Forecasting Techniques Overview

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Questions and Answers

What does a moving average model primarily help to analyze in a time series?

  • Smooth out short-term variations to identify longer-term trends (correct)
  • Extrapolate future sales trends based on historical data
  • Determine the causal relationship between variables
  • Account for seasonal fluctuations in data

If the smoothing constant α in an exponential smoothing model is set to 1, what can be inferred about the forecast?

  • The forecast is identical to the most recent observation. (correct)
  • The forecast reflects a balanced average of past data.
  • The forecast will not change with new data inputs.
  • The forecast is based entirely on past averages.

What is the main purpose of calculating Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) in forecasting?

  • To highlight the average size of forecast errors in absolute terms (correct)
  • To compare the effectiveness of different forecasting methods
  • To provide an estimate of how much variation exists in the model's forecasting ability
  • To assess the total cumulative error over multiple periods

Which of the following statements about exponential forecasting methods is accurate?

<p>They assign exponentially decreasing weights to past observations. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of time series forecasting, what does bias refer to?

<p>The average difference between predicted and actual values (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes qualitative and judgmental forecasting techniques?

<p>They depend on the experience and intuition of individuals. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the historical analogy approach in forecasting?

<p>To examine previous situations and draw parallels for future predictions. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which forecasting method uses a sequence of questionnaires to gather expert opinions?

<p>Delphi method (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of GH Toys Inc., which method was used to forecast the success of a new line of toys?

<p>Historical analogy based on previous products. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In a multiple linear regression model predicting gasoline sales, which of the following variables is NOT considered a causal variable?

<p>Average temperature (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes explanatory/causal forecasting models from qualitative methods?

<p>They focus on measurable influences on behavior rather than intuition. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Ft+k' represent in the linear trend equation?

<p>The forecasted value at time t+k (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is the Delphi method considered unique among forecasting techniques?

<p>It seeks consensus by anonymizing expert responses. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which method is primarily used for short- and medium-range forecasts?

<p>Simple time-series models (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a limitation of statistical time-series models?

<p>They require a stable historical pattern for accurate predictions. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In forecasting, an index is best described as which of the following?

<p>A single measure that aggregates multiple indicators (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What major factor led to the oil price drop in mid-1988 according to the example given?

<p>Oversupply and high production in non-OPEC regions. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about regression methods is correct?

<p>They are most effective for long-term forecasts. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of a moving average model?

<p>To predict future data points by averaging past observations. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What effect does increasing the value of k have on the moving average forecast?

<p>It results in a smoother forecast model. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In a moving average model, what does the variable k represent?

<p>The number of past observations averaged to make a forecast. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When is it appropriate to use a moving average model?

<p>When the time series is relatively stable without notable trends. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential drawback of using Excel’s Moving Average Tool?

<p>It misaligns the generated forecasts with their corresponding data. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about exponential smoothing models is true?

<p>They are useful when trend or seasonal effects are insignificant. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of applying a three-period moving average to the sales data 16, 17, 18, 20, 18, 22, 24?

<p>The forecast for week 8 is 21 units. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the key assumption of forecasting models based on historical time-series data?

<p>The future is predicted as an extrapolation of the past. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which method would be most appropriate for forecasting a time series with seasonal patterns?

<p>Multiple regression with categorical variables (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of using dummy variables in regression-based forecasting for seasonal data?

<p>To incorporate seasonal effects without losing data (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the regression model for gas usage, which month was used as the reference month?

<p>January (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following results from the regression model indicates a strong influence on gas usage?

<p>-192.25 for May (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the equation predicted sales for week 11 represent?

<p>The forecasted sales based on regression analysis (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In a regression model, why are smoothing constants used in Holt-Winters models?

<p>To predict seasonal changes efficiently (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does incorporating causal variables in a regression-based forecasting model affect predictions?

<p>It captures external influences on sales performance (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of model is similar to Holt-Winters models and also uses smoothing constants?

<p>Exponential smoothing model (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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Study Notes

Forecasting Techniques

  • Managers rely on forecasting to predict future events.
  • Three main forecasting techniques are:
    • Qualitative and judgmental techniques.
    • Statistical time-series models.
    • Explanatory/causal models.

Qualitative and Judgmental Forecasting

  • Relies on experience and intuition.
  • Historical analogy approach utilizes comparative analysis with past scenarios for forecasting.
  • Delphi method involves questioning a panel of anonymous experts repeatedly to achieve convergent opinions about the forecasted variable.

Statistical Time-Series Models

  • These models are effective for short time periods where trend, seasonal, or cyclical effects are not significant.
  • Two key models:
    • Moving average model.
    • Exponential smoothing model.

Moving Average Models

  • Simple moving average method averages out random fluctuations in time series to identify the direction of change.
  • Calculates the average of the most recent k observations for the next period's forecast.
  • Higher k leads to smoother forecasts as extreme values have less impact.

Exponential Smoothing Models

  • Assigns exponentially decreasing weights to past observations.
  • Smoothing constant α controls the weight given to the most recent observation.
  • Higher α values assign more weight to recent data.
  • Generates forecasts that adjust to changes in time series patterns.

Time Series Forecasting

  • Time series data represents measurements over time, usually at equal intervals.
  • Models use historical data extrapolation to predict future outcomes.
  • Naïve forecasting assumes the next period's value will be the same as the current period's value.
  • Mean absolute deviation (MAD) measures the average absolute error of a forecast model.

Autocorrelation in Time Series

  • Occurs when values at different time points in the series are correlated.
  • Analyzing autocorrelation helps identify patterns in time series data.
  • Autocorrelation function (ACF) plots the correlation of the time series with its lagged values.

Time Series with Seasonality

  • Models handle seasonality by incorporating specific techniques:
    • Multiple regression with categorical variables for seasonal components.
    • Holt-Winters models, similar to exponential smoothing, use smoothing constants to account for variations in level and seasonal patterns.

The Practice of Forecasting

  • Qualitative and judgmental methods are used for sales forecasts of product lines and broad company or industry outlooks.
  • Simple time-series models are used for short-term and medium-range forecasts.
  • Regression methods are generally employed for long-term forecasts.
  • An index is a single measure that combines multiple indicators to provide a more comprehensive way to understand overall expectations.

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