Data Clustering

Abstract

Data clustering can be associated with and used in many research methodologies and application areas. In this chapter, the basics of data clustering and some kind of its applications are given with examples and a real data set. The examples show data types and help to explain basic clustering algorithms. The real data help to classify countries in terms of their computer and internet proficiency levels. After examining the resulting clusters obtained from four different basic methods according to eight computer and internet proficiencies, it is found that the regional closeness of countries and being outside of a union are the major drivers of those clusters' formation. This application gives some possible future research area extensions to researchers about clustering the same or other countries by different proficiencies and unions.