Chapter 2.3 Flashcards
Forecasting
Decision-making tool used by businesses to help in budgeting, planning and estimating future growth
Delphi method
A structured forecasting technique using a panel of experts and a number of rounds of questioning. Responses are shared after each round and the experts encouraged to reconsider their own responses. It is intended to achieve a consensus view
Mean average deviation (MAD)
A calculation to determine how accurate the forecasting process is
What 6 basic questions did lysons and farrington say forecasting should involve?
- What is the purpose of the forecast?
- What is the time horizon
- What techniques are most appropriate
- On what data must the forecast be based and how shall it be analysed
5.In what form should the completed forecast be presented - How accurate is the forecast
Name two types of forecasting techniques
- Subjective (qualitative)
- Objective (quantitative)
Name a method to determine how accurate the forecasting processes being used are?
Mean average deviation
Name 4 things you can do to get qualitative information for subjective forecasting
- Expert opinion
- Market research
- Surveys
- Structured questionning
Name 4 of the most common subjective techniques
- Market surveys
- Employee surveys
- Expert knowledge
- Test marketing
Name 3 examples of experts who could provide their opinion
- Executives, especially sales and technical
- External consultants
- Professionally qualified engineers, lawyers, medical personnel and other technical experts
What does the delphi method involve?
It tries to refine expert opinion by having several rounds of questionnaires being put to a panel of experts. After each round the responses are aggregated and then shared anonymously with the whole panel who are invited to reconsider their own response in the light of others
What is the theory behind the delphi method?
The range of responses will decrease through this process and converge on a consensus. A subjective prediction based on collective rather than individual knowledge and experience
What can the delphi method be used to predict?
- Sales levels which lead to production rates and stock-need levels
- Likely technical developments which could inform judgements about future redundancy or obsolescent stock already held or likely to be acquired in the short to medium term
Time series
A series of data points indexed (or listed or graphed) in time order
Averaging techniques
These include the simple mean, mode and median averages
What techniques does objective forecasting use?
Quantitative techniques
What are quantitative techniques based on?
Hard data - facts and figures
What are quantitative techniques based on?
A set of observations measured at successive equally spaced points in time which produces a time series data set
What 5 elements are used to allow what happened in the past to predict the future
- Averaging techniques - the average, mean or median point of the observations
- Trends - increase or decrease in the average over time
- Short-term cyclical movements
- Long-term cycles
- Random errors
What are the two main statistical techniques used in inventory forecasting
- Moving average
- Weighted average
Exponentially weighted average method (EWAM)
A statistical methodology which can be used to give more importance to the most recent data
Bullwhip effect
Distorted demand increasing up the supply chain - also known as the Forrestor effect
What is the theory behind the exponentially weighted average method?
More recent data is likely to be a better predictor of future behaviour than older data, on the basis that future conditions are more likely to be similar to current conditions than to those which existed ten or 5 years ago
Are objective forecasts more accurate than subjective ones?
Yes
Name 5 examples of things that can distort demand
- Unplanned sales promotions
- Sales team executive
- Over-ordering by customer - due to historical poor delivery performance
- Cancelling of these over-orders
- Changes in bulk freight volumes, masking the true demand
Explain the bullwhip effect
The effect of demand distortion is amplified as you move up the supply chain from the source of the distortion
Name 3 widely expected reorder methods used for independent demand
- Fixed quantities
- Economic order quantities
- Time or periodic review
name 4 systems used to reorder dependent demand
- MRP
- MRP II
- ERP
- JIT
What are fixed quantity orders?
Those with a predetermined quantity every time
What is the formula used to calculate the fixed reorder level
maximum usage x maximum lead time
How may the reorder level be indicated?
By having a two-bin system - two bins of stock are present, once one has been consumed and is empty, it is the signal to reorder
What is the most expensive part of the acquisition cost?
The cost of the goods or products being purchased
What is the optimum order quantity amount referred to as?
The economic order quantity (EOQ)
What is the economic order quantity?
A decision tool used in cost accounting
Reorder point
The point either in time or in a process when the next order should be placed
Purchase order lead time
The time period from placing an order to delivery of the goods
Name 7 assumptions that the economic order quantity formula makes
- The same quantity is ordered at each reorder point
- Customer/user demand for the stock item is known
- The relevant ordering and holding costs are certain
- The purchase order lead time is known
- The cost per unit is fixed
- Inventory levels and customer/user demand are monitored carefully enough and sufficient inventory is held to ensure no stockouts occur
- There are no quality costs
What 3 variables does the economic order quantity formula use?
- Demand - the number of units of a stock item required for a specific period of time
- Ordering cost - cost per order of raising and issuing the purchase order, receipting and making payment
- Holding cost - the costs of physically storing one unit of stock for the same period of time used in determining demand
What is the formula for the economic order quantity
it is equal to the square root of [(2 x demand x ordering costs) / carrying costs]
What does economic order quantity work best for?
Repeat purchasing and MRO items
What do periodic review systems use?
Time-based stock replenishment triggers rather than specified quantity signals
What does the relative importance if the stock item determine in a periodic review system?
The frequency of the checks possibly through regular cycle counting
Out of stock
A situation where there is no stock available for use. This could be due to poor customer forecast, poor service from the supplier, scarcity of goods, unexpected demand and a lack of raw materials
What is the formula for determining the maximum stock level?
Maximum stock level = average rate of stock usage (review period + stock item order lead time) + safety stock
When does fixed-quantity orders work well?
If the stock item is used at an inconsistent rate, but they require a reliable trigger system and consistent lead times
When are periodic based review systems most appropriate?
Where orders and suppliers have regular delivery intervals, especially if that supplier delivers more than one item in that delivery
Why are more practical order methods preferred over economic order quantities?
They are highly technical to work out, and rely on too many assumptions which mostly do not hold true in the real world
Dependent demand
The requirement for a stock item which is directly related to and therefore dependent upon the rate of production (examples are raw materials, components and energy)
Independent demand
The requirement for a stock item which is not directly related to and is therefore independent of the rate of production (examples are machinery spares, office equipment and consumables)
What is another way of classifying stock?
Based on how frequently it will be needed
What kind of supplies are usually classed as independently demanded
Indirect supplies
Bill of materials (BOM)
A comprehensive list of components, items, materials and parts to create a product, essentially a recipe for the production of an item
Variance
A measure of dispersion of data across a range
Standard deviation
A statistical term to calculate how much the conformance of an item deviates from the mean
MRP
Material requirements planning
MRP II
Manufacturing resource planning
What can be used to help determine variability levels?
Standard deviation
When does it make sense to keep production steady during the year and adjust stock levels?
If the storage costs are relatively low and production capacity is not very flexible
When does it make sense to keep stock levels low and vary production on a seasonal basis?
If production can be varied
What are independent demand stock levels determined by?
Aspects of the business other than sales and production rates
What is the recommended approach for dependent demand stock?
Material requirements planning (MRP) and the wider developed version MRP II
Describe MRP and MRP II
Computerised systems for inventory flows and inventory management and often form part of ERP (enterprise resource planning) or distribution resource planning (DRP)
ERP
Enterprise resource planning
DRP
Distribution resource planning
MPS
master production schedule
BOM
Bill of materials
When was MRP developed?
In the 1960s
What is the aim of MRP
To ensure either purchased or in-house manufacturing assemblies are available just before the required next stage or operation of the production cycle.