A Management Analyst Is Using Exponential Smoothing to Predict Merchandise

question 84

Essay

A management analyst is using exponential smoothing to predict merchandise returns at an upscale branch of a department store chain. Given an actual number of returns of 154 items in the most recent period completed, a forecast of 172 items for that period, and a smoothing constant of 0.3, what is the forecast for the next period? How would the forecast be changed if the smoothing constant were 0.6? Explain the difference in terms of alpha and responsiveness.

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Definitions:

Consumer Markets

Markets comprised of individuals and households that purchase goods and services for personal use.

Future Profit

The expected earnings or economic benefits that a company or investment will generate in future periods.

ROI

Return on Investment measures the gain or loss generated on an investment relative to the amount of money invested.

Segmentation Approach

A marketing strategy that divides a broad target market into subsets of consumers who have common needs, interests, and priorities.