1. What are the relevant Facts?
2. What are the ethical Issues?
3. Offer your opinion on what actions should be taken (at least 2-3 paragraphs)
Greg is in his second month of employment with XYZ Marketing Research. The firm is a
large, well-known, highly respected, very successful supplier of marketing research its
clients include major companies in many different industries throughout the world Routine
procedure is for Ms. Jordon and Mr. Collins to secure business in the form of research
projects. Each project ends with an analyst preparing a written report with marketing
strategy recommendations based on his/her interpretation of the data. This report is given
to Elizabeth who gives it to Ms. Jordon and Mr. Collins who then deliver the written report,
complete with a verbal presentation, to the client Projects are assigned to one of the 16
research analysts by Elizabeth, depending on the workloads of the different analysts. Given
the volume of projects and the similarity of most projects, different analysts usually work
on different parts of a project. For example, different analysts are used to plan the sample,
construct the questionnaire, and interpret the data Data collection and computer
processing of data are conducted by separate companies contracted with the XYZ
Marketing Research company
Greg's responsibilities are to interpret the data and write a report with marketing strategy
recommendations. He has completed about 20 such projects, for which the co-owners
have praised his work. On Wednesday afternoon he completed this project. Following
regular procedures, he gave the completed report to Elizabeth to give to Ms. Jordon and Mi
Collins. Thursday morning when Greg arrived at work, he found the original computer data
printouts by his door with numerous numbers in the tables changed with red ink There was
also a note to see Elizabeth
Elizabeth explained that Mr. Collins thought the findings would have been different and th:
the client would probably not agree with the actual findings and related recommendations
He has therefore taken "research license and changed a few numbers in the computer
data printouts. Now he wants you (Greg) to rewrite your report accordingly. Elizabeth
explained that since clients are provided with a copy of these summary printout sheets, s
has called the outside computer firm to send new printouts with the revised numbers.