Author(s)

Rafaela Di Sabato Guerrante, Adelaide Maria de Souza Antunes, Nei Pereira Jr.

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Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro,Brazil.

The present article aims to present the trajectory of the Monsanto company in light of the main concepts and theories of Chandler, Penrose, Greiner and Fleck related to the growth dynamic of organizations. The analysis of the company’s history from its foundation in 1901 to 2008 allows for the identification of recurring behaviors essential to its trajectory of continuous growth, and offer proof of its propensity to self-perpetuate. The company’s organizational restructurings, decentralization of power, frequent diversification into related areas (foods, pharmaceuticals and genetically modified seeds), acquisition of, or forming of, joint ventures with companies already active in target markets, purchase of technological packages, contracting personnel specialized in areas of interest, long-term planning, use of the versatility and ambition of its leaders in the allocation of idle resources and services, amongst other activities, are hallmarks and characteristics of the journey of Monsanto.

Monsanto, Trajectory, Growth, Firm, Restructuring, Diversification

Guerrante, R. , Antunes, A. and Pereira Jr., N. (2010) An Analysis of the Growth Trajectory of Monsanto. iBusiness, 2, 223-231. doi: 10.4236/ib.2010.23028.