MNGT5232 Data Analysis and Statistical Modelling for Business - 2021

Subject Code
MNGT5232
Study Level
Postgraduate
Commencing Term
Term 2
Total Units of Credit (UOC)
6
Delivery Mode
Full-time, Session 1, Kensington
School
AGSM

1. Course Details

Summary of Course

Evidence-based decision-making supported by a data-driven culture is essential to the management of organisations. It is therefore essential that professionals are able to define problems clearly and systematically, know what techniques can be applied in order to solve these problems, and communicate the results concisely and effectively.  

The first step in the process of data analysis and decision-making is to frame business problems in a quantitative matter and learn how data collection and experimentation can help provide the right insights.  

As the second step, you will learn how to solve problems through predictive models. This requires a basic understanding of statistics and therefore you study the basics of regression provided by the Harvard Quantitative Methods online course during the first weeks of the course. This will help improve your data literacy in order to communicate more effectively with data scientists as well as contribute to the democratisation of data within your business. 

Finally, you will learn the basics of using Tableau, one of the data analytics and visualisation tools in the field. Through data storytelling, you will learn to communicate data more effectively and improve your ability to simplify problems and facilitate decision-making. 

With these three steps, this course will enable you to make quicker, better and more intelligent decisions and allow you to create value in the broadest sense within your business. 

The course consists of three elements. 

1. Knowing: This part includes 10 weekly Units with readings and other material to help you improve your data literacy and knowledge of frameworks for application in business.  

2. Doing: Through online simulations, regression modules  and the use of Tableau (Week 5 onwards) in the course you will be engaging in hands-on activity.  

3. Being: Our Facts of the Week will be our online discussion about the most fascinating publicly available datapoints. This might not only change the way you look at the world, but  help you build the habit of searching for data sources to verify and support your views.  

Teaching Times and Locations

Please note that teaching times and locations are subject to change. Students are strongly advised to refer to the Class Timetable website for the most up-to-date teaching times and locations.

View course timetable

Course Policies & Support

Course Aims and Relationship to Other Courses

The course aims to encourage analytical thinking. It will encourage you to develop your abilities to understand and use data. It is designed to equip managers with the data literacy skills to make effective use of data in the business workplace, to develop expertise in a standard set of techniques that will be useful in analysing data, and to learn to apply these techniques in a number of areas of management.

There are no pre-requisites for studying this course. Participants are assumed to have no prior knowledge of data literacy.

Additional Course Details

Responsible Management Curriculum at AGSM

The Responsible Management Curriculum at AGSM is a whole-of-program systematic approach to integrating responsible management into your MBA education. This includes ethical, sustainable and inclusive thinking, decision-making and action. The curriculum incorporates innovative pedagogy and curriculum into three core components, plus an optional component to achieve an additional credential:

Pre-MBA - Responsible Management - Foundations

You will complete our core pre-MBA module prior to the commencement of Session 1 to understand the fundamental challenges to ethical, sustainable and inclusive leadership today and to acquire the frameworks, tools and concepts that can help you to solve them.

During MBA

  • Responsible Management in Context: You will commence Week 1 of every core course, including this course, with a unit on the material issues relating to responsible management in that discipline. This unit will help you to understand the most challenging ethical and sustainable issues in each discipline and help you apply your foundational knowledge of responsible management to solving these most challenging problems that managers face today.
  • Responsible Management in Action: You will have the opportunity to engage in facilitated discussions, workshops, and masterclasses with thought leaders in Responsible Management. These sessions are optional. However, they are a requirement for those students seeking to become an AGSM Fellow of Responsible Management.

Post-MBA (optional) - Fellowship of Responsible Management

Students have the opportunity to achieve the credential 'AGSM Fellow of Responsible Management'. This requires participation in the seminar series - Responsible Management in Action - each term and submission of a Responsible Management Portfolio prior to graduation. The final requirement is for each applicant to complete a viva in front of a panel of esteemed leaders at graduation. Successful candidate will be awarded the postnominal FRM and a digital credential, along with ongoing access to the 'Responsible Management in Action' Series.

3. Staff Contact Details

Position Name Email Location Phone Consultation Times
Facilitator in ChargeJeroen Boersma

4. Learning and Teaching Activities

Approach to Learning and Teaching in the Course

Learning Activities and Teaching Strategies

Course Structure

This course will be conducted over 10 weeks. Each week there will be one three-hour class session.

The class sessions will focus on explaining the course materials and going through examples, simulations or cases. The aim of the class is to help you understand the context of the topic as well as to work through the difficult points.

You are expected to prepare for each class session by reading the relevant content.

The 10 Units of the course are as follows:

Unit 1 Introduction to data analytics and decision-making, and to responsible management in the context of data

Unit 2 Three stages of analytical decision-making

Unit 3 Data literacy and problem framing

Unit 4 Solving the problem - Part 1

Unit 5 Solving the problem - Part 2

Unit 6 Solving the problem - Data preparation in Tableau desktop

Unit 7 Communicating results - Data analytics in Tableau

Unit 8 Communicating results - Data analytics in Tableau: Dashboards

Unit 9 Communicating results - Data analytics in Tableau: Storytelling

Unit 10 Introduction to machine learning and artificial intelligence

6. Course Resources

You have four major resources to help you learn:

  1. The course materials, which you will access via your Moodle class. 
  2. Your interaction with your facilitator. The facilitator's job is to guide your learning by conducting the class discussion, answering questions that might arise after you have done the week's work, providing insights from their practical experience and understanding of theory, providing you with feedback on your assessments, and directing discussions and debates that will occur between you and your co-participants in the course.
  3. Your co-participants. Your class colleagues are an invaluable potential source of learning for you. Their work and life, and their willingness to question and argue with the course materials, the facilitator and your views, represent a great learning opportunity. They bring much valuable insight to the learning experience.
  4. In addition to course-based resources, please also refer to the AGSM Learning Toolkit (available in Moodle) for tutorials and guides that will help you learn more about effective study practices and techniques.

There is no prescribed textbook.

All materials will be provided in Moodle.

Additional material: The facilitator may provide additional resources for you during the course. In that case, they will be placed in Moodle and an announcement made about them.

7. Course Evaluation & Development

Continual Course Improvement

AGSM courses are revised each time they run, with updated course outlines and assessment tasks developed. Changes relating to any industry developments will also be included.

Additionally, the AGSM surveys students each time a course is offered. The data collected provides anonymous feedback from students on the quality of course content and materials, class facilitation, student support services and the program in general. This student feedback is considered during all course revisions.

Student Response

This course has undergone a major revision since its last delivery in 2020.

Response to Student Feedback

Please see above.

8. Course Schedule

Week Activity Topic Detail/Engagement Assessment Task
Week 1 Practise in classIntroduction to data analytics and decision-making, and responsible management in the context of this course

'Data Facts' participation example provided and weeks allocated. Data Facts activity begins Week 2.

Assessment 1 : Part A: Engagement and class participation
Week 2 Practise in classThree stages of analytical decision-making

'Data Facts' participation begins

Assessment 1 : Part A: Engagement and class participation
Assessment 1 : Part B: Engagement and participation online - Facts of the week
Week 3 Practise in classData literacy and problem framing
Assessment 1 : Part A: Engagement and class participation
Assessment 1 : Part B: Engagement and participation online - Facts of the week
Week 4 Practise in classSolving the problem - Part 1
Assessment 1 : Part A: Engagement and class participation
Assessment 1 : Part B: Engagement and participation online - Facts of the week
Assessment 2 : Quantitative Methods Online Course: Regression
Week 5 Practise in classSolving the Problem - Part 2
Assessment 1 : Part A: Engagement and class participation
Assessment 1 : Part B: Engagement and participation online - Facts of the week
Week 6 Independent Study Week
Assessment 3 : Online test (open book)
Week 7 Practise in classSolving the problem - Data preparation in Tableau desktop
Assessment 1 : Part A: Engagement and class participation
Assessment 1 : Part B: Engagement and participation online - Facts of the week
Week 8 Practise in classCommunicating results - Data analytics in Tableau
Assessment 1 : Part A: Engagement and class participation
Assessment 1 : Part B: Engagement and participation online - Facts of the week
Week 9 Practise in classCommunicating results - Data analytics in Tableau: Dashboards
Assessment 1 : Part A: Engagement and class participation
Assessment 1 : Part B: Engagement and participation online - Facts of the week
Week 10 -Communicating results - Data analytics in Tableau: Storytelling
Assessment 1 : Part A: Engagement and class participation
Assessment 4 : Data storytelling in Tableau
Assessment 1 : Part B: Engagement and participation online - Facts of the week
Week 11 -Introduction to artificial intelligence
Assessment 1 : Part A: Engagement and class participation
Assessment 4 : Data storytelling in Tableau

9. Policies and Support

Information about UNSW Business School protocols, University policies, student responsibilities and education quality and support.

Program Learning Outcomes

The Business School places knowledge and capabilities at the core of its curriculum via seven Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs). These PLOs are systematically embedded and developed across the duration of all coursework programs in the Business School.

PLOs embody the knowledge, skills and capabilities that are taught, practised and assessed within each Business School program. They articulate what you should know and be able to do upon successful completion of your degree.

Upon graduation, you should have a high level of specialised business knowledge and capacity for responsible business thinking, underpinned by ethical professional practice. You should be able to harness, manage and communicate business information effectively and work collaboratively with others. You should be an experienced problem-solver and critical thinker, with a global perspective, cultural competence and the potential for innovative leadership.

All UNSW programs and courses are designed to assess the attainment of program and/or course level learning outcomes, as required by the UNSW Assessment Design Procedure. It is important that you become familiar with the Business School PLOs, as they constitute the framework which informs and shapes the components and assessments of the courses within your program of study.

PLO 1: Business knowledge

Students will make informed and effective selection and application of knowledge in a discipline or profession, in the contexts of local and global business.

PLO 2: Problem solving

Students will define and address business problems, and propose effective evidence-based solutions, through the application of rigorous analysis and critical thinking.

PLO 3: Business communication

Students will harness, manage and communicate business information effectively using multiple forms of communication across different channels.

PLO 4: Teamwork

Students will interact and collaborate effectively with others to achieve a common business purpose or fulfil a common business project, and reflect critically on the process and the outcomes.

PLO 5: Responsible business practice

Students will develop and be committed to responsible business thinking and approaches, which are underpinned by ethical professional practice and sustainability considerations.

PLO 6: Global and cultural competence

Students will be aware of business systems in the wider world and actively committed to recognise and respect the cultural norms, beliefs and values of others, and will apply this knowledge to interact, communicate and work effectively in diverse environments.

PLO 7: Leadership development

Students will develop the capacity to take initiative, encourage forward thinking and bring about innovation, while effectively influencing others to achieve desired results.

These PLOs relate to undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs.  Separate PLOs for honours and postgraduate research programs are included under 'Related Documents'.

Business School course outlines provide detailed information for students on how the course learning outcomes, learning activities, and assessment/s contribute to the development of Program Learning Outcomes.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

 

UNSW Graduate Capabilities

The Business School PLOs also incorporate UNSW graduate capabilities, a set of generic abilities and skills that all students are expected to achieve by graduation. These capabilities articulate the University’s institutional values, as well as future employer expectations.

UNSW Graduate CapabilitiesBusiness School PLOs
Scholars capable of independent and collaborative enquiry, rigorous in their analysis, critique and reflection, and able to innovate by applying their knowledge and skills to the solution of novel as well as routine problems.
  • PLO 1: Business knowledge
  • PLO 2: Problem solving
  • PLO 3: Business communication
  • PLO 4: Teamwork
  • PLO 7: Leadership development

Entrepreneurial leaders capable of initiating and embracing innovation and change, as well as engaging and enabling others to contribute to change
  • PLO 1: Business knowledge
  • PLO 2: Problem solving
  • PLO 3: Business communication
  • PLO 4: Teamwork
  • PLO 6: Global and cultural competence
  • PLO 7: Leadership development

Professionals capable of ethical, self-directed practice and independent lifelong learning
  • PLO 1: Business knowledge
  • PLO 2: Problem solving
  • PLO 3: Business communication
  • PLO 5: Responsible business practice

Global citizens who are culturally adept and capable of respecting diversity and acting in a socially just and responsible way.
  • PLO 1: Business knowledge
  • PLO 2: Problem solving
  • PLO 3: Business communication
  • PLO 4: Teamwork
  • PLO 5: Responsible business practice
  • PLO 6: Global and cultural competence

While our programs are designed to provide coverage of all PLOs and graduate capabilities, they also provide you with a great deal of choice and flexibility.  The Business School strongly advises you to choose a range of courses that assist your development against the seven PLOs and four graduate capabilities, and to keep a record of your achievements as part of your portfolio. You can use a portfolio as evidence in employment applications as well as a reference for work or further study. For support with selecting your courses contact the UNSW Business School Student Centre.




Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

Academic Integrity is honest and responsible scholarship. This form of ethical scholarship is highly valued at UNSW. Terms like Academic Integrity, misconduct, referencing, conventions, plagiarism, academic practices, citations and evidence based learning are all considered basic concepts that successful university students understand. Learning how to communicate original ideas, refer sources, work independently, and report results accurately and honestly are skills that you will be able to carry beyond your studies.

The definition of academic misconduct is broad. It covers practices such as cheating, copying and using another person’s work without appropriate acknowledgement. Incidents of academic misconduct may have serious consequences for students.

Plagiarism

UNSW regards plagiarism as a form of academic misconduct. UNSW has very strict rules regarding plagiarism. Plagiarism at UNSW is using the words or ideas of others and passing them off as your own. All Schools in the Business School have a Student Ethics Officer who will investigate incidents of plagiarism and may result in a student’s name being placed on the Plagiarism and Student Misconduct Registers.

Below are examples of plagiarism including self-plagiarism:

Copying: Using the same or very similar words to the original text or idea without acknowledging the source or using quotation marks. This includes copying materials, ideas or concepts from a book, article, report or other written document, presentation, composition, artwork, design, drawing, circuitry, computer program or software, website, internet, other electronic resource, or another person's assignment, without appropriate acknowledgement of authorship.

Inappropriate Paraphrasing: Changing a few words and phrases while mostly retaining the original structure and/or progression of ideas of the original, and information without acknowledgement. This also applies in presentations where someone paraphrases another’s ideas or words without credit and to piecing together quotes and paraphrases into a new whole, without appropriate referencing.

Collusion: Presenting work as independent work when it has been produced in whole or part in collusion with other people. Collusion includes:

  • Students providing their work to another student before the due date, or for the purpose of them plagiarising at any time
  • Paying another person to perform an academic task and passing it off as your own
  • Stealing or acquiring another person’s academic work and copying it
  • Offering to complete another person’s work or seeking payment for completing academic work

Collusion should not be confused with academic collaboration (i.e., shared contribution towards a group task).

Inappropriate Citation: Citing sources which have not been read, without acknowledging the 'secondary' source from which knowledge of them has been obtained.

Self-Plagiarism: ‘Self-plagiarism’ occurs where an author republishes their own previously written work and presents it as new findings without referencing the earlier work, either in its entirety or partially. Self-plagiarism is also referred to as 'recycling', 'duplication', or 'multiple submissions of research findings' without disclosure. In the student context, self-plagiarism includes re-using parts of, or all of, a body of work that has already been submitted for assessment without proper citation.

To see if you understand plagiarism, do this short quiz: https://student.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism-quiz

Cheating

The University also regards cheating as a form of academic misconduct. Cheating is knowingly submitting the work of others as their own and includes contract cheating (work produced by an external agent or third party that is submitted under the pretences of being a student’s original piece of work). Cheating is not acceptable at UNSW.

If you need to revise or clarify any terms associated with academic integrity you should explore the 'Working with Academic Integrity' self-paced lessons available at: https://student.unsw.edu.au/aim.

For UNSW policies, penalties, and information to help you avoid plagiarism see: https://student.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism as well as the guidelines in the online ELISE tutorials for all new UNSW students: http://subjectguides.library.unsw.edu.au/elise. For information on student conduct see: https://student.unsw.edu.au/conduct.

For information on how to acknowledge your sources and reference correctly, see: https://student.unsw.edu.au/referencing. If you are unsure what referencing style to use in this course, you should ask the lecturer in charge.


Student Responsibilities and Conduct

​Students are expected to be familiar with and adhere to university policies in relation to class attendance and general conduct and behaviour, including maintaining a safe, respectful environment; and to understand their obligations in relation to workload, assessment and keeping informed.

Information and policies on these topics can be found on the 'Managing your Program' website.

Workload

It is expected that you will spend at least ten to twelve hours per week studying for a course except for Summer Term courses which have a minimum weekly workload of twenty to twenty four hours. This time should be made up of reading, research, working on exercises and problems, online activities and attending classes. In periods where you need to complete assignments or prepare for examinations, the workload may be greater. Over-commitment has been a cause of failure for many students. You should take the required workload into account when planning how to balance study with employment and other activities.

We strongly encourage you to connect with your Moodle course websites in the first week of semester. Local and international research indicates that students who engage early and often with their course website are more likely to pass their course.

View more information on expected workload

Attendance

Your regular and punctual attendance at lectures and seminars or in online learning activities is expected in this course. The Business School reserves the right to refuse final assessment to those students who attend less than 80% of scheduled classes where attendance and participation is required as part of the learning process (e.g., tutorials, flipped classroom sessions, seminars, labs, etc.).

View more information on attendance

General Conduct and Behaviour

You are expected to conduct yourself with consideration and respect for the needs of your fellow students and teaching staff. Conduct which unduly disrupts or interferes with a class, such as ringing or talking on mobile phones, is not acceptable and students may be asked to leave the class.

View more information on student conduct

Health and Safety

UNSW Policy requires each person to work safely and responsibly, in order to avoid personal injury and to protect the safety of others.

View more information on Health and Safety

Keeping Informed

You should take note of all announcements made in lectures, tutorials or on the course web site. From time to time, the University will send important announcements to your university e-mail address without providing you with a paper copy. You will be deemed to have received this information. It is also your responsibility to keep the University informed of all changes to your contact details.



Student Support and Resources

​The University and the Business School provide a wide range of support services and resources for students, including:

Business School EQS Consultation Program
The Consultation Program offers academic writing, literacy and numeracy consultations, study skills, exam preparation for Business students. Services include workshops, online resources, individual and group consultations. 
Level 1, Room 1035, Quadrangle Building.
BUS.EQS.Consultations@unsw.edu.au
02 9385 4508

Communication Resources
The Business School Communication and Academic Support programs provide online modules, communication workshops and additional online resources to assist you in developing your academic writing.

Business School Student Centre
The Business School Student Centre provides advice and direction on all aspects of admission, enrolment and graduation.
Level 1, Room 1028 in the Quadrangle Building
02 9385 3189

UNSW Learning & Careers Hub
The UNSW Learning & Careers Hub provides academic skills and careers support services—including workshops, individual consultations and a range of online resources—for all UNSW students. See their website for details.
Lower Ground Floor, North Wing Chancellery Building.
learningcentre@unsw.edu.au
02 9385 2060

Student Support Advisors
Student Support Advisors work with all students to promote the development of skills needed to succeed at university, whilst also providing personal support throughout the process.
John Goodsell Building, Ground Floor.
advisors@unsw.edu.au
02 9385 4734

International Student Support
The International Student Experience Unit (ISEU) is the first point of contact for international students. ISEU staff are always here to help with personalised advice and information about all aspects of university life and life in Australia.
Advisors can support you with your student visa, health and wellbeing, making friends, accommodation and academic performance.
International.student@unsw.edu.au
02 9385 4734

Equitable Learning Services
Equitable Learning Services (formerly Disability Support Services) is a free and confidential service that provides practical support to ensure that your health condition doesn't adversely affect your studies. Register with the service to receive educational adjustments.
Ground Floor, John Goodsell Building.
els@unsw.edu.au
02 9385 4734

UNSW Counselling and Psychological Services
Provides support and services if you need help with your personal life, getting your academic life back on track or just want to know how to stay safe, including free, confidential counselling.
Level 2, East Wing, Quadrangle Building.
counselling@unsw.edu.au
02 9385 5418

Library services and facilities for students
The UNSW Library offers a range of collections, services and facilities both on-campus and online.
Main Library, F21.
02 9385 2650

Moodle eLearning Support
Moodle is the University’s learning management system. You should ensure that you log into Moodle regularly.
externalteltsupport@unsw.edu.au
02 9385 3331

UNSW IT
UNSW IT provides support and services for students such as password access, email services, wireless services and technical support.
UNSW Library Annexe (Ground floor).
02 9385 1333



MNGT5232