well the seed will grow when planted under various conditions. After analysis, Monsanto company sell the best seeds to the farmers for planting ("Monsanto Company, Monsanto Technology LLC, and Dekalb Genetics Corp. v. Syngenta Seeds, Inc. et al. (2006-1472)", 2007). The stakeholders have significant concern about the quality of the products and have great concern about the safety of the Genetically modified seeds. The government, the farmers and the consumers of the Genetically engineered crops and seeds across the globe are the other stakeholders of Monsanto Company (Brookes & Barfoot, 2016).
Various approaches that can be undertaken by the Monsanto to solve the difficulties. The procedures include Utilitarianism a theory that an individual or an organization about what they ought to do and continually states that the best action to be used when making decisions is the approach that maximizes on the utilities. According to this theory, the only standards of any right or wrong are the consequences of the action taken. The deontology theory is a normative ethical theory that judges the moral value of an of an accomplishment based on the movement's adherence to the set rules. The deontology theory is also referred to as the obligation of duty...