040501 VO Principles of Data Analysis for Marketing and Management Decisions (MA) (2026S)

This course is particularly targeted at students of the Master's in Business Administration, who wish to take "Marketing" as a major or minor, as well as at students of the Master's in International Business Administration, who have chosen "Marketing & International Marketing" in the in-depth phase. Students who wish to write their Master thesis in "Marketing" are strongly encouraged to attend.
This course is also open to students from other programs as well as guest students who meet the study requirements. Note that this course can also be complemented by the UK Repetitorium: Data Analysis for Marketing Decisions in practice (DAMDiP – Course 040213) which trains students in analyzing data with hands-on software applications in the Computer Lab.

Sound knowledge of statistics and data analysis is an important requirement for business practice and marketing decisions – more than one would expect! The present course discusses (a) key concepts of statistics and statistical inference (e.g., NHST, Type I and II error, confidence intervals, statistical power, effect sizes) and (b) different methods of data analysis (e.g., t-test, χ2 test, AN(C)OVA, regression analysis) in a series of lectures that combine theory with illustrative, practical examples.
The course does not focus on programming/coding, nor does it aim to demonstrate how to use a specific statistical software (e.g., R, Excel, SPSS, JMP, Minitab, etc). Instead, it focuses on the logic, the implementation, and the interpretation of statistical data analysis in general – regardless of the program employed! Students who successfully complete DAMD will be equipped with a solid foundation of quan-titative data analysis and be able to effectively understand, interpret, and communicate a wide range of analytical approaches; an essential asset for their professional development and career prospects.

The sessions involve theory discussions accompanied by practical cases and hands-on examples. Data simulations and visualization tools are also employed to illustrate the theoretical/computational concepts discussed. Lectures typically provide background knowledge in understanding the theory and logic behind the statistical techniques and then illustrate how to interpret quantitative data analytic methods. Note that successful completion of DAMD depends greatly on whether students systematically review the relevant reading material.

It is recommended that Erasmus students have successfully completed a basic/introductory marketing course at their home university. DAMD is a prerequisite for the Seminar Marketing.

Course policies:A
- The course and any material related to it (lectures, readings, exams, etc) is in English.
- Attendance is not mandatory (yet, highly recommended).
- Students must register for the course to get access to the corresponding Moodle page.
- To take the Final Exam, students must register separately for the chosen exam date.