A mega-trend-diffusion grey forecasting model for short-term manufacturing demand

Accurate short-term demand forecasting is critical for developing effective production plans; however, a short forecasting period indicates that the product demands are unstable, rendering tracking of product development trends difficult. Determining the actual developing data patterns by using forecasting models generated using historical observations is difficult, and the forecasting performance of such models is unfavourable, whereas using the latest limited data for forecasting can improve management efficiency and maintain the competitive advantages of an enterprise. To solve forecasting problems related to a small data set, this study applied an adaptive grey model for forecasting short-term manufacturing demand. Experiments involving the monthly demand data for thin film transistor liquid crystal display panels and wafer-level chip-scale packaging process data showed that the proposed grey model produced favourable forecasting results, indicating its appropriateness as a short-term forecasting tool for small data sets.     

上证50ETF期权定价有效性的研究:基于B-S-M模型和蒙特卡罗模拟

上证50ETF期权作为中国资本市场上股票期权的第一个试点产品,其定价问题尤为重要。本文分别运用B-S-M期权定价模型和蒙特卡罗模拟方法对其定价进行实证研究,分析结果表明:1)IGARCH模型比传统的GARCH模型更能较好地拟合上证50ETF的波动率;2)当模拟次数为1000时,蒙特卡罗方法的效率一致地高于B-S-M模型,并且除了对偶变量技术的拟蒙特卡罗其他模型的精确度也都高于B-S-M模型;3)B-S-M模型和蒙特卡罗模拟方法都可以较为准确地、有效地模拟出上证50ETF期权价格。这些研究将为今后期权定价模型的发展和完善提供必要的参考和指引。     

A stochastic model for operating room planning with elective and emergency demand for surgery

This paper describes a stochastic model for Operating Room (OR) planning with two types of demand for surgery: elective surgery and emergency surgery. Elective cases can be planned ahead and have a patient-related cost depending on the surgery date. Emergency cases arrive randomly and have to be performed on the day of arrival. The planning problem consists in assigning elective cases to different periods over a planning horizon in order to minimize the sum of elective patient related costs and overtime costs of operating rooms. A new stochastic mathematical programming model is first proposed. We then propose a Monte Carlo optimization method combining Monte Carlo simulation and Mixed Integer Programming. The solution of this method is proved to converge to a real optimum as the computation budget increases. Numerical results show that important gains can be realized by using a stochastic OR planning model.     

Forecasting demand for single-period products: A case study in the apparel industry

The problem considered is that of forecasting demand for single-period products before the period starts. We study this problem for the case of a mail order apparel company that needs to order its products pre-season. The lack of historical demand data implies that other sources of data are needed. Advance order data can be obtained by allowing a selected group of customers to pre-order at a discount from a preview catalogue. Judgments can be obtained from purchase managers or other company experts. In this paper, we compare several existing and new forecasting methods for both sources of data. The methods are generic and can be used in any single-period problem in the apparel or fashion industries. Among the pre-order based methods, a novel ‘top-flop’ approach provides promising results. For a small group of products from the case company, expert judgment methods perform better than the methods based on advance demand information. The comparative results are obviously restricted to the specific case study, and additional testing is required to determine whether they are valid in general.     

Product demand forecasts using wavelet kernel support vector machine and particle swarm optimization in manufacture system

Demand forecasts play a crucial role in supply chain management. The future demand for a certain product is the basis for the respective replenishment systems. Aiming at demand series with small samples, seasonal character, nonlinearity, randomicity and fuzziness, the existing support vector kernel does not approach the random curve of the sales time series in the space (quadratic continuous integral space). In this paper, we present a hybrid intelligent system combining the wavelet kernel support vector machine and particle swarm optimization for demand forecasting. The results of application in car sale series forecasting show that the forecasting approach based on the hybrid PSOWv-SVM model is effective and feasible, the comparison between the method proposed in this paper and other ones is also given, which proves that this method is, for the discussed example, better than hybrid PSOv-SVM and other traditional methods.     

Pricing to accelerate demand learning in dynamic assortment planning for perishable products

Retailers, from fashion stores to grocery stores, have to decide what range of products to offer, i.e., their product assortment. Frequent introduction of new products, a recent business trend, makes predicting demand more difficult, which in turn complicates assortment planning. We propose and study a stochastic dynamic programming model for simultaneously making assortment and pricing decisions which incorporates demand learning using Bayesian updates. We show analytically that it is profitable for the retailer to use price reductions early in the sales season to accelerate demand learning. A computational study demonstrates the benefits of such a policy and provides managerial insights that may help improve a retailer’s profitability.     

Integrating effective flexibility measures into a strategic supply chain planning model

This paper develops models for capacity, product mix, distribution and input supply flexibility and integrates them in a strategic level, mixed integer supply chain (SC) planning model as a way of addressing demand and supply uncertainty, as well as improving market responsiveness. Capacity flexibility is modeled via the SC’s production capacity planning to address budgeted demand and ensure the fulfillment of prospective demand increases when considering various market scenarios. This model selects an optimal number of products from fast moving and extended product range options—based on the product mix flexibility. The model confirms a quick response to a changing marketplace by considering elements like transportation and supply lead time along with the probabilities of stock out options when addressing input supply and distribution flexibility. This paper proposes a solution procedure to solve the model for real world problems, and investigates the sensitivity of the model outputs with respect to changes in flexibility measures.     

Bayesian total loss estimation using shared random effects

The pricing of insurance policies requires estimates of the total loss. The traditional compound model imposes an independence assumption on the number of claims and their individual sizes. Bivariate models, which model both variables jointly, eliminate this assumption. A regression approach allows policy holder characteristics and product features to be included in the model. This article presents a bivariate model that uses joint random effects across both response variables to induce dependence effects. Bayesian posterior estimation is done using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. A real data example demonstrates that our proposed model exhibits better fitting and forecasting capabilities than existing models.     

基于最小二乘法的长周期实物期权精确估值迭代模拟算法

提出了一种基于最小二乘法的长周期实物期权精确估值迭代模拟算法,并通过一个商用通信卫星在轨服务投资决策的算例对该算法的实现进行了说明.算法将一个需要一次进行大量运算的问题转变为一个需要进行多次运算但每次运算的计算量相对较小的问题,能够很好地解决在缺乏并行计算的条件下大量模拟运算所面临的计算资源瓶颈问题,不仅能够得到较为精确的实物期权价值的点估计值和区间估计值,也便于推导最优的投资策略.     

周期与季节性因素影响下的短生命周期产品预测优化模型

短生命周期产品因为需求的随机性和产品价值的瞬间变化性,对预测准确性提出了更高的要求.然而许多企业在使用多种预测模型后发现其预测准确率并没有得到显著提升.以短生命周期产品需求特点为背景,在需求预测影响的BASS模型基础上,建立受生命周期和季节性因素影响的需求预测优化模型,最后通过一个产品的实例证实了验证了模型的合理性.     

Spare parts management: Linking distributional assumptions to demand classification

Spare parts are known to be associated with intermittent demand patterns and such patterns cause considerable problems with regards to forecasting and stock control due to their compound nature that renders the normality assumption invalid. Compound distributions have been used to model intermittent demand patterns; there is however a lack of theoretical analysis and little relevant empirical evidence in support of these distributions. In this paper, we conduct a detailed empirical investigation on the goodness of fit of various compound Poisson distributions and we develop a distribution-based demand classification scheme the validity of which is also assessed in empirical terms. Our empirical investigation provides evidence in support of certain demand distributions and the work described in this paper should facilitate the task of selecting such distributions in a real world spare parts inventory context. An extensive discussion on parameter estimation related difficulties in this area is also provided.     

A semi-parametric approach for estimating critical fractiles under autocorrelated demand

Forecasting critical fractiles of the lead time demand distribution is an important problem for operations managers making newsvendor-type inventory decisions. In this paper, we propose a semi-parametric approach to forecasting the critical fractile when demand is serially correlated. Starting from a user-defined but potentially misspecified forecasting model, we use historical demand data to generate empirical forecast errors of this model. These errors are then used to (1) parametrically correct for any bias in the point forecast conditional on the recent demand history and (2) non-parametrically estimate the critical fractile of the demand distribution without imposing distributional assumptions. We present conditions under which this semi-parametric approach provides a consistent estimate of the critical fractile and evaluate its finite sample properties using simulation and real data for retail inventory planning.     

Bayesian estimation of nonlinear equilibrium models with random coefficients

In this paper, we develop a conditional likelihood based approach for estimating the equilibrium price and shares in markets with differentiated products and oligopoly supply. We model market demand using a discrete choice model with random coefficients and random utility. For most applications, the likelihood function of equilibrium prices and shares is intractable and cannot be directly analyzed. To overcome this, we develop a Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation strategy to estimate parameters and distributions. To illustrate our methodology, we generate a dataset of prices and quantities simulated from a differentiated goods oligopoly across a number of markets. We apply our methodology to this dataset to demonstrate its attractive features as well as its accuracy and validity. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Combined pricing and supply chain operations under price-dependent stochastic demand

In this study, we determined product prices and designed an integrated supply chain operations plan that maximized a manufacturer’s expected profit. The computational results of this study revealed that as the variance of the demand distribution increases, a manufacturer will increase its inventory to levels that are greater than the anticipated demand to prevent the potential loss of sales and will simultaneously raise product prices to obtain a greater profit. In the cost minimization approach, the manufacturer may earn the highest possible profits, as determined by the profit optimization approach, only if this firm precisely forecasts the mean market demand for its products. Greater inaccuracies in this forecast will produce lower levels of expected profit.     

A competitive dynamic pricing model when demand is interdependent over time

In this study, we contribute to the dynamic pricing literature by developing a finite horizon model for two firms offering substitutable and nonperishable products with different quality levels. Customers can purchase and store the products, even if they do not need them at the time, in order to use them in future. The stockpile of the products generated by customers affects the demand in future periods. Therefore, the demand for each product not only is a function of prices and quality levels, but also of the products’ stockpile levels. In addition, the stockpile levels change the customers’ consumption behavior; more product in a stockpile leads to more consumption. Therefore, we address not only the price and demand relationship but also the stockpiling and consumption relationship in a competitive environment.     

Correcting for Simulation Bias in Monte Carlo Methods to Value Exotic Options in Models Driven by Lévy Processes

Lévy processes can be used to model asset return's distributions. Monte Carlo methods must frequently be used to value path dependent options in these models, but Monte Carlo methods can be prone to considerable simulation bias when valuing options with continuous reset conditions. This paper shows how to correct for this bias for a range of options by generating a sample from the extremes distribution of the Lévy process on subintervals. The method uses variance‐gamma and normal inverse Gaussian processes. The method gives considerable reductions in bias, so that it becomes feasible to apply variance reduction methods. The method seems to be a very fruitful approach in a framework in which many options do not have analytical solutions.     

An application of vector GARCH model in semiconductor demand planning

Demand planning has been the key to supply chain management in semiconductor industry. With an appropriate weight assignment scheme, the planning accuracy resulting from combinational forecasts can be improved by merging several individual candidate methods. In this paper we discuss the applicability of vector generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) model to determine the optimal combinational weights of component forecasts, where the conditional variances and correlations of forecast errors from candidate methods are represented and estimated by a maximum-likelihood procedure. The asymptotical properties of parameter estimators for GARCH model are investigated by simulation experiments. An example of the proposed method to real time series of electronic products demonstrates that this weight-varying combinational method produces less prediction errors, compared to other commonly used forecasting approaches that are based on single model selection criteria or fixed weights.     

Peak demand forecasting for a seasonal product using Bayesian approach

An actual demand-forecasting problem of the US apparel dealers is studied. Demand is highly fluctuating during the peak sale season and low prior to the peak season. The model is described by the continuous time stochastic process applying the Bayesian process. The standard gamma distribution is selected for the demand process and an inverse gamma distribution is chosen as the conjugate prior for the model. The choice is supported by the maximum likelihood estimate among a number of non-negative distribution models. The proposed Bayesian models predict the probability of the future demand expressed explicitly conditional on the observed demand prior to the peak season. The data set illustrates partial demand of a seasonal product procured by the US dealers from overseas. In recent years, hazard and operational risks due to weather disasters and equipment shutdowns were felt significantly. These caused supply chain disruption and unrecorded demand. The model is extended to contribute to forecast from an unrecorded data set due to supply disruption. Forecasts are compared with real data and a widely implemented adaptive Holt-Winters (H-W) seasonal forecasting model. Results show that the forecasts calculated by the proposed methods do better than those of the adaptive H-W model.     

基于贝叶斯MCMC算法的美式期权定价

鉴于美式期权的定价具有后向迭代搜索特征,本文结合Longstaff和Schwartz提出的美式期权定价的最小二乘模拟方法,研究基于马尔科夫链蒙特卡洛算法对回归方程系数的估计,实现对美式期权的双重模拟定价.通过对无红利美式看跌股票期权定价进行大量实证模拟,从期权价值定价误差等方面同著名的最小二乘蒙特卡洛模拟方法进行对比分析,结果表明基于MCMC回归算法给出的美式期权定价具有更高的精确度.模拟实证结果表明本文提出的对美式期权定价方法具有较好的可行性、有效性与广泛的适用性.该方法的不足之处就是类似于一般的蒙特卡洛方法,会使得求解的计算量有所加大.     

Development of improved adaptive approaches to electricity demand forecasting

This paper develops a short-term forecasting system for hourly electricity load demand based on Unobserved Components set up in a State Space framework. The system consists of two options, a univariate model and a non-linear bivariate model that relates demand to temperature. In order to handle the rapidly sampling interval of the data, a multi-rate approach is implemented with models estimated at different frequencies, some of them with ‘periodically amplitude modulated’ properties. The non-linear relation between demand and temperature is identified via a Data-Based Mechanistic approach and finally implemented by Radial Basis Functions. The models also include signal extraction of daily and weekly components. Both models are tested on the basis of a thorough experiment in which other options, like ARIMA and Artificial Neural Networks are also used. The models proposed compare very favourably with the rest of alternatives in forecasting load demand.