Janet Olson, CFA, is an analyst at Quantech Associates. Olson attended a conference at which Brian Wright presented several proprietary computerized spreadsheets that he had developed to value high-tech stocks. While at the conference, Olson copied the spreadsheets without Wright’s knowledge. Later, Olson made several minor changes to Wright’s initial model. After testing the revised model, Olson was impressed with the results. As inputs for the model, she used factual materials supplied by Moody’s Investors Service, a recognized financial and statistical reporting service. Olson wrote a research report describing the revised model and its results and distributed the report to Quantech’s clients. According to CFA Institute Standards of Professional Conduct, which of the following actions is Olson required to take? Olson is:
A) |
required to seek authorization from Wright to copy the spreadsheets and acknowledge Wright for developing the initial model and Moody's Investors Service as the source of the data. | |
B) |
required to acknowledge Moody's Investors Service as the source of the data but is not required to seek authorization from Wright to copy the spreadsheets or to acknowledge Wright for developing the initial model. | |
C) |
required to seek the authorization from Wright to copy the spreadsheets, acknowledge Wright for developing the initial model but is not required to acknowledge Moody's Investors Service as the source of the data. | |
To comply with Standard I(C) Misrepresentation, Olson should have gotten the authorization from Wright to copy the spreadsheets. The prohibition against plagiarism requires that Olson identify Wright as the source of the initial model. However, the Standard permits publishing factual information from Moody's Investors Service without acknowledgment because Moody's is recognized as a source of factual materials. |