Forecasting for Inventory Control with Exponential Smoothing

Ralph Snyder (ralph.snyder@monash.edu), A. Koehler and John Ord

No 10/99, Monash Econometrics and Business Statistics Working Papers from Monash University, Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics

Abstract: Exponential smoothing, often used for sales forecasting in inventory control, has always been rationalized in terms of statistical models that possess errors with constant variances. It is shown in this paper that exponential smoothing remains the appropriate approach under more general conditions where the variances are allowed to grow and contract with corresponding movements in the underlying level. The implications for estimation and prediction are explored. In particular the problem of finding the prediction distribution of aggregate lead- time demand for use in inventory control calculations is considered. It is found that unless a drift term is added to simple exponential smoothing, the prediction distribution is largely unaffected by the variance assumption. A method for establishing order-up-to levels and reorder levels directly from the simulated prediction distributions is also proposed.

Keywords: Inventory control; demand forecasting; exponential smoothing; bootstrap methods. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C53 D24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 28 pages
Date: 1999-08
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Forecasting for inventory control with exponential smoothing (2002)
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