Book excerpt: Data mining is well on its way to becoming a recognized discipline in the overlapping areas of IT, statistics, machine learning, and AI. Practical Data Mining for Business presents a user-friendly approach to data mining methods, covering the typical uses to which it is applied. The methodology is complemented by case studies to create a versatile reference book, allowing readers to look for specific methods as well as for specific applications. The book is formatted to allow statisticians, computer scientists, and economists to cross-reference from a particular application or method to sectors of interest.