Nikolai knows that what his boss has asked him to do is not in the best interest of the company. He also knows that if he does not do what he was asked to do, he will be written up and put on disciplinary action. He decides instead to do what his boss wants, just slower than his boss may have liked.
Nikolai is using the principle of:

A) like everything else, you will need to sell it.
B) no brag just the fact.
C) treat your organization as an unfinished prototype.
D) if all else fails, slow the spread of bad practice.
E) evidence-based management is not just for senior executives.

In this matter, Nikolai was appointed by his boss to do something unethical, but despite recognizing that what he was asked to do is wrong and not in the company's interest, he does it, because he knows that in the company he is subordinate to his boss , who will take disciplinary action if Nikolai wishes not to comply.

He uses the principle of "if all else fails, delay the spread of bad practices" because even if the activity is unethical, it constitutes a command offered by a main agent of the relationship.

In this matter, Nikolai was appointed by his boss to do something unethical, but despite recognizing that what he was asked to do is wrong and not in the company's interest, he does it, because he knows that in the company he is subordinate to his boss , who will take disciplinary action if Nikolai wishes not to comply.

He uses the principle of "if all else fails, delay the spread of bad practices" because even if the activity is unethical, it constitutes a command offered by a main agent of the relationship, your boss.

Therefore, using this strategy, he accomplishes what he was asked to do and reduces activities to reduce the chance of adverse reactions.