Case Study: Monsanto Attempts to Balance Stakeholder Interests

Case Study: “Monsanto Attempts to Balance Stakeholder Interests”

1. Does Monsanto maintain an ethical culture that can effectively respond to various stakeholders?

The Monsanto company has not maintained an ethical culture of which its stakeholders would approve. This is owed to the fact that the corporation has not even come clean about the negative affects that their products could have on the people and animals that consume their products on a regular basis. The Monsanto company has deliberately kept quiet about the risks that are involved with the usage of their products but have always been sure to publicize the benefits that their products create. In turn, this has ruined the Monsanto company’s reputation, making it extremely hard for anyone to trust the entity, including all of its stakeholders.

2. Compare the benefits of growing GMO seeds for crops with the potential negative consequences of using them.

The genetically modified seeds that the Monsanto company markets benefits the farmers who have the tendency to use them. For instance, Monsanto’s genetically modified seeds allow farmers to effectively plan during their harvesting seasons. The company’s genetically modified seeds are made with their own supply of pesticides that ward off predators that are known to desecrate a farmer’s crop yield. Having this barrier to protect their crops from being eaten by predators, farmers are presented with a little bit more security than when they use regular seeds. Another benefit that the genetically modified seeds provide the farmers who use them are the amount of space that is required to cultivate such plants that extend from the genetically modified seeds. Unlike that of traditional seeds, the genetically modified seeds do not require a tremendous amount of yardage for a farmer to grow his or her own crops. In addition, such genetically modified seeds do not require perfect weather conditions in order to work. Typically, farmers need the sun and ample amounts of rain in order for their seeds to produce a sufficient amount of crops so that they could support themselves. Thanks to the composition of which the genetically modified seeds are made, farmers could make money all year-round, in spite of their settings and/or climates.

But in spite of all of the benefits that the Monsanto company’s seeds provide farmers, the corporation’s seeds are known to injure the health of those who consume them. The chemicals and pesticides that the Monsanto seeds are laced with have been known to sicken the people and animals that ingest the products. 

3. How should Monsanto manage the potential harm to plant and animal life from using products such as Roundup?

It is important for the Monsanto company to manage the potential harm that is likely to occur within the plants and animals who consume the company’s Roundup product by informing the public of all of the side effects that have the ability to arise. Up until this point in time, the company has been looked down upon due to the fact that they continue to fail to inform the general public of the consequences of using the products that it sells and endorses. Coming clean about these projected side effects could ultimately improve the reputation that the Monsanto company has with the general public along with its stakeholders.