MANOVA Multivariance analysis of variance (MANOVA) is an extension of analysis of variance (ANOVA) to accommodate more than one dependent variable.

It is a dependence technique that measures the differences for two or more metric dependent variables based on a set of categorical (nonmetric) variables acting as independent variables. MANOVA can be stated in the following general forms: Multi Analysis of Variance: Y1 + Y2 + Y3 + + Yn = X1 + X2 + + Xn (metric) (nonmetric)

Manova is concerned with differences between groups (or experimental treatments). MANOVA is termed a multivariance procedure because we use it to assess group differences across multiple metric dependent variables

simultaneously. in MANOVA each treatment group is observed on two dependent variables. MANOVA is particularly useful when used in conjunction with experimental design , that is, research designs in which the researchers directly controls or manipulates one or more independent variables to determine the effect on the dependent variables. MANOVA provide the tools necessary to judge the observed effects. However, MANOVA has a role in nonexperimental designs

where groups of interest are defined and then the differences on any number of metric variables are assessed for statistical significance.

MANOVA: Extending Univariate Methods for Assessing Group Differences Many times multivariate techniques are extension of univariate techniques, as in the case for multiple regression, which extended simple regression to multivariate analysis where two or more independent variables could be used. A similar situation is found in analyzing group differences. The procedures are classified as univariate not because of the number of dependent variables. In multiple regression, the terms univariate and multivariate refer to the number of independent variables, but for MANOVA the terminology applies to the use of single or multiple dependent variables both of these techniques have long been associated with the analysis of experimental design. The relationships between the univariate and multivariate procedures are as follows:

Number of Dependent Variables Number of Group in Independent Variable Two Groups (Specialized Case) Two or More Groups (Generalized Case) One (Univariate) t test Analysis of variance (ANNOVA) Two or More (Multivariate) Hotellings T Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA)
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Multivariate Procedures for Assessing Group Differences As statistical procedures, both the univariate techniques and their multivariate extension are used to assess the statistical significance of differences between groups. In the multivariate techniques, the null hypothesis tested is the equality of vectors of means on multiple dependent variables across groups. In MANOVA, the researcher actually has two variates, one for the dependent variables and another for the independent variables. The dependent variable variate is of more interest because the metric-dependent measures can be combined in a linear combination. The unique aspect of MANOVA is that the variate optimally combines the multiple dependent measures into a single value that maximizes the differences across groups.

Differences between MANOVA and Discriminant analysis. We noted earlier that in statistical testing MANOVA employs a discriminant function. Which is the variate of dependent variables that maximize the difference between groups. The question may arise: what is the difference between and discriminant analysis? In some aspects, MANOVA and discriminant analysis are mirror images. The dependent variables in MANOVA are the independent variables in discriminant analysis, and the single nonmetric dependent variable of discriminant analysis become the independent variable in MANOVA. Moreover, both use the same method in forming the variates and assessing the statistical significance between groups. The differences, however, center around the objectives of the analyses and the role of nonmetric variables. Discriminant analysis employs a single nonmetric variable as the dependet variable. The categories of the dependent variable are assumed as give, and the independent variables are used in form variates that maximally differ between the groups formed by the dependent variable categories. MANOVA uses the set of metric variables as dependent variables and the objective becomes finding groups of respondents that exhibit

differences on the set of dependent variables. The groups of respondents are not prespecified; instead, the researchers uses one or more independent variables (nonmetric variables) to form groups, MANOVA, even while forming these groups, still retains the ability to assess the impact of each nonmetric variable separately. A Hypothetical Illustration of MANOVA A simple example can illustrate the benefits of using MANOVA while also illustrating the use of two independent variables to assess differences on two dependent variables. Analysis Design In designing the study, the researchers team defined the following elements relating to factors used the dependent variables, and sample size: Factors: Two Factors were defined representing product type and customer status. For each factor, two levels were also defined: product type (product 1 vs product 2) and customer status (current consumer versus ex-customer). In combining these two variables, we get four distinct groups.

 Dependent Variables: evaluation of the HBAT advertisement used two variables (ability to gain attention and persuasiveness) measured with a 10point scale. Sample: Respondents were shown advertisement and asked to rate them on the two dependent measures. A Decision Process for MANOVA The process of performing a multivariate analysis of variance is similar to that found in many other multivariate techniques, so it can be described through the six-stage model-building process. The process begins with the specification of research objectives. It then proceeds to a number of design issues facing a multivariate analysis and then an analysis of the assumptions underlying MANOVA. With these issues addressed, the process continues with estimation of the MANOVA model and the assessment of overall model fit. When an acceptable MANOVA model is found, then the results can be interpreted in more detail. The final step involves efforts to validate the results to ensure generalizability to the population.

Unique Issues with MANOVA The ability to analyze multiple dependent variable in MANOVA creates additional constrains on the power in a MANOVA analysis. We can make some points: Increase the number of dependent variables requires increased sample sizes to maintain given level of power. The additional sample size needed is more pronounced for the smaller effect sizes. For small effect size, the researcher must be prepared to engage in a substantial research effort to achieve acceptable level of power. The Interpretation of the MANOVA Results Once the statistical significance of the treatments has been assessed, the researcher turns attention to examining the result to understand how each treatment affects the dependent measures. In doing so, a series of three steps should be taken: 1. Interpret the effects of covariates, if employed. 2. Assess which dependent variable(s) exhibited differences across the groups of each treatment. 3. Identify whether the groups differ on a single dependent variable or the entire dependent variable.

Validations of the Results Analysis of variance techniques were developed in the tradition of experimentation, with replication as the primary means of validation. The specificity of experimental treatments allows for a widespread use of the same experiment in multiple populations to assess the generalozability of the results. Although it is a principal tenet of the specific method, in social science and business research, true experimentation is many times replaced with statistical tests in nonexperimental situations such as a survey research. The ability to validate the result in these situations is based on the replicability of the treatments. In many instances, demographic characteristics such as age, gender, income, and the like are used as treatments. These treatments may seem to meet the requirement of comparability, but the researcher must ensure that the additional element of randomized assignment to a cell is also met; however, many times in survey research randomness is not fully achieved.