Learning objectives
<br />At the end of the course, students should have acquired the skills for orientating themselves in the quantitative analysis of business phenomena and economic variables, for the purpose of being able to carry out their own processing or interpret the processing results obtained by others. In particular, students should be able to identify the best method for satisfying a given cognitive objective, carry out the necessary calculations and critically interpret the results obtained.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of general mathematics
Course unit content
<br />The course aims to present the basic tools for analysing statistical data regarding one and two phenomena, and to provide an introduction to the study of historical economic series. The basic aim is to allow the student to become familiar with the quantitative analysis of business and economic data, so that he/she is able to carry out autonomous processing and correctly interpret the processing results. To reach this objective, attention will be focused on a narrow range of techniques, but ones that are widely used in practice. In particular, the following will be considered: the methods for the synthesis of a variable (frequency distributions, means, variability indices), the calculation of simple and compound index numbers, the study of the relation between two quantitative variables and the adaptation of a regression line. For each technique, the logical bases and cognitive goals will be explained, while the technical details and mathematical derivations will be given secondary importance. Within this logic, each technique will be introduced with reference to the business and economic problems that it can contribute to solving (with examples that are simplified so that they can be carried out in detail in the classroom) and a lot of time will be dedicated to the critical interpretation of the results. An important aspect, which will be resumed several times during the course, regards the use of the computer to carry out statistical analyses. In particular, the potentialities of Microsoft Excel, a spreadsheet widely used in business applications, will be explained and used in actual applications of the methods discussed in class.
Full programme
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Bibliography
<br />S. Zani, Introduzione all'analisi dei dati nell'era di Internet, Giuffre, Milano, 2002 (with the exclusion of chapter 4, sections 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8 and the sections with an asterisk). <br />A. Cerioli, M. A. Milioli, M. RIani Esercizi di statistica, 2a edizione, Uni.nova, Parma, 2006
Teaching methods
Oral lessons and written exam
Assessment methods and criteria
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Other information
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