Plagiarizing a Dissertation Puts Trump Pick in Question

President-elect Trump's choice for the senior director of strategic communications for the National Security Council is Monica Crowley, a political commentator. Politico reviewed her dissertation in international relations from Columbia University and found multiple issues of using quotations with quotation marks, paraphrasing too closely, and missing citations.

The example shown here is one of twelve Politico questioned.

The Trump team is standing by their candidate: "Any attempt to discredit Monica is nothing more than a politically motivated attack that seeks to distract from the real issues facing this country." And Columbia University is trying to avoid the controversy, as a media representative told The Chronicle of Higher Ed:

"We have no comment on Monica Crowley's dissertation, which was submitted in 2000 and is publicly available. The university's process for addressing concerns raised about university research preserves the confidentiality of any review, and even the fact of a review's existence is confidential while it is underway. Columbia is committed to upholding the very highest standards of integrity and credibility in academic research."

CNN reports more than 50 instances of plagiarism in Crowley's 2012 book, What the (Bleep) Just Happened? In a statement, publisher HarperCollins said, "The book, which has reached the end of its natural sales cycle, will no longer be offered for purchase until such time as the author has the opportunity to source and revise the material."

Discussion: 

• Review the examples presented by Politico and CNN. What principles of documenting sources described in Chapter 10 are missed?
• Is this a big deal, or is the media overblowing the situation, as the Trump team believes? Does her potential position as the senior director of strategic communications influence your opinion?
• What should happen now? How should Crowley and the Trump team handle her pending position?

Snap Inc. May Have Falsified Metrics

As Snap Inc. plans for an IPO, a former employee says he was fired for trying to reveal falsified metrics. Anthony Pompliano claims he was terminated only three weeks into his tenure at Snap Inc. running the new user growth and engagement team. Pompliano also charges Snap Inc. with hiring him from Facebook to get proprietary information.

"We've reviewed the complaint. It has no merit. It is totally made up by a disgruntled former employee," said Mary Ritti, Snap's vice president of communications. The company also said Pompliano was fired because he was "incompetent" and "not adequately performing in his position." 

Pompliano's attorney said, "Snapchat's leadership saw Mr. Pompliano as an impediment to their planned IPO because he refused to turn a blind eye to Snapchat's misrepresentations." (Snapchat is the former name of Snap Inc.) The claim also charges Snap Inc. with damaging the former employee's reputation and ability to find new work.

Business Insider posted the entire court filing, but several pages are heavily redacted, like the one shown here. These darken parts may represent proprietary Snap Inc. information.

This isn't the first time Snapchat's integrity has been questioned. In 2014, the company settled a claim with the Federal Trade Commission that it exaggerated how easily images sent through the app disappear. The news led to many doubting the safety of sending personal images.

Discussion:

• In what ways could Snap Inc. exaggerate metrics to potential investors? What do you think is the issue here?
• How credible do you find Pompliano's claim? How can a judge decide such a claim?

JPMorgan Slide Needs Explanation

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon and others didn't understand a slide about the bank's strategy. Daniel Pinto, head of the corporate and investment bank, presented the slide to Dimon and others. According to Business Insider, Dimon said of the chart: "no one understood, including myself at the time."

The slide is part of a longer presentation about the corporate and investment banking division. In an interview with Business Insider, Pinto explains the chart:

"This is fully loaded ROE for all the business lines in fixed income. This is what we produce. This line is the cost of capital, and every single business, on a fully loaded basis, is delivering a return ahead of the cost of capital, except for commodities, which is going through a process of adjustment. The most important part is if you were to eliminate one of those, not all of the capital goes away, not all of the cost goes away, so essentially the marginal impact, the ROE you would lose by closing the business, is far higher than 15%. That's why, for me, the completeness is very important."

Discussion:

• To what extent does Pinto's explanation help you understand the chart?
• Should an executive use a chart that's difficult to understand intuitively? What should you consider in making this decision? Consider the audience, setting, etc.

Facebook Gets Serious About Fake News

Facebook is getting serious about addressing fake news on its site. The issue came to a head when an armed man fired a shot in a pizzeria, believing a story about Hillary Clinton ran a child sex ring there. 

First, Facebook is partnering with outside fact checkers ABC News, The Associated Press, FactCheck.org, Politifact, and Snopes, who will review a story identified as possibly untrue. Stories that don't pass muster will be flagged as "disputed," will show lower down on a newsfeed, and will carry another warning if people want to share it.

In a post on its website, Facebook explained the changes in text, with images from the app, and in this video.

Although Mark Zuckerberg has downplayed the issue as only 1% of Facebook posts, he clearly see the company's responsibility. He wrote a post of his own to explain how they're taking action, and the company's post ends, "It's important to us that the stories you see on Facebook are authentic and meaningful. We're excited about this progress, but we know there's more to be done. We're going to keep working on this problem for as long as it takes to get it right."

Image source.

Discussion:

• What's your view of this approach? Will these strategies work? What else, if anything, should they do?
• How well is Facebook communicating these changes? Review the blog post text, images, and video.

Mixed Conclusions in EPA Fracking Report

A CBS news article says the Environmental Protection Agency's latest report on fracking "raises more questions than answers." The report concludes, "EPA found scientific evidence that hydraulic fracturing activities can impact drinking water resources under some circumstances. The report identifies certain conditions under which impacts from hydraulic fracturing activities can be more frequent or severe."

However, the abstract also includes, "Data gaps and uncertainties limited EPA's ability to fully assess the potential impacts on drinking water resources locally and nationally. Because of these data gaps and uncertainties, it was not possible to fully characterize the severity of impacts, nor was it possible to calculate or estimate the national frequency of impacts on drinking water resources from activities in the hydraulic fracturing water cycle."

Although detailed conclusions may fall short, the agency is trying to make the message accessible by providing a few versions. The website provides a list of all communications related to the study. A fact sheet provides a visual of the fracking process and gives an overview of the findings and how the report can be used.

Discussion:

• Which principles from Chapter 10 in the text does the report follow? Which are not followed?
• How do you assess the findings? How does the report affect your thinking about fracking?
• To what extent do you find the fact sheet useful? How does it fall short?

Olive Oil Companies Sue Dr. Oz

Dr. Oz is in trouble again for possible false claims. The TV personality is featured in the textbook in Chapter 9 for promoting products without evidence that they work. Now, an olive oil trade association, North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA), is suing him for attacking the industry.

On his show, Dr. Oz said, "[A] shocking 80% of the extra virgin olive oil that you buy every day in your supermarket isn't the real deal," and "It may even be fake. Most of the olive oil in your pantry might be a scam." But Dr. Oz used taste tests, which Eryn Balch, a NAOOA representative said aren't an accurate way to determine product quality and purity.

A Forbes article explains the issue:

The problem with the study and its interpretation is twofold:  1) Sensory taste tests cannot detect purity and 2) The number of samples was small and hardly representative of the marketplace, testing only three specimens each of fourteen imported and five California brands. "It got misinterpreted, and it just spread," Balch said. Even the New York Times got it wrong, with an infographic claiming that 69% of all imported olive oils are "doctored," even though the Olive Center report showed no such thing. The Times eventually corrected its mistake but the damage was already done. "It's been five years now, and it's still spreading," Balch said.

Dr. Oz was most recently in the news because a group of doctors signed a petition to have him removed from his position at Columbia University Department of Surgery. He also made headlines for promoting a weight loss program without proven evidence. His impact is sometimes called the "Dr. Oz Effect" because his claims sell a lot of product.

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• Dr. Oz will fight the suit, of course. What claims and evidence will he use to make his case?
• What does it take to convince you to buy a new product or stop buying a product you have been using? Consider principles from Chapter 7 on persuasion: logical argument, emotional appeal, and credibility. To which do you most respond?

Starbucks Gets a New CEO

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz will become chairman of the company and leave the CEO job to Kevin Johnson, who has served as chief operating officer for the past two years. This is a big move for the company that Schultz bought in 1987 and led through tremendous growth since.

With the change, Schultz announced plans to open at least 20 Roastery premium coffee stories, which have been successful in Seattle. Schultz says the concept "has become widely recognized as the world's most immersive, coffee-forward retail experience."
In a news release and on a media conference call, Schultz says he'll shift his focus to retail innovation. Some speculate an interest in politics, but we'll see about that.

Johnson complimented Schultz on his leadership-to be expected during this type of transition:

I do want to acknowledge the obvious: Howard Schultz is among the world's most iconic leaders and entrepreneurs. I know Howard doesn't personally think of himself that way, but as his business partner and friend, I know this to be true. It is a privilege to work side-by-side with Howard. I have great confidence in our strategy, the partnership that we have developed, and the world-class talent we have assembled.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the decision is not based on data:

But the big bet is based solely on Mr. Schultz's instinct that it is the right thing to do. "There was no research," he said. Convincing his board and senior management team to create another brand wasn't easy.

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• Read the news release and media conference call script. What key messages do you take away?
  
• What's your view of the decision? Should Schultz have more data to justify the move, or are his instincts enough?
• The photo is a Starbucks Roastery store. What do you think of the design? Consider the target market.

Facebook's Fake News

Facebook has been displaying news according to users' preferences, which could override news that conflicts with their point of view. During the election, people saw fake stories that may have affected their vote. One frequent fake news writer bragged, "I think Trump is in the White House because of me. His followers don't fact-check anything - they'll post everything, believe anything."

BuzzFeed analyzed data from Facebook news stories and found that the top 20 fake election news stories outpaced shares, comments, and reaction to the top 20 legitimate election news stories. Although Mark Zuckerberg at first denied any connection between FB's fake stories and the election outcome, he later posted a plan for the social networking site to address fake news.

Zuckerberg posted, "[W]e don't want any hoaxes on Facebook." Still, he said, it's tough to distinguish fake news, and it's quite uncommon:

"Of all the content on Facebook, more than 99% of what people see is authentic. Only a very small amount is fake news and hoaxes. The hoaxes that do exist are not limited to one partisan view, or even to politics. Overall, this makes it extremely unlikely hoaxes changed the outcome of this election in one direction or the other."

This is a clever strategy, but the top 20 fake news stories got more than 8,711,000 shares, reactions, and comments, so it's not an insignificant number.

Melissa Zimdars, an assistant professor of communication and media at Merrimack College, compiled this list of ways to spot fake news.

In addition, a small group of students at a hackathon at Princeton University wrote FiB, which uses an algorithm to distinguish true and false news.

Discussion Starters:

• How do you assess news on Facebook or other social media sites?
• Have you ever posted something that you knew wasn't true? Why, and did you consider the potential consequences?
• Do you think fake news stories influenced the election? How?

Election Causes Emotions to Run High at Work

A Society for Human Resources (SHRM) survey found more "political volatility" at work than in previous election years. The rate is up from another SHRM survey conducted in June. Respondents said that employees are more concerned this year about the candidates and more vocal about their opinions.

This infographic summarizes the survey responses.

Politics are part of life, and perhaps this is just part of "bringing your whole self to work," which we discuss in Chapter 2 of the tenth edition. Or should we avoid talking about politics in the workplace?

Although these conversations may be uncomfortable, a Harvard Business Review article quotes Joseph Grenny, coauthor of Crucial Conversations:

"[Y]ou spend the majority of your waking hours with your colleagues, and so it's natural to "feel the need to process your thoughts and feelings" with them. In fact, he says, learning how to talk about politics in a productive manner can help you "manage other difficult conversations at work," including peer performance reviews or disagreements over strategy and policy. Politics is just another topic where "emotions run strong, the stakes are high, and opinions vary," he says.

The article suggests strategies for managing political discussions at work, for example, viewing them as an opportunity to learn more about each other, focusing on the process instead of a candidate, and knowing when to "disengage."

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view? Should we avoid talking about politics at work, or is it an opportunity for building a better team?
• Have you been in an awkward or frustrating situation with a coworker about a political situation? How did you handle it, and what did you learn?
• What do you think will happen after this year's election? Will we all go back to normal, or is that just wishful thinking?

Verizon's 2016 Fact Sheet

In addition to annual reports, many companies publish fact sheets-shorter, friendlier versions for financial and other company information. In Verizon's recent Fact Sheet, the company puts its message clearly up front: A clear purpose. A new identity. Verizon mentions the recent AOL acquisition, but it's too soon to include the bid for Yahoo.  

The company is clearly proud of its girth: big numbers are listed throughout the two pages. However, we have little context for the data. For example, $308 million was spent on training and development. Who benefited, and how was that money shared throughout the organization? Did senior managers attend executive MBA programs? Or was it spent on basic skills required for the company instead of developing more transferable skills? How does that compare to training investment at similar firms, etc.?

Discussion Starters:

• Looking at the Fact Sheet, what other questions do you have about the data?
• Graphically, the two pages are very simple. Why do you think Verizon made this choice? What are the alternatives? Research other companies to explore other designs.

FDA Finds No Evidence for Antibacterial Soaps

What does "antibacterial" mean, and is it better than regular soap and water? The Food and Drug Administration says there's no evidence to back up such claims. In a press release and a post on the FDA website, the agency explains that antibacterial soap won't prevent the spread of germs any better than regular hand washing.

The FDA explains, "To date, the benefits of using antibacterial hand soap haven't been proven. In addition, the wide use of these products over a long time has raised the question of potential negative effects on your health." The announcement will affect many brands with false claims:

"Companies will no longer be able to market antibacterial washes with these ingredients because manufacturers did not demonstrate that the ingredients are both safe for long-term daily use and more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illness and the spread of certain infections. Some manufacturers have already started removing these ingredients from their products."

 Manufacturers were criticized for lacking evidence:

"Because the manufacturers haven't proven that those ingredients are safe for daily use over a long period of time. Also, manufacturers haven't shown that these ingredients are any more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illnesses and the spread of certain infections. Some manufacturers have already started removing these ingredients from their products, ahead of the FDA's final rule."

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• Chapter 9 describes types of evidence. What principles apply in this situation?
• Antibacterial brands will have a difficult time defending their products. What advice would you give brand managers?

Mylan CEO Defends EpiPen Price Hike

Fighting critics who call the price hike "greedy" and "outrageous," Mylan CEO Heather Bresch makes no excuses for running a for-profit company. Yet the cost of an EpiPen has increased from about $165 in 2011 to more than $600 today. 

In a CNBC interview, Bresch stressed that "everybody who needs an EpiPen, has an EpiPen." She focused the costs involved in making the product widely available.

Trying to deflect blame, Bresch said, "This is a healthcare issue. . . . The system incentivizes higher prices." Pharmacy, retailers, and wholesalers are all taking a cut and are raising their prices. 

Discussion Starters:

• Twice, Bresch said, "As a mother..." How effective is this strategy as part of her argument?
• How well does Bresch convey her points? Which arguments do you find most and least convincing?
• CNBC's chart is effective because it shows the dramatic increase over time. What's your view of the caption about skiing? 

Yahoo CEO Takes Sale in Stride

News of a potential Yahoo sale has circulated for years, and now it's a reality. CEO Marissa Mayer discusses Verizon's acquisition in a blog post, concluding, "Yahoo is a company that changed the world. Now, we will continue to, with even greater scale, in combination with Verizon and AOL."

In a press release, Mayer spoke positively about the sale:

"Yahoo and AOL popularized the Internet, email, search and real-time media. It's poetic to be joining forces with AOL and Verizon as we enter our next chapter focused on achieving scale on mobile. We have a terrific, loyal, experienced and quality team, and I couldn't be prouder of our achievements to date, including building our new lines of business to $1.6 billion in GAAP revenue in 2015. I'm excited to extend our momentum through this transaction."

Although Mayer writes that she'll stay with Yahoo, PR Daily notes conflicting reports, including a New York Times article that said she'll get $57 million in severance pay, or $218 million total for her reign at Yahoo.

The New York Times also posted a few impressive graphics showing Yahoo's considerable US visitors, yet declining search traffic and ad revenue.

Discussion Starters: 

• Assess Mayer's blog post. Who are the audiences, and what are her key messages? How well does she convey enthusiasm for the sale?
• What principles of visual communication does The New York Times use in these graphics? How can they be improved?

Melania Trump's Plagiarized Speech

By any definition, Melania Trump's GOP Convention speech was plagiarized from Michelle Obama. The similarities between Donald Trump's wife's speech and Michelle Obama's 2008 DNC speech are uncanny. Here's one comparison from CNN, and other similarities exist:

Donald Trump's campaign chairman Paul Manafort denied accusations of plagiarism: "To think that she would do something like that knowing how scrutinized her speech was going to be last night is just really absurd." Senior Communications Advisor Jason Miller said only, "In writing her beautiful speech, Melania's team of writers took notes on her life's inspirations, and in some instances included fragments that reflected her own thinking. Melania's immigrant experience and love for America shone through in her speech, which made it such a success."

Later, the RNC communications director, Sean Spicer, said that searches for some of Ms. Trump's phrases turn up similarities from "My Little Pony" and John Legend, who tweeted, "I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative." But the phrases are not nearly as verbatim as those in Michelle Obama's speech. Spicer told The Huffington Post, "Melania Trump said, 'You work hard for what you want in life.' Akon said, 'Work hard for what you get in life.' John Legend said, ‘Work hard.'" 

Update: Meredith McIver, a Trump staff writer, took responsibility for the mistake. A New York Times article said the letter "breathed new life into a story now in its third day." 

Discussion Starters:

• How could such a mistake happen? Melania Trump said, "I read once over it, that's all, because I wrote it ... with (as) little help as possible."
• The Trump campaign said that no one will be fired over this incident. Should someone take the fall? 
• Does McIver's admission end the conversation? What else, if anything, should the campaign managers or Trumps say? Is The New York Times writer right: did the admission just keep the story alive? 

Airbnb and AHLA Argue About Use and Impact

The American Hotel and Lodging Association reports "83% of Airbnb revenue in Boston-or $40 million-comes from operators listing units for rent more than 30 days per year." This is damming criticism because it claims that operators (or "hosts," which Airbnb prefers) are more like hotel owners avoiding taxes. 

But Airbnb disputes the data and told the Business Journal that 86% of Boston hosts share their primary residence and earn an average of $5,900 for sharing 45 nights each year. 

It's difficult to know where the truth lies. The AHLA study was sponsored by the association and data were gleaned from Airbnb by John W. O'Neill, a professor of hospitality management and director of the center for hospitality real estate strategy at Penn State University's School of Hospitality Management. 

Airbnb spokesperson Christopher Nulty called the report "factually inaccurate" and said, "The AHLA is out of touch with the increasing number of consumers and cities embracing the tremendous benefits of home sharing. Airbnb is working with cities across the country and around the globe to create clear, fair home sharing rules and to collect and remit hotel taxes on behalf of our community, and we support similar efforts in Boston and across Massachusetts."

Fights for and against Airbnb continue throughout the country. Airbnb has reached agreements with some cities to automatically charge a 3% tax on all rentals, but other cities are hoping to ban short-term rentals entirely. New York City already prevents rentals for fewer than 30 days, but a proposed measure would fine owners for posting properties online. 

Image source.

Discussion Starters: 

• What could explain the discrepancy in Airbnb data?
• Compare persuasive strategies used by the AHLA and Airbnb. How does each use emotional appeal in addition to data to support their argument?

FDA Changes the Nutrition Label

For the first time since the early 1990s, the Food and Drug Administration has updated the nutrition label that appears on packaged foods. The agency is proud of the change, calling it a "major step." Michelle Obama has been part of the process and is quoted in the FDA's press release: "This is going to make a real difference in providing families across the country the information they need to make healthy choices."

The major changes, in case they're hard to notice, include bigger calorie and serving size numbers, and a new line for added sugars.

I have to say I'm disappointed. This is the first change in more than 20 years, when the label was introduced. Although these modifications are important, they say little for the FDA's ability to rethink what information people need to make good food choices and how it could be best represented. 

Is there no other visual that could help people? A more dramatic change, in itself, might encourage people to look. Also, the percentages are still based on a 2,000-calorie diet, which the FDA deems average, but this doesn't suit everyone. 

This change comes when the FDA is under pressure to revise what it calls "healthy" food. This month, The Wall Street Journal questioned the agency's logic. According to the FDA, avocados and almonds aren't healthy because they are high in fat. Frosted Flakes and low-fat Pop Tarts are okay because the requirements don't include other factors, such as sugar content. The FDA responded to The WSJ's inquiry: "We believe now is an opportune time to re-evaluate regulations concerning nutrient content claims, generally, including the term ‘healthy.'"

We'll look forward to those changes happening soon. 

Discussion Starters: 

• What other type of visual could help people make decisions about food? 
• Why do you think the label has stayed the same for more than 20 years? 

Data Visualization as a "Discipline"

A Harvard Business Review article reminds us to focus on our message when visualizing data. Author Scott Berinato suggests asking ourselves two questions to start: 

• Is the information conceptual or data-driven?
• Am I declaring something or exploring something?

Berinato then identifies four types of visual communication: idea illustration, idea generation, visual discovery, and everyday dataviz. For idea illustration, he offers a weak and an improved example. You'll notice that the first includes elements of "chart junk" that detract from the message.

Discussion Starters: 

• How does Berinato's second example illustrate principles from Chapter 9 in the text book? 
• Consider a message you need to communicate. How does this article help you decide what visuals would support your points? 

Personality and Grammar

A PLOS One study tells us that people who are less agreeable, according to a Big Five Personality assessment, judge paragraphs with typos and grammatical errors more harshly. Researchers at The University of Michigan asked 80 participants to take the personality test and then respond to a paragraph that had two typos and two grammatical errors. 

According to the authors,

"Summarizing the results, three out of the Big Five personality traits interacted with only one type of error, either grammos (agreeability) or typos (openness, conscientiousness). One trait (extraversion) interacted with both types of errors, and one trait (neuroticism) interacted with neither. This pattern is consistent with our speculation that typos and grammos carry different evaluative weight and potentially different social meanings." 

The results aren't as interesting to me as how the study is getting spun. The article is appropriately titled: "If You're House Is Still Available, Send Me an Email: Personality Influences Reactions to Written Errors in Email Messages." However, a Mashable article reads, "People obsessed with grammar aren't as nice as everybody else, study suggests." 

This seems to be a bold conclusion: is identifying four mistakes in a short paragraph considered an obsession? In answering the questions about the writer, shown here, I'm not sure how the respondents could be called obsessive. 

Discussion Starters: 

• Do I sound defensive? I am, but do I have a point? 
• Do the study results surprise you? Read more detail about the influence of the five personality types in the PLOS One article. 

Soccer Salary Differential Charts

Five members of the U.S. Women's National Team filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) citing pay discrimination based on sex. Business Insider created a few simple bar charts to show striking comparisons. 

 

This one, and the others, are clear and simple, highlighting that the women's complaint may be justified. In the article, Business Insider uses strong language to describe the differences: 

• "...a closer look at the differences in pay between the men and women reveals a disparity that is jarring."
• "While it [per diem pay] is the smallest form of compensation, the difference between the men and women is arguably the most jaw-dropping."

In the four charts, consistency helps the viewer get the message quickly. All show men and then women on the x axis and use only two or three colors. 

Discussion Starters: 

• What principles of visual communication do these charts follow? How could they be improved? 
• Read the women's complaint. From the data presented, what other charts could complement the message? Consider pie charts or more creative visuals such as infographics.

Bad Data Almost Makes a Documentary

A study had found a link between autism and the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella, but the article, published in 1998 in the British medical journal The Lancet, was retracted in 2010. The article caused parents not to vaccinate their children and, as a result, a rise in measles in Britain and the United States. This situation was used as an example of bad data in Chapter 9 of the text book. 

Although the study author, Andrew Wakefield, has had his medical license revoked because of financial and ethical violations, he recently directed and wrote a documentary, "Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe," which was to play at the Tribeca Film Festival. 

In a New York Times article, a doctor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine discredited Wakefield's work as a documentary film: 

"It gave these fraudulent ideas a face and a position and an energy that many of us thought they didn't deserve. We're all for ongoing reasonable debate and discussion, but these are ideas that have been proven to be incorrect many, many, many times over the past 15 years."

The film has been pulled, with festival founder Robert De Niro explaining, "My intent in screening this film was to provide an opportunity for conversation around an issue that is deeply personal to me and my family. But after reviewing it over the past few days with the Tribeca Film Festival team and others from the scientific community, we do not believe it contributes to or furthers the discussion I had hoped for."

Discussion Starters:

• Did the film festival make the right decision? What are the consequences? 
• What are the implications of this situation for business communicators researching and writing reports?