Ethical tensions in genetically modified food production and regulation

Business Ethics

"the High Cost of High-Tech Foods case"

The cost of high-tech food continues to arouse debates over the ethical, moral, and practical impacts the foods have on the people, market, and economy. However, it is evident that the proponents and opponents of the motion do not seem to come to agreement as each holds their view right. The situation worsens due to the application of emotions in addressing the matter at hand. Evaluating the case in "The High Cost of High-Tech Foods" presents various ethical aspects arising about the subject of genetically modified food.

The opponents to the GMO present the case that the proponents are not honest in telling people the truth over the effects of the GMO. Thus, the first issue is honesty. Secondly, there is the legal issue of ethics arising in the concept. The legal issue claims that the proponents of the high tech foods do not meet the legal responsibility of ensuring safety for the consumers of their products (Carroll & Buchholtz, 2012). Additionally, the legal responsibility also emerges from the perspective that the GMO are not safety compliant. On the converse, the ethical issue arises in the aspect that the opponents are not fair. They are acting without basing their arguments on scientific research, hence unfair to the GMO proponents.

In my view, none of the groups is wrong. The proponents of genetically engineered foods have the corporate responsibility to act in fairness and ensure compliance to safety regulations, without exploiting the consumers. Additionally, they do not act in integrity, a principle in business ethics that wins the trust of the public. Similarly, the opponents of the proposed high tech foods have a basis for their argument, although they do not have the scientific prove. They argue on the aspect that the foods bring harm to the consumers, hence are not safety compliant. This way, they are right as business ethics dictate that a business must meet the legal and social responsibilities requirements in the product they launch. Therefore, both sides have equally sustainable arguments. In my view, the two sides can bridge the argument in this aspect. The procedure to employ in presenting the debate and arriving at a conclusive agreement is to take a joint stand, and do the scientific examination of the foods. This way, they both will see the impacts associated and consequently, settle on whether to allow the high tech foods or not allow them.

The GMO presents a basic solution to the arising food insecurity in the world today. Therefore, in practical, economic, and social perspective, the product is essential. If I was creating, the public policy for GMO, I recommend that the seeds undergo proper testing in the government lab to ensure safety and compliance to the legal standards of hybrid seeds. Therefore, the policy would mitigate the issue by ensuring the seeds are more like hybrid, rather than the current from which is raising controversial arguments. The process of establishing hybrid seeds entails taking the desirable characters in some seed species and grafting them into the other seed with quality features, making the seeds more productive, resistant to challenges of seed germination, and budding. Therefore, the hybrid seeds do not present negative aspects as is the case with the genetically modified foods.

Summary of the article

Globalization continues to effect changes in the technological, cultural, economic, and political entities of the world. The economic impact of the globalization process remains a contentious issue in relation to trade globalization and its outcome in alleviating poverty to facilitate equal opportunities in the world market (Veseth, 2013). The ethical issues in contention in the globalization of the economy are free trade and outsourcing. The anti-globalists present the opposing argument towards the activities taken by the forces of globalization, such as World Trade Organization among other regimes. The anti-globalists argue that the international institutions of trade, such as the World Bank undermine the sovereignty of the nation, making it beholden to transnational corporations. Moreover, multiculturalism interactions and immigrations lead to moral decline of the nation (Veseth, 2013). Therefore, the ethical issue in this regard is respect for the sovereignty of the poor nation, and moral decay due to international interactions through trade. The other argument presented by anti-globalists is that organizations such as World Trade Organization is undemocratic, and it is not compliant to environmental problems and labor conditions such as child labor and safety of working place of the people (Veseth, 2013). Therefore, the ethical issues relate to compliance to legal requirements of social responsibility by businesses. Additionally, trade globalization increases inequality and impoverishes the poor as the trade organizations only conduct the trade with the aim of enriching themselves. Therefore, they are not honest in their dealing.

Thus, in view of this article, the World Trade Organization and allied regimes present ethical issues that continue to make the poverty index in the underdeveloped and developing nations worse while the rich get richer. This furthers the aspect of marginalization of the poor nations. There is inequality in treatment and lack of democratic and fair conduct in the trade affairs (Veseth, 2013). It is essential for the world organizations to ensure they present equal treatment among the member nations. The policies in place governing the interaction relating to global trade and its involvement in managing poverty need reviewing and strict implementation. This way, they will make a common trading ground, which ensures fairness in competition and trade; thus, all countries growing equally in food sustainability, wealth, and happiness.

Module Two, Question 1 "Promise vs. Lie"

It is a common occurrence to find conflicting principles in implementing business ethics. This is the case with the "Promise vs. Lie" case, where the student worker has a dilemma to choose whether to stay true to her friend or to the truth (Carroll & Buchholtz, 2012). The principles of ethics in question are loyalty, keeping promise, concern for others and honesty. The student has ethical dilemma as he is lying. However, the student is lying because he has care and concern for her friend, in addition to wanting to stay, true to her promise. The manager has the responsibility to act in loyalty to the business expectations; thus, it is only fair he establish the truth from the student worker. Therefore, in essence, the person facing the dilemma in the case is the student worker.

Response to the student

The principles in conflict present the student with two controversial choices. Nonetheless, the question is, what the effect would be if he told the manager the truth. The truth is they would jeopardize the position and situation of their friend, yet not change a thing as the situation already happened. Therefore, it is only fair that the student worker tells the truth to the manager and leaves the friend to handle the issue with the manager. This is because, in business ethics the priority is the goals of the business and not the personal interests of the workers, especially if they act in a manner contrary to the guidelines of the business as the student worker and the friend did.

Module Two, Question 2 ethical principle applicable to me

The golden rule does state that one should do to others, as they would want them to do to them. Therefore, this rule presents a holistic approach to all the principles of business ethics. A good deed bears another; thus, this principle is multidimensional in practice. A person, who has a vision of engaging in human resources like me, has to ensure they cultivate a principle that will enable them to relate with other people with much ease. Therefore, in view of this principle, I am assured I will not ask other people to engage in actions and activities that I personally deem to be against my beliefs. It also allows treatment of others with fairness, respect, loyalty, consideration and staying complaint to legal and other social responsibilities. Therefore, the golden rule, in essence encompasses all other principles of ethics in business. It facilitates the grounds for engaging successfully with the people one interacts and staying true to the objectives and goals of the organization, without compromising. This principle would also help me to align personal goals to those of the organization; thus, avoiding conflicts at work environment.

Response to the student

The employees violate the responsibility entrenched in the golden rule, in which they collude to lie to the customers. They should assume that they were the customers and evaluate themselves if they would be happy with someone else lying to them willingly. Thus, both the supervisors and employees are not honest and fair in their actions they violate the principles of business ethics. Additionally, the company is using dishonest and unfair procedures to get their things sold. This does not meet the legal responsibility of business to act in fairness and consideration to the customers. The company is not loyal to its customers. Thus, this case tramples upon the principles of the golden rule, the organization ethic, professional ethic and implements the principle that 'might equals right' negatively.

Practical Application: ethics guide "check list" for my business setting

In business and most organizations types, the procedure of maintaining the value of the company is a responsibility of all people, the officers, employees, board, and executives. It is their role to foster ethical behavior and each of them are a role model to the fellow employee in doing the right thing. However, before the responsibility befalls all the stakeholders in the company, the construction process presents an opportunity for the owner to lay structures and guidelines for the expected ethical conduct in the operations of the company. The guidelines for my company will entail the following principles of business ethics.

The first principle is to ensure that people engage the golden rule, in which everyone will act in consideration to the other. The principle will define the engagements between the personnel in the company. The second principle to employ is respect. This ethic will ensure that the company exists in peace, as respect among the employees will facilitate healthy relationships among the workers. The third principle for my company is responsibility. The goal of every organization is to achieve results, thus, with every employee taking responsibility, as well as the company taking its social and legal responsibilities, then this will guide the company towards success in the micro and macro environments.

The fourth principle to foster in my organization is fairness and honesty. The fairness and honesty expectation apply across many organizations. Thus, borrowing from these organizations, this principle covers many aspects of the business engagements. The fairness and honesty ethic will govern the interactions between the employees, the employees and supervisors, executives, and the business and the customers. These relationships exist within the company, and it is essential to ensure their execution in an open manner to avoid unnecessary confrontations and build loyalty both in customers and employees. The fifth principle is abiding to the law. The business will not operate in vacuum; thus, it is my responsibility to ensure the company abides to the rules and regulations governing operations of my company in the place of operation.

The last ethics principle to employ in my company is trustworthiness. This principle overrides all others as everyone has the obligation to make the right decision. This is a difficult principle, as most times people face situations in which it is easy to make a decision, but the challenge comes in ensuring that it is the right decision. Therefore, this principle will focus on ensuring the employees and officers in position of leadership conduct themselves in a manner that shows all the other principles I include in the ethics principles lists.

In establishing these guides for my company, I consider the setting of the company, which entails that it is in highly competitive service industry. The company, which will deal in the hotel industry services, will have challenges in establishing effective customer relations and building loyalty in the customers. Therefore, these principles aim at winning the trust of the customers, and consequently retaining them for effective business operation. The questions guiding the ethics include, what relations the customers would have with the business, what relationship will exists between the workers and management and the conduct of the business with regard to the laws and regulations of the country. Therefore, the guidelines in place will guide the operations of the company to greater heights of success.