Forecasting and recombining time-series components by using neural networks

Operations and other business decisions often depend on accurate time-series forecasts. These time series usually consist of trend-cycle, seasonal, and irregular components. Existing methodologies attempt to first identify and then extrapolate these components to produce forecasts. The proposed process partners this decomposition procedure with neural network methodologies to combine the strengths of economics, statistics, and machine learning research. Stacked generalization first uses transformations and decomposition to pre-process a time series. Then a time-delay neural network receives the resulting components as inputs. The outputs of this neural network are then input to a backpropagation algorithm that synthesizes the processed components into a single forecast. Genetic algorithms guide the architecture selection for both the time-delay and backpropagation neural networks. The empirical examples used in this study reveal that the combination of transformation, feature extraction, and neural networks through stacked generalization gives more accurate forecasts than classical decomposition or ARIMA models.?Scope and Purpose.?The research reported in this paper examines two concurrent issues. The first evaluates the performance of neural networks in forecasting time series. The second assesses the use of stacked generalization as a way of refining this process. The methodology is applied to four economic and business time series. Those studying time series and neural networks, particularly in terms of combining tools from the statistical community with neural network technology, will find this paper relevant.     

Dynamic pricing with real-time demand learning

In many service industries, the firm adjusts the product price dynamically by taking into account the current product inventory and the future demand distribution. Because the firm can easily monitor the product inventory, the success of dynamic pricing relies on an accurate demand forecast. In this paper, we consider a situation where the firm does not have an accurate demand forecast, but can only roughly estimate the customer arrival rate before the sale begins. As the sale moves forward, the firm uses real-time sales data to fine-tune this arrival rate estimation. We show how the firm can first use this modified arrival rate estimation to forecast the future demand distribution with better precision, and then use the new information to dynamically adjust the product price in order to maximize the expected total revenue. Numerical study shows that this strategy not only is nearly optimal, but also is robust when the true customer arrival rate is much different from the original forecast. Finally, we extend the results to four situations commonly encountered in practice: unobservable lost customers, time dependent arrival rate, batch demand, and discrete set of allowable prices.     

Determination of an Optimal Forecast Model for Ambulance Demand Using Goal Programming

A multistep approach to determining the optimal parameters of an exponential smoothing model was used to forecast emergency medical service (E.M.S.) demand for four counties of South Carolina. Daily emergency and routine (non-emergency) demand data were obtained and forecast statistics generated for each county sampled, using Winters' exponential smoothing model. A goal programme was formulated to combine forecast results for emergency calls with routine call forecasts. The goal programme gave a higher priority to accurate forecasting of emergency demand. The forecast model generated implicitly weights demand by severity and provides a reliable estimate of demand overall. The optimal parameter values for the smoothing model were obtained by minimizing the objective function value of the goal programming problem. The parameter values obtained were used to forecast demand for E.M.S. in the selected counties. The results of the model were compared to those using a multiple linear regression model and a single-objective-based exponential smoothing model for 2 months of data. When compared with two single-objective forecast models, the multiple-objective approach yielded more accurate forecasts and, therefore, was more cost-effective for the planner. The model presents and demonstrates a theoretical approach to improving the accuracy of ambulance demand forecasts. The possible impact of this approach on planning efficiency is discussed.     

An exploration into the influence of psychological profiles upon group decision making

This paper looks at a problem where a group, made up of individuals from a variety of different organisations but with similar technical backgrounds, had the task of producing a forecast for their particular industry. The forecast was to be published by their technical institute and was therefore of general interest in stimulating debate. The group members used a form of judgemental modelling to produce their individual forecasts. After these initial outcomes, the group was split into three sub-groups based upon a method of psychological profiling, with each subgroup repeating the exercise and producing a group-negotiated forecast. The results presented here show how group composition affects the way in which individuals negotiate towards a final outcome. The conclusions reached have implications for decision making aids using decision support systems, both for systems that aim to facilitate and for those that attempt to model the process. Although only a small experiment, the results suggest that there is tremendous potential benefit from this avenue of research when applied to the developing technologies of group decision and negotiation systems.     

Using clustering to improve sales forecasts in retail merchandising

Given sales forecasts for a set of items along with the standard deviation associated with each forecast, we propose a new method of combining forecasts using the concepts of clustering. Clusters of items are identified based on the similarity in their sales forecasts and then a common forecast is computed for each cluster of items. On a real dataset from a national retail chain we have found that the proposed method of combining forecasts produces significantly better sales forecasts than either the individual forecasts (forecasts without combining) or an alternate method of using a single combined forecast for all items in a product line sold by this retailer.     

Potential inventory cost reductions using advanced time series forecasting techniques

This paper compares demand forecasts computed using the time series forecasting techniques of vector autoregression (VAR) and Bayesian VAR (BVAR) with forecasts computed using exponential smoothing and seasonal decomposition. These forecasts for three demand data series were used to determine three inventory management policies for each time series. The inventory costs associated with each of these policies were used as a further basis for comparison of the forecasting techniques. The results show that the BVAR technique, which uses mixed estimation, is particularly useful in reducing inventory costs in cases where the limited historical data offer little useful information for forecasting. The BVAR technique was effective in improving forecast accuracy and reducing inventory costs in two of the three cases tested. In the third case, unrestricted VAR and exponential smoothing produced the lowest experimental forecast errors and computed inventory costs. Furthermore, this research illustrates that improvements in demand forecasting can provide better cost reductions than relying on stochastic inventory models to provide cost reductions.     

A data mining approach to forecast behavior

This study presents a data mining analysis of forecasting patterns in a supply chain. Multiple customers who are auto manufacturers order from a large auto parts supplier. The auto manufacturers provide forecasts for future orders and update them before the due date. The supplier uses these forecasts to plan production in advance. The accuracy of the forecasts varies from customer to customer. We provide a framework to analyze the forecast performance of the customers. There are different complexities in forecasts that are captured from our data set. Daily flow analysis helps to transform data and obtain accuracy ratios of forecasts. Customers are then classified based on their forecast performances. We demonstrate the application of some recent developments in clustering and pattern recognition analysis to performance analysis of customers.     

Using shared sell-through data to forecast wholesaler demand in multi-echelon supply chains

Operational forecasting in supply chain management supports a variety of short-term planning decisions, such as production scheduling and inventory management. In this respect, improving short-term forecast accuracy is a way to build a more agile supply chain for manufacturing companies. Demand forecasting often relies on well-established univariate forecasting methods to extrapolate historical demand. Collaboration across the supply chain, including information sharing, is suggested in the literature to improve upon the forecast accuracy of such traditional methods. In this paper, we review empirical studies considering the use of downstream information in demand forecasting and investigate different modeling approaches and forecasting methods to incorporate such data. Where empirical findings on information sharing mainly focus on point-of-sale data in two-level supply chains, this research empirically investigates the added value of using sell-through data originating from intermediaries, next to historical demand figures, in a multi-echelon supply chain. In a case study concerning a US drug manufacturer, we evaluate different methods to incorporate this data and consider both time series methods and machine learning techniques to produce multi-step ahead weekly forecasts. The results show that the manufacturer can effectively improve its short-term forecast accuracy by integrating sell-through data into the forecasting process and provide useful insights as to the different modeling approaches used. The conclusion holds for all forecast horizons considered, though it is most pronounced for one-step ahead forecasts. Therefore, our research provides a clear incentive for manufacturers to assess the forecast accuracy that can be achieved by using sell-through data.     

Forecasting the Development of the Market for Business Telephones in the UK

The problem of producing medium- to long-term forecasts of the market for business telephones is examined. Growth curves are generally appropriate for forecasting developing markets. However, this market is particularly sensitive to the state of business confidence and the feasibility of incorporating explanatory economic variables into the forecasting model is investigated. Three different model types are compared: growth curves with a fixed saturation level, multivariate linear models and growth curves with saturation levels determined by explanatory variables. The initial promise of models using explanatory variables is considerably diminished, once forecast rather than actual values of these variables are used. The market development model implicit in the growth curve is shown to be more robust than the linear model. Although the variable saturation level growth curve grants more insight into the maturity of the market, it does not produce significantly better forecasts than that with the fixed saturation level.     

Incorporating crossed classification credibility into the Lee–Carter model for multi-population mortality data

Recent developments in actuarial literature have shown that credibility theory can serve as an effective tool in mortality modelling, leading to accurate forecasts when applied to single or multi-population datasets. This paper presents a crossed classification credibility formulation of the Lee–Carter method particularly designed for multi-population mortality modelling. Differently from the standard Lee–Carter methodology, where the time index is assumed to follow an appropriate time series process, herein, future mortality dynamics are estimated under a crossed classification credibility framework, which models the interactions between various risk factors (e.g. genders, countries). The forecasting performances between the proposed model, the original Lee–Carter model and two multi-population Lee–Carter extensions are compared for both genders of multiple countries. Numerical results indicate that the proposed model produces more accurate forecasts than the Lee–Carter type models, as evaluated by the mean absolute percentage forecast error measure. Applications with life insurance and annuity products are also provided and a stochastic version of the proposed model is presented.     

Forecasting tender price index under incomplete information

Tender price index (TPI) is essential for estimating the likely tender price of a given project. Due to incomplete information on future market conditions, it is difficult to accurately forecast the TPI. Most traditional statistical forecasting models require a certain number of historical data, which may not be completely available in many practical situations. In order to overcome this problem, the grey model is proposed for forecasting TPIs because it only requires a small number of input data. For this study, the data source was based on the TPIs produced by the Government's Architectural Services Department. On the basis of four input data, the grey model forecasted TPIs from 1981Q1 to 2011Q4. The mean absolute percentage errors of forecast TPIs in one quarter and two quarters ahead were 3.62 and 7.04%, respectively. In order to assess the accuracy and reliability of the grey model further, the same research method was used to forecast other three TPIs in Hong Kong. The forecasting results of all four TPIs were found to be very good. It was thus concluded that the grey model could be able to produce accurate TPI forecasts for a one-quarter to two-quarter forecast horizon.     

Forecast Accuracy: The Financial Benefits to a Small Airline

This paper assesses possible gains to be made from increasing forecast accuracy. It examines the financial return from improving passenger revenue forecasts for a small airline, both in theory assuming ‘optimal’ cash management and in practice using policies currently in operation in the firm. It concludes that the gains are unlikely to outweigh the costs, that greater returns are likely to be available through better cash management and that the nature of forecast errors must be considered along with their size.     

A new approach of forecasting intermittent demand for spare parts inventories in the process industries

Accurate demand forecasting is of vital importance in inventory management of spare parts in process industries, while the intermittent nature makes demand forecasting for spare parts especially difficult. With the wide application of information technology in enterprise management, more information and data are now available to improve forecasting accuracy. In this paper, we develop a new approach for forecasting the intermittent demand of spare parts. The described approach provides a mechanism to integrate the demand autocorrelated process and the relationship between explanatory variables and the nonzero demand of spare parts during forecasting occurrences of nonzero demands over lead times. Two types of performance measures for assessing forecast methods are also described. Using data sets of 40 kinds of spare parts from a petrochemical enterprise in China, we show that our method produces more accurate forecasts of lead time demands than do exponential smoothing, Croston's method and Markov bootstrapping method.     

Top Management Systems for Forecasting and Monitoring Pay Costs and Staff Numbers

The size of the Department of Trade and Industry has mainly been controlled by a ceiling on the number of staff. Recently, the Government also introduced limits on running cost budgets, the largest component of which is pay cost. In 1986 these were delegated to 12 Deputy Secretaries. The budgets have to be set very tightly in order to remain within the Departmental limit on running costs; so it is essential that top management are able to forecast pay costs. Two models are described. One provides short term forecasts of staff numbers, the other forecasts their cost. The model forecasting staff numbers can be used to ensure that the ceiling on staff numbers is not exceeded. Its main use is as an input to the second model which forecasts pay costs. The models are now in use by top management; firstly, to allocate budgets throughout the Department, and secondly, to monitor the spend through the year.     

A short and mean-term automatic forecasting system––application to textile logistics

In order to reduce their stocks and to limit stock out, textile companies require specific and accurate sale forecasting systems. More especially, textile distribution involves different forecast lead times: mean-term (one year) and short-term (one week in average). This paper presents two new complementary forecasting models, appropriate to textile market requirements. The first model (AHFCCX) allows to automatically obtain mean-term forecasting by using fuzzy techniques to quantify influence of explanatory variables. The second one (SAMANFIS), based on a neuro-fuzzy method, performs short-term forecasting by readjusting mean-term model forecasts from load real sales. To evaluate forecasts accuracy, our models and classical ones are compared to 322 real items sales series of an important ready to wear distributor.     

组合调整频率会影响投资者的回报率么?——基于分析师股票推荐的投资策略研究

利用巨灵数据库的分析师评级数据,从投资者角度建立动态组合,检验了按每日、每周、每两周、每月、每季度头寸调整频率后的超额收益,研究发现:"买入"评级组合在各种头寸调整频率策略下都获得了超越市场指数的超额回报率,其中按每周频率进行头寸调整策略获得的市场调整后平均超额回报率最高,按三个月频率进行头寸调整策略获得的市场调整后平均超额回报率最低。投资者在面对分析师一致认为"买入"评级股票时,可按照每周更新的频率构建组合,以获取较高的超额回报率。投资者如果按季度调整频率来卖出股票可能会错失投资机会,卖掉的股票很可能会跑赢市场,投资者可按每两周或每四周的频率调整投资组合中的股票,卖出负面推荐评级"减持/卖出"股票,降低投资亏损。     

Efficiency of the independence assumption in the combination of forecasts

In seeking to minimise the composite forecast error variance of a linear combination of forecasts, contradictory suggestions have been reported concerning the practice of making the assumption of independence between forecast errors. This assumption can introduce robustness though its avoidance of sampling errors in the estimation of correlation coefficient(s), although it does render the composite forecast theoretically suboptimal. By means of theory and experimental simulation, this paper examines the circumstances whereby the independence assumption may produce more efficient composite forecasts. Its applicability is shown to depend both upon the underlying correlation structure and relative size of forecast errors as well as the observation base available for estimation.     

The value of combining forecasts in inventory management – a case study in banking

Managing inventories in the face of uncertain stochastic demand requires an investment in safety stocks. These are related to the accuracy in forecasting future demands and the noise in the demand generation process. Reducing the demand forecasting error can free up capital and space, and reduce the operating costs of managing the inventories. A leading bank in Hong Kong consumes more than three hundred kinds of printed forms for its daily operations. A major problem of its inventory control system for the forms management is to forecast the monthly demand of these forms. In this study the idea of combining forecasts is introduced and its practical application is addressed. The individual forecasts come from well established time series models and the weights for combination are estimated with Quadratic Programming. The combined forecast is found to perform better than any of the individual forecasts.     

A Method for Pooling Forecasts

A group of experts is to produce a joint forecast of a set of unknowns. Each expert is asked to distribute subjectively a given sum of confidence weights over his own forecasts. A joint forecast is computed as the product sum of the individual forecasts and weights deduced from the individual's weights. A probabilistic interpretation of this procedure is provided and a measure of the reliability of the joint forecasts is suggested. A Bayesian variant can be constructed by introducing sample information.     

我国上市公司被特别处理的组合预测模型研究

针对组合预测比单项预测具有更高的预测精度，本提出了一种基于模糊神经网络的上市公司被ST的非线性组合建模与预测新方法，并给出了相应的混合学习算法。通过与多元线性回归模型、Fisher模型和Logistc回归模型的预测结果对比表明，该方法具有预测精度高，学习与泛化能力强，适应性广的优点。