Local government managers face increased demands for data and data analysis in recent years. Numerous constituents and elected officials look to the manager to understand, analyze, and explain large amounts of data to make good decisions. Yet, many managers do not have an extensive background in the examination and analysis of data. Even if they took a formal course in statistics as an MPA student, new problems involving data arise frequently, resulting in the need for a refresher and reference. There is no other publication aimed at explaining statistics to a local government audience. While there are other publications with the purpose of simplifying statistics for a broad audience, the use of specific government examples and problems make the information presented in this book concrete and applied for the local government audience. Local government managers and department heads will have an accessible, hands-on guide to basic statistical analysis with an emphasis on the unique...
