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Statistics for Business

Module description

This module will familiarise you with the principles and practice of performing statistical analyses within a range of management, marketing and business analytics settings.  The module introduces the ways in which statistical analyses and hypothesis testing can contribute to business knowledge.  Discipline-relevant examples from the research literature will be used to illustrate practical applications of statistics and you will gain practical experience in how to perform statistical analyses through software-based tutorial sessions using IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences).  Weekly structured learning activities will provide you with ongoing learning through re-engagement with prior module learning and introductory material for subsequent weeks’ learning.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module aims to provide: a strong foundational knowledge regarding the importance of statistical analyses; how to apply statistical analyses within management, marketing and business analytics settings; and how statistics are used in decision-making processes.

The module focuses on the practical application of statistics for improving our understanding of a range of management, marketing and business analytics issues. A strong emphasis is placed on the correct selection of statistical tests, how tests are conducted, and the subsequent interpretation of estimates (outputs). Through an introduction to research philosophy, students will learn how statistical analysis contributes to management and marketing research, analytics and knowledge.

The module draws upon a series of core textbooks (available from the library in electronic format) and a range of research articles drawn from management and organisational studies and from marketing research sources.

Additional Information:

Research-enriched learning

The module content draws upon the module convenor’s analytical experience from academic work in marketing-related social science research and organisational studies.

Internationalisation
The content of this module is globally applicable with examples drawn from studies set in locations around the world.

Employability
Knowledge of statistics is essential for any management, marketing or business analytics student. Accordingly, this module provides you with a valuable theoretical and practical understanding of the subject, as well as weekly tasks that provide a structured framework for you to engage with the learning materials and also to expand your knowledge beyond the module readings.

Sustainability
All lecture notes and tutorial materials are available on the ELE (Exeter Learning Environment).

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. correctly select, perform and critically appraise a range of parametric and non-parametric statistical tests;
• 2. perform database management and generate descriptive statistics to characterise and summarise a data set;
• 3. apply and critically evaluate a range of statistical analyses to management, marketing and business analytics issues using the IBM SPSS or similar software package;
• 4. understand and apply the principles of hypothesis testing and survey design.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. explain the role of numerical evidence in the business and management environment;
• 6. discuss the paradigmatic (ontological, epistemological and methodological) positioning of quantitative and hypothesis-testing analytics in organisational, management and marketing studies.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. implement a range of quantitative, computational and computer literacy skills;
• 8. demonstrate written communication skills.

Syllabus plan

• Statistics and the philosophy of research
• The nature of data and principles of hypothesis testing
• Database and data management with SPSS or a similar package
• Descriptive statistics for business and management
• Parametric statistical tests 1: t-test, ANOVA and Pearson’s correlations
• Parametric statistical tests 2: regression analysis and an introduction to multivariate statistics (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling)
• Non-parametric statistical tests: Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and Kendall’s tau
• Survey design for statistical analysis
• Statistical analysis in marketing research
• Introduction to statistics for Business Analytics
• Reporting statistical findings

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferrals will take place as soon as possible within the same term; Referrals** and any further deferrals will take place in the Reassessment Period.

** If you pass the module overall you will not be referred in any component – even if you have not passed one or more individual components.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading.  The main texts that the module will draw upon are:

Ho, R. (2017). Understanding statistics for the social sciences with IBM SPSS: Boca Raton: CRC Press.

Kraska-Miller, M. (2014). Nonparametric statistics for social and behavioral sciences: Boca Raton: CRC Press.

Sarstedt, M., & Mooi, E. (2019). A Concise Guide to Market Research: The Process, Data, and Methods Using IBM SPSS Statistics. Berlin: Springer.

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

The module will also draw upon a range of research articles from the organisational, management and marketing studies literature.

Key words search

Statistics, SPSS, business, management, marketing, analytics