PETA's Kentucky-Fried Cruelty, Inc. Campaign Case Solution

2. State and explain the case problem

The case explains the campaign of PETA to stop cruelty being inflicted in chicken which is used by the fast-food chain KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) for the process of food manufacture. PETA is utilizing various tools of mass communication to put maximum pressure on KFC to stop the organization from torturing chickens in the process of food production. 

Throughout the world, KFC suppliers cram birds into large sheds, fattening them artificially filled up with drugs, so that they cannot even walk, and eventually, they break legs and wings. At the slaughterhouse, these birds are slaughtered and immersed in tanks of boiling water while they are fully aware. Legs and wings of chickens break because the birds are driven to obesity and farm personnel throw them unceremoniously into cages and crates. The birds are slaughtered and immersed in tanks of boiling water to be plucked, and this while they are still conscious and able to feel pain. 

The objective of the campaign is to influence KFC to stop torturing chickens. The action is intended to remind the public that millions of chickens continue to be mistreated in factory farms operated by KFC. KFC is under criticism from animal welfare groups since the information has become public that the conditions under which live chickens used for this fast food are driven by the objective of the company to incur low costs.

While animal advocates are fighting to improve the condition of animal life in the process of farming, KFC actually covers a serious abuse of thousands of chickens whose quality is to be sensitive and are totally denied their birth to death. The pursuit of profit at any cost and non-compliance with animal welfare are all ingredients that comprise of the meal offered by KFC to the consumers and PETA’s effort to influence KFC has only been moderately successful.

3. Why is this problem important?

The issue of animal cruelty is important because the need for avoidance of suffering to animals is the same as those of beings humans. It is imperative that animals should no longer be regarded as objects that can be owned or used, rather they should be regarded as members of the human community which deserves to be treated with compassion. Animals are dependent on humans since they do not have the capacity to sign a social contract or make moral choices. Therefore, they must be considered to have moral rights. It is inherently not bad to use animals for food, entertainment, or research, however, humans do have an obligation to ensure that animals do not suffer unnecessarily due to human intervention. Sanctity of life is important, be it is a life of an animal or a man. 

The resolution of this problem is highly important because animal abuse is widespread in the form of food production and the majority of the population tends to be reluctant to see the brutality of it and leave the pervasive conditioning that makes such atrocities possible. The atrocities to which animals are subjected include intensive confinement, forced insemination, separation of mother and child, castration, dehorning and de-beaking. All these horrible processes exist because a growing number of human consumers continue to create demand for products of animal origin. Each of these aforementioned practices must be abolished; it would still be immoral and inexcusable to use other sentient beings as resources. In today's world, the vegan alternatives are available for every important case for which one currently uses animals. 

The importance of this problem is also caused by potential health problems that can be initiated by the use of animals for food which has been mistreated during their breeding process. Medical professionals are beginning to realize that not only such diets are nutritionally incomplete, but they are actually quite toxic for intake in the human body. In addition to the public begins to realize that many of the major dangers associated with food - cardiac disorders, cancers, stroke, obesity, diabetes, and many, many others - are exacerbated by the consumption of products of animal origin, and can actually be avoided by creating more humane processes for utilizing animals in food chain.

4. Who does the problem affect?

The problem affects the animals which are subjected to cruel treatment during the process of breeding for being consumed for food production at KFC. It also affects advocates of animal rights movements who are perturbed by the cruel conditions to which these animals are exposed. Customers of KFC are also impacted directly from the above-mentioned problem because the harmful effects of consumption of this source of food on human health are incurred by these consumers.

5. Analyze the case from the perspective of a theory of organizational change

The theory of organizational change is highly pertinent in this case since the theory of organizational change refers to all tasks, measures, and activities that are required to implement new strategies, systems, processes and behaviors in an organization. Since the case requires that a change is needed to be adopted in the practice of processing animals by the subject organization, it is imperative to apply the theory of organizational change.