Data Analysis and Decision Making

Note: This ISBN includes Access Code. Access code is not included for rentals. DATA ANALYSIS AND DECISION MAKING is a teach-by-example approach, learner-friendly writing style, and complete Excel integration focusing on data analysis, modeling, and spreadsheet use in statistics and management science. The Premium Online Content Website (accessed by a unique code with every new book) includes links to the following add-ins: the Palisade Decision Tools Suite (@RISK, StatTools, PrecisionTree, TopRank, RISKOptimizer, NeuralTools, and Evolver); and SolverTable, allowing users to do sensitivity analysis. All of the add-ins is revised for Excel 2007 and notes about Excel 2010 are added where applicable. About This Edition New Features Chapters 2 and 3 are completely rewritten and reorganized, focusing on the description of one variable at a time, and relationships between variables. Both chapters have more coverage of categorical variables, as well as new and more interesting data sets in the examples. Many of the problems in previous editions were deleted or updated, and a number of brand new problems were added for relevance to current statistical analysis. A problem guide is available to instructors showing the context of each of the "data" problems, and it also shows the correspondence between problems in this edition and problems in the previous edition. The previous edition's Chapter 4 is renamed Chapter 17, "Importing Data into Excel," and is completely rewritten with its section on Excel tables located in Chapter 2. (Previous edition chapters 5-17 were renumbered 4-16.) The book is still based on Excel 2007, but notes about changes in Excel 2010 have been added where they apply. Specifically, there is a small section on the new slicers for pivot tables, and there are several mentions of the new statistical functions (although the old functions still work). Each chapter now has 10-20 more consistent and relevant "Conceptual Questions" in the end-of-chapter sections. The first two linear programming examples in Chapter 13 (replacing the former Chapter 14) are replaced by two product mix models, where the second builds on the first. The previous "diet" model was overly complex as a first linear programming example. Several chapter-opening vignettes are replaced with newer and more interesting ones and there are now many short "fundamental insights" throughout the chapters. These insights are designed to allow the students to step back from the details and see the really important ideas. All updated screenshots and accompanying explanations to reflect Excel 2007 and updated add-ins. Tips on Excel 2010 have been added where applicable. This edition now provides access to Excel add-in software via an access code to a Premium Online Content Website for every student purchasing a new book. Instructors' Resource CD: PowerPoints, and Solutions, Case, and Example files have been updated to reflect the core text 4th edition. The Test Bank has been updated with new questions and is now offered in ExamView testing software.

S. Christian Albright received his B.S. degree in mathematics from Stanford in 1968 and his Ph.D. in operations research from Stanford in 1972. Since then, he has been teaching in the Operations and Decision Technologies Department in the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. He has taught courses in management science, computer simulation, and statistics to all levels of business students: undergraduates, MBAs, and doctoral students. His current interest is in spreadsheet modeling, including development of VBA applications in Excel. Dr. Albright has published more than 20 articles in leading operations research journals in the area of applied probability. He has also published a number of successful textbooks, including DATA ANALYSIS AND DECISION MAKING, DATA ANALYSIS FOR MANAGERS, and SPREADSHEET MODELING AND APPLICATIONS.

Wayne L. Winston is Professor of Operations and Decision Technologies in the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, where he has taught since 1975. Wayne received his B.S. degree in Mathematics from MIT and his Ph.D. degree in Operations Research from Yale. He has written the successful textbooks OPERATIONS RESEARCH: APPLICATIONS AND ALGORITHMS, MATHEMATICAL PROGRAMMING: APPLICATIONS AND ALGORITHMS, SIMULATION MODELING WITH @RISK, PRATICAL MANAGEMENT SCIENCE, DATA ANALYSIS FOR MANAGERS, SPREADSHEET MODELING AND APPLICATIONS, AND FINANCIAL MODELS USING SIMULATION AND OPTIMIZATION. Wayne has published over 20 articles in leading journals and has won many teaching awards, including the school-wide MBA award four times. His current interest is in showing how spreadsheet models can be used to solve business problems in all disciplines, particularly in finance and marketing.

Christopher J. Zappe earned his B.A. in Mathematics from DePauw University in 1983 and his M.B.A. and Ph.D. in Decision Sciences from Indiana University in 1987 and 1988, respectively. Since 1993, Professor Zappe has been serving as an associate professor in the decision sciences area of the Department of Management at Bucknell University (Lewisburg, PA). He has published articles in scholarly journals such as Managerial and Decision Economics, OMEGA, Naval Research Logistics, and Interfaces.