Chapter 5, Problem 20CADQ

A friend comes to you with the following problem. “I provided my boss a cost equation using regression analysis. He was unhappy with the results. He told me to do more work and not return until I had a lower cost estimate for one of the variables—the number of machine-hours. My initial analysis covered the last 36 months (proving 36 observations). By dropping four months in which the relation between costs and machine-hours was very high, I was able to get a lower cost estimate for machine-hours. My boss was happy with my new results. Do you think that what I did was unethical?” How would you respond?