Statistical Thinking: Improving Business Performance [Hardcover]

Roger Hoerl (Author), Ronald Snee (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0534381588 | ISBN-13: 978-0534381585 | Publication Date: February 1, 2001 | Edition: 001

This innovative book teaches students to understand the strategic value of data and statistics in solving real business problems. Following principles of effective learning identified by educational and behavioral research, the instruction proceeds from tangible examples to abstract theory; from the big picture, or "whole," to details, or "parts"; and from a conceptual understanding to ability to perform specific tasks. While the computer is used for computational details, the authors describe the role of statistical thinking and methods for problem solving and process improvement to encourage use of the tools. Hoerl and Snee also teach skills to improve business processes, including collecting data appropriate for a specified purpose, recognizing limitations in existing data, graphically analyzing data using basic tools, deriving actionable conclusions from data analyses, and understanding the limitations of statistical analyses. In summary, the authors demonstrate that statistical thinking and methodology can help students be more valuable and effective in their chosen careers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is clearly a groundbreaking work. To my knowledge there is nothing on the market that even comes close to doing what it does. I have always felt that one of the weaknesses of our teaching at the introductory level is giving the students a strategy for applying the statistical tools that they learn. This book does that beautifully." "This is a book that is badly needed with material that will make a real difference in the learning of students and their understanding and appreciation of statistics as a discipline and its application in solving real problems and improving real processes. The approach is one that students will enjoy. They will gain an appreciation for the discipline of statistics and see aspects of it that they never will appreciate from the typical introductory statistics text. It is a text that I would love to teach out of."

"Hoerl and Snee have captured the essence of Six Sigma methods in their book "Statistical Thinking - Improving Business Performance". This is THE primer that should be mandatory reading for all Black Belts who really want to master the statistical elements of Six Sigma. I heartily recommend it also for Master Black Belts who must review in order to be able to conduct Black Belt training. This book is a key text for all professionals in Six Sigma!"

Product Details

• Hardcover: 544 pages
• Publisher: Duxbury Press; 001 edition (February 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0534381588
• ISBN-13: 978-0534381585
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #145,257 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent elementary book with an unconventional approach, January 22, 2008

By 

Michael R. Chernick "statman31147" (Holland PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Statistical Thinking: Improving Business Performance (Hardcover)

Roger Hoerl is a famous industrial statistician who is currently the head of corporate research and development in statistics at a well known company where he took over recently when Gerry Hahn retired. In addition to his contributions to ridge regression Hoerl has written a number of fine statistical texts and has been very influential in emphasizing the growing need and demand for statistical methods in industry (work that may be done by non-statisticians). With the widespread availability of statistical software, the layperson is gaining the ability to do fairly sophisticated statistical analyses. For these people to be successful it is important that they understand the fundamentals and not just how to turn the crank on a particular procedure. Users of statistical methods must understand the concepts of variability and randomness and be able to know when statistical methodology can be helpful and when it cannot. This also means being able to question the underlying assumptions in a statistical model.

Hoerl and Snee accomplish this by teaching the principles and giving the student ideas to help him think statistically. This is different from the traditional approaches of most business statistics texts. Chapters 1 and 2 emphasize concepts before delving into techniques. Software tools...are introduced as needed. The underlying theory is well covered in chapter 9, but note that the authors have deliberately left the theory to the end of the book. The applications and illustration of techniques come first to teach the how and why. In the end the reader can be satisfied to learn the mathematical justification. Chapter 10 reviews what has been learned through two case studies and directs the student on how to take further steps to more advanced topics.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Wonderful book, May 10, 2003

By 

R. Krause (Tempe, AZ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Statistical Thinking: Improving Business Performance (Hardcover)

Used this book in a 400 level business statistics class, great book overall. Is quite a bit different from most statistics books that I have encountered, however I think that difference is what makes it so effective, this book has been a big eye-opener in viewing everything as a process. The book focuses on principals and the different tools that are available rather than focusing on drilling students with problems. I figure the authors understand that these days computers and statistics software is widely available, so the mathematics behind the techniques is only lightly touched upon. Book finishes up with some theory and a few useful appendixes that go more indepth into certain topics (such as surveying, probability distributions and process reengineering). This is also the book that introduced me to the wonders and excitement of experimental design, which it does a nice job introducing you and preparing you for more advanced texts such as Montgomery's Design of Experiments text.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good way to motivate students in other fields, October 23, 2006

By 

Getulio Amaral (Recife, Brazil) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Statistical Thinking: Improving Business Performance (Hardcover)

Generally speaking, the students think that statistic is a collection of mathematical formulas that they have to know to be approved in their module.

This book helps to put statistic in the center of business process. Statistic becomes part of something and not a entity complete separated from the subject matter.

The weakness of the book is to change the usual order of descriptive, probability and inference.

A good book that any lecture who is interested in motivate students should own.