Genetically Modified Organism and Monsanto Company
Case Analysis #1: Monsanto
In 1901, John F. Queeny started the original Monsanto, which was named after his wife, Olga Monsanto Queeny. It was originally created to make artificial food additives such as sweetener saccharine, coca- cola caffeine extract and vanillin. After being renamed a few times, it settled with the name “The Monsanto Company” in 1964. During the 1970s, the company produced a “major legal snare” p.303 known as Agent Orange. This was used in the Vietnam War to “quickly deforest the thick Vietnamese jungles”. p.303 Agent Orange contained Dioxin, which was found to be extremely carcinogenic. In 1979, a lawsuit was filed but the company agreed to settle for $180 million.
Around the beginning of 1975, Monsanto shifted its focus to biotechnology and introduced genetically modified plant cells. It switched its emphasis from chemicals to food.
Now, the Monsanto Company is the world’s largest seed company. Because the company is so big, there are multiple problems to be dealt with. Environmental concerns would be one of the major issues. Since the GMO is something new, no one can assure future consequences. Another thing would be the organizational ethical issue.
“Bribery presents a dilemma to multinational corporations because different countries have different perspectives on it.” P.308 Since the Monsanto Company is quite a large company with workers and staffs that have different personalities and traits. We never actually know exactly what is going on within the company. Some people might think that the easiest way out is to use money.
“Like most businesses, Monsanto wants to patent its product.” P.308 Monsanto wants the farmers to buy their crop every year instead of reusing it. Because that’s the only way for the company to actually profit from this and their willing to file lawsuits against those who aren’t willing to compromise.
There are some things that could have been done differently about this case. Like instead of
In 1901, John F. Queeny started the original Monsanto, which was named after his wife, Olga Monsanto Queeny. It was originally created to make artificial food additives such as sweetener saccharine, coca- cola caffeine extract and vanillin. After being renamed a few times, it settled with the name “The Monsanto Company” in 1964. During the 1970s, the company produced a “major legal snare” p.303 known as Agent Orange. This was used in the Vietnam War to “quickly deforest the thick Vietnamese jungles”. p.303 Agent Orange contained Dioxin, which was found to be extremely carcinogenic. In 1979, a lawsuit was filed but the company agreed to settle for $180 million.
Around the beginning of 1975, Monsanto shifted its focus to biotechnology and introduced genetically modified plant cells. It switched its emphasis from chemicals to food.
Now, the Monsanto Company is the world’s largest seed company. Because the company is so big, there are multiple problems to be dealt with. Environmental concerns would be one of the major issues. Since the GMO is something new, no one can assure future consequences. Another thing would be the organizational ethical issue.
“Bribery presents a dilemma to multinational corporations because different countries have different perspectives on it.” P.308 Since the Monsanto Company is quite a large company with workers and staffs that have different personalities and traits. We never actually know exactly what is going on within the company. Some people might think that the easiest way out is to use money.
“Like most businesses, Monsanto wants to patent its product.” P.308 Monsanto wants the farmers to buy their crop every year instead of reusing it. Because that’s the only way for the company to actually profit from this and their willing to file lawsuits against those who aren’t willing to compromise.
There are some things that could have been done differently about this case. Like instead of