Introduction to Business Analytics: 2026 Release ISE

1. Specify the Question: Using Business Analytics to Address Business Questions
2. Obtain the Data: Data Sources and Data Preparation
3. Analyze the Data: Basic Statistics and Tools Required in Business Analytics
4. Analyze the Data: Descriptive Analytics and Diagnostic Analytics
5. Analyze the Data: Predictive Analytics and Prescriptive Analytics
6. Report the Results: Using Data Visualization
7. Marketing Analytics
8. Accounting Analytics
9. Financial Analytics
10. Human Resources, IT, Operations, and Supply Chain Analytics
11. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
12. Using the SOAR Analytics Model to Put It All Together: Three Capstone Projects


Appendix A: Excel Tutorial (Formatting, Sorting, Filtering, and Using Pivot Tables)
Appendix B: Tableau Tutorial
Appendix C: Power BI Desktop Tutorial
Appendix D: Basic Statistics Tutorial
Appendix E: Installing Excel’s Analysis ToolPak Add-In
Appendix F: Installing Excel’s Solver Add-In

Introduction to Business Analytics equips students with the skills to ask the right questions, analyze data using tools like Excel®, Tableau®, Power BI®, and now Python® and GenAI, and interpret results to make informed business decisions. This title integrates an author-created framework called the SOAR analytics model—Specify the question, Obtain the data, Analyze the data, and Report the results—throughout its chapters and labs, ensuring a structured approach to learning. With over 100 hands-on labs and a capstone featuring three comprehensive projects, students gain practical experience applying the SOAR model to real-world business scenarios. This unique focus on practical application and accessible tools makes Introduction to Business Analytics the ideal choice for introductory-level business analytics courses.