Learning objectives
The course gives knowledge on basic database theory and statistical techniques for business applications.
In particular, the course addresses:
a) Database and Statistical tools for preliminary data analysis and reporting;
b) Descriptive statistical measures;
c) Confidence intervals and hypothesis testing for means and proportions, together with p-value interpretation;
d) Simple linear regression.
The aim of the course is threefold:
1. To provide both a theoretical and a practical understanding of basic statistical methods.
2. To provide a data-driven methods for decision.
3. Using real data and a learning-by-doing approach, to illustrate the application and the interpretation of these methods.
Computational aspects of the methods are addressed through the use of Excel and Matlab.
Prerequisites
none
Course unit content
The course illustrates the use of data management techniques and basic statistical analysis in the business domain.
Specifically, the course will address:
a) dataset management, Statistical tools for preliminary data analysis and reporting;
b) Descriptive statistical measures, for summarizing business information;
c) Confidence intervals and hypothesis testing, for the analysis of sample data;
d) Simple linear regression, which allows the analysis of bivariate relationship and is a prerequisite for more complex statistical modeling.
All these techniques will be applied to business data through Microsoft Excel and Matlab.
Full programme
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Bibliography
M. Riani, F. Laurini, G. Morelli: Strumenti statistici e informatici per applicazioni aziendali. Pitagora Editrice, Bologna, 2013, capitoli 1-3.
Teaching methods
Lectures and practical work.
Assessment methods and criteria
Practice Test. Knowledge and understanding will be assessed by methodological questions. The ability of applying knowledge will be assessed by questions on applications and on the use of Excel and Matlab. Learning and understanding skills will be assessed by questions on the conclusions to be drawn from basic statistical analysis.
Other information
Please check professor's web page for updates on course, exams, dates and time, office hours and so on
