Cover -- Quantitative methods for business -- Brief contents -- Contents -- Preface -- Part One - Background -- Managers and numbers -- Chapter outline -- Why use numbers? -- Solving problems -- Useful software -- Chapter review -- Case Study - Hamerson and Partners -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Calculations and equations -- Chapter outline -- Working with numbers -- Changing numbers to letters -- Solving equations -- Simultaneous equations -- Powers and roots -- Chapter review -- Case study - The Crown and Anchor -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Drawing graphs -- Chapter outline -- Graphs on cartesian coordinates -- Quadratic equations -- Drawing other graphs -- Graphs of simultaneous equations -- Chapter review -- Case study - McFarlane & Sons -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Part Two - Collecting and summarising data -- Collecting data -- Chapter outline -- Data and information -- Types of data -- Using samples to collect data -- Organising data collection -- Chapter review -- Case study - Natural Wholemeal Biscuits -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Diagrams for presenting data -- Chapter outline -- Data reduction and presentation -- Tables of numerical data -- Diagrams of data -- Continuous data -- Chater review -- Case study - High Acclaim Trading -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Using numbers to describe data -- Chapter outline -- Measuring data -- Measures of location -- Measures of spread -- Other measures of data -- Chapter review -- Case study - Consumer Advice Office -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Describing changes with index numbers -- Chapter outline -- Measuring change -- Changing the base period -- Indices for more than one variable -- Chapter review.

Case study - Heinz Muller Engineering -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Part Three - Solving management problems -- Finance and performance -- Chapter outline -- Measures of performance -- Break-even point -- Value of money over time -- Discounting to present value -- Mortgages, annuities and sinking funds -- Chapter review -- Case study - OnlineInkCartridges.com -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Regression and curve fitting -- Chapter outline -- Measuring relationships -- Linear relationships -- Measuring the strength of a relationship -- Multiple regression -- Curve fitting -- Chapter review -- Case study - Western General Hospital -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Forecasting -- Chapter outline -- Forecasting in organisations -- Judgemental forecasts -- Projective forecasts -- Forecasts with seasonality and trend -- Chapter review -- Case study - Workload planning -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Linear programming -- Chapter outline -- Constrained optimisation -- Formulation -- Using graphs to solve linear programmes -- Sensitivity of solutions to changes -- Solving real problems -- Chapter review -- Case study - Elemental Electronics -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Part Four - Introducing statistics -- Uncertainty and probabilities -- Chapter outline -- Measuring uncertainty -- Calculations with probabilities -- Conditional probabilities -- Chapter review -- Case study - The Gamblers' Press -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Probability distributions -- Chapter outline -- Frequency distributions -- Combinations and permutations -- Binomial distribution -- Poisson distribution -- Normal distribution -- Chapter review -- Case study - Machined components -- Problems.

Research projects -- Sources of information -- Using samples -- Chapter outline -- Purpose of sampling -- Sampling distribution of the mean -- Confidence intervals -- One-sided confidence intervals -- Using small samples -- Chapter review -- Case study - Kings Fruit Farm -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Testing hypotheses -- Chapter outline -- Aim of hypothesis testing -- Significance levels -- Tests with small samples -- Testing other hypotheses -- Chi-squared test for goodness of fit -- Tests of association -- Chapter review -- Case study - Willingham Consumer Protection Department -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Part Five - Management problems involving uncertainty -- Making decisions -- Chapter outline -- Giving structure to decisions -- Decision making with certainty -- Decision making with strict uncertainty -- Decision making with risk -- Sequential decisions -- Chapter review -- Case study - The Newisham Reservoir -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Quality management -- Chapter outline -- Measuring quality -- Quality control -- Tools for quality control -- Acceptance sampling -- Process control -- Chapter review -- Case study - Bremen Engineering -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Inventory management -- Chapter outline -- Background to stock control -- The economic order quantity -- Stock control for production -- Variable demand -- Periodic review -- ABC analysis of stock -- Chapter review -- Case study - Templar Manufacturing -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Project management -- Chapter outline -- Project planning -- Network analysis -- Timing of projects -- Project evaluation and review technique -- Chapter review -- Case study - Westin Contractors -- Problems -- Research projects.

Sources of information -- Queues and simulation -- Chapter outline -- Features of queues -- Single-server queues -- Simulation models -- Monte carlo simulation -- Chapter review -- Case study - The Palmer Centre for Alternative Therapy -- Problems -- Research projects -- Sources of information -- Glossary -- Appendices -- Appendix A Solutions to review questions -- Appendix B Probabilities for the binomial distribution -- Appendix C Probabilities for the Poisson distribution -- Appendix D Probabilities for the Normal distribution -- Appendix E Probabilities for the t-distribution -- Appendix F Critical values for the x2 distribution -- Index.

Quantitative Methods for Business has been thoroughly revised and updated for this 5th edition, and continues to provide a simple and practical introduction to an area that students can find difficult. The book takes a non-threatening approach to the subject, avoiding excessive mathematics and abstract theory. It shows how to apply quantitative ideas to the real problems faced by managers. The book includes numerous exercises and examples that help students understand the relevance of quantitative ideas to business. Assuming no previous knowledge, the text provides complete coverage for a first course in quantitative methods.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2019. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.