Exploratory Data Analysis in Business and Economics

Book excerpt: In a world in which we are constantly surrounded by data, figures, and statistics, it is imperative to understand and to be able to use quantitative methods. Statistical models and methods are among the most important tools in economic analysis, decision-making and business planning. This textbook, “Exploratory Data Analysis in Business and Economics”, aims to familiarise students of economics and business as well as practitioners in firms with the basic principles, techniques, and applications of descriptive statistics and data analysis. Drawing on practical examples from business settings, it demonstrates the basic descriptive methods of univariate and bivariate analysis. The textbook covers a range of subject matter, from data collection and scaling to the presentation and univariate analysis of quantitative data, and also includes analytic procedures for assessing bivariate relationships. It does not confine itself to presenting descriptive statistics, but also addresses the use of computer programmes such as Excel, SPSS, and STATA, thus treating all of the topics typically covered in a university course on descriptive statistics. The German edition of this textbook is one of the “bestsellers” on the German market for literature in statistics.