Essentials of Time Series for Financial Applications serves as an agile reference for upper level students and practitioners who desire a formal, easy-to-follow introduction to the most important time series methods applied in financial applications (pricing, asset management, quant strategies, and risk management). Real-life data and examples developed with EViews illustrate the links between the formal apparatus and the applications. The examples either directly exploit the tools that EViews makes available or use programs that by employing EViews implement specific topics or techniques. The book balances a formal framework with as few proofs as possible against many examples that support its central ideas. Boxes are used throughout to remind readers of technical aspects and definitions and to present examples in a compact fashion, with full details (workout files) available in an on-line appendix. The more advanced chapters provide discussion sections that refer to more advanced textbooks or detailed proofs. Provides practical, hands-on examples in time-series econometrics Presents a more application-oriented, less technical book on financial econometrics Offers rigorous coverage, including technical aspects and references for the proofs, despite being an introduction Features examples worked out in EViews (9 or higher)

Many companies fail to succeed due to poor planning, which is one reason why accountants are in big demand. Skilled at forecasting, accountants can plan a company's future by determining the maximum sustainable growth and predict its external fund requirements. This book provides you with the basic tools necessary to project the balance sheet and statements of income and cash flow, enabling you to add a unique value to your client(s) work. This book will prepare you to do the following: Recall the basics of planning and forecasting financial statements Recall considerations related to a basic forecasting model Identify the evidence of growth mismanagement and develop the skills to determine maximum sustainable growth Apply statistical procedures to forecasting Analyze projected or forecasted financial statements

Reliability Modelling and Analysis in Discrete Time provides an overview of the probabilistic and statistical aspects connected with discrete reliability systems. This engaging book discusses their distributional properties and dependence structures before exploring various orderings associated between different reliability structures. Though clear explanations, multiple examples, and exhaustive coverage of the basic and advanced topics of research in this area, the work gives the reader a thorough understanding of the theory and concepts associated with discrete models and reliability structures. A comprehensive bibliography assists readers who are interested in further research and understanding. Requiring only an introductory understanding of statistics, this book offers valuable insight and coverage for students and researchers in Probability and Statistics, Electrical Engineering, and Reliability/Quality Engineering. The book also includes a comprehensive bibliography to assist readers seeking to delve deeper. Includes a valuable introduction to Reliability Theory before covering advanced topics of research and real world applications Features an emphasis on the mathematical theory of reliability modeling Provides many illustrative examples to foster reader understanding

Go beyond technique to master the difficult judgement calls of forecasting A variety of software can be used effectively to achieve accurate forecasting, but no software can replace the essential human component. You may be new to forecasting, or you may have mastered the statistical theory behind the software’s predictions, and even more advanced “power user” techniques for the software itself—but your forecasts will never reach peak accuracy unless you master the complex judgement calls that the software cannot make. Profit From Your Forecasting Software addresses the issues that arise regularly, and shows you how to make the correct decisions to get the most out of your software. Taking a non-mathematical approach to the various forecasting models, the discussion covers common everyday decisions such as model choice, forecast adjustment, product hierarchies, safety stock levels, model fit, testing, and much more. Clear explanations help you better understand seasonal indices, smoothing coefficients, mean absolute percentage error, and r-squared, and an exploration of psychological biases provides insight into the decision to override the software’s forecast. With a focus on choice, interpretation, and judgement, this book goes beyond the technical manuals to help you truly grasp the more intangible skills that lead to better accuracy. Explore the advantages and disadvantages of alternative forecasting methods in different situations Master the interpretation and evaluation of your software’s output Learn the subconscious biases that could affect your judgement toward intervention Find expert guidance on testing, planning, and configuration to help you get the most out of your software Relevant to sales forecasters, demand planners, and analysts across industries, Profit From Your Forecasting Software is the much sought-after “missing piece” in forecasting reference.

Supply chain professionals: master pioneering techniques for integrating demand and supply, and create demand forecasts that are far more accurate and useful! In Demand and Supply Integration, Dr. Mark Moon presents the specific design characteristics of a world-class demand forecasting management process, showing how to effectively integrate demand forecasting within a comprehensive Demand and Supply Integration (DSI) process. Writing for supply chain professionals in any business, government agency, or military procurement organization, Moon explains what DSI is, how it differs from approaches such as S&OP, and how to recognize the symptoms of failures to sufficiently integrate demand and supply. He outlines the key characteristics of successful DSI implementations, shows how to approach Demand Forecasting as a management process, and guides you through understanding, selecting, and applying the best available qualitative and quantitative forecasting techniques. You'll learn how to thoroughly reflect market intelligence in your forecasts; measure your forecasting performance; implement state-of-the-art demand forecasting systems; manage Demand Reviews, and much more.

To use statistical methods and SAS applications to forecast the future values of data taken over time, you need only follow this thoroughly updated classic on the subject. With this third edition of SAS for Forecasting Time Series, intermediate-to-advanced SAS users—such as statisticians, economists, and data scientists—can now match the most sophisticated forecasting methods to the most current SAS applications. Starting with fundamentals, this new edition presents methods for modeling both univariate and multivariate data taken over time. From the well-known ARIMA models to unobserved components, methods that span the range from simple to complex are discussed and illustrated. Many of the newer methods are variations on the basic ARIMA structures. Completely updated, this new edition includes fresh, interesting business situations and data sets, and new sections on these up-to-date statistical methods: ARIMA models Vector autoregressive models Exponential smoothing models Unobserved component and state-space models Seasonal adjustment Spectral analysis Focusing on application, this guide teaches a wide range of forecasting techniques by example. The examples provide the statistical underpinnings necessary to put the methods into practice. The following up-to-date SAS applications are covered in this edition: The ARIMA procedure The AUTOREG procedure The VARMAX procedure The ESM procedure The UCM and SSM procedures The X13 procedure The SPECTRA procedure SAS Forecast Studio Each SAS application is presented with explanation of its strengths, weaknesses, and best uses. Even users of automated forecasting systems will benefit from this knowledge of what is done and why. Moreover, the accompanying examples can serve as templates that you easily adjust to fit your specific forecasting needs. This book is part of the SAS Press program.

A much-needed introduction to the field of discrete-valued time series, with a focus on count-data time series Time series analysis is an essential tool in a wide array of fields, including business, economics, computer science, epidemiology, finance, manufacturing and meteorology, to name just a few. Despite growing interest in discrete-valued time series—especially those arising from counting specific objects or events at specified times—most books on time series give short shrift to that increasingly important subject area. This book seeks to rectify that state of affairs by providing a much needed introduction to discrete-valued time series, with particular focus on count-data time series. The main focus of this book is on modeling. Throughout numerous examples are provided illustrating models currently used in discrete-valued time series applications. Statistical process control, including various control charts (such as cumulative sum control charts), and performance evaluation are treated at length. Classic approaches like ARMA models and the Box-Jenkins program are also featured with the basics of these approaches summarized in an Appendix. In addition, data examples, with all relevant R code, are available on a companion website. Provides a balanced presentation of theory and practice, exploring both categorical and integer-valued series Covers common models for time series of counts as well as for categorical time series, and works out their most important stochastic properties Addresses statistical approaches for analyzing discrete-valued time series and illustrates their implementation with numerous data examples Covers classical approaches such as ARMA models, Box-Jenkins program and how to generate functions Includes dataset examples with all necessary R code provided on a companion website An Introduction to Discrete-Valued Time Series is a valuable working resource for researchers and practitioners in a broad range of fields, including statistics, data science, machine learning, and engineering. It will also be of interest to postgraduate students in statistics, mathematics and economics.

This book provides an updated, concise summary of forecasting air travel demand methodology. It looks at air travel demand forecasting research and outlines the intellectual landscape of demand forecasting. The book also discusses what to do when facing different forecasting problems.

Discover how to unlock the secrets of time-series data with "Practical Time Series Analysis". With a focus on hands-on learning, this book takes you on a journey through time series data processing, visualization, and modeling. Gain the technical expertise and confidence to tackle real-world datasets using Python. What this Book will help me do Understand the fundamental principles of time series analysis and their application to real-world datasets. Learn to utilize Python for data preparation, visualization, and processing in the context of time series. Master the techniques of evaluating and addressing common challenges such as non-stationarity and autocorrelation. Apply statistical methods and machine learning models, including ARIMA and deep learning approaches, to forecasting tasks. Develop practical skills to implement and deploy end-to-end predictive models for time series data analysis. Author(s) PKS Prakash and Avishek Pal bring decades of combined experience in data science and analytics. Their meticulous approach toward simplifying complex concepts makes learning time series approachable and engaging. Drawing from their professional expertise, they incorporate extensive examples to merge theory with practice. Who is it for? This book is ideal for data scientists and engineers keen on enhancing their abilities to analyze temporal data. Prior knowledge in Python and basic statistics will help you gain the most from this book. Whether advancing your career or solving practical problems, you'll find invaluable insights here.

Budgeting, planning and forecasting are critical management tasks that not only impact the future success of an organization, but can threaten its very survival if done badly. Yet in spite of their importance, the speed and complexity of today’s business environment has caused a rapid decrease in the planning time horizon. As a consequence the traditional planning processes have become unsuitable for most organization’s needs. In this book readers will find new, original insights, including: 7 planning models that every organization needs to plan and manage performance 6 ways in which performance can be viewed A planning framework based on best management practices that can cope with an unpredictable business environment The application of technology to planning and latest developments in systems Results of the survey conducted for the book on the state of planning in organizations

This book is for everyone who wants to make better forecasts. It is not about mathematics and statistics. It is about following a well-established forecasting process to create and implement good forecasts. This is true whether you are forecasting global markets, sales of SKUs, competitive strategy, or market disruptions. Today, most forecasts are generated using software. However, no amount of technology and statistics can compensate for a poor forecasting process. Forecasting is not just about generating a number. Forecasters need to understand the problems they are trying to solve. They also need to follow a process that is justifiable to other parties and be implemented in practice. This is what the book is about. Accurate forecasts are essential for predicting demand, identifying new market opportunities, forecasting risks, disruptions, innovation, competition, market growth and trends. Companies can navigate this daunting landscape and improve their forecasts by following some well-established principles. This book is written to provide the fundamentals business leaders need in order to make good forecasts. These fundamentals hold true regardless of what is being forecast and what technology is being used. It provides the basic foundational principles all companies need to achieve competitive forecast accuracy.

Real-world tips for creating business value Details on modeling, data clustering, and more Enterprise use cases to help you get started Learn to predict the future! Business today relies on effectively using data to predict trends and sales. Predictive analytics is the tool that can make it happen, and this book eliminates the tricks and shows you how to use it. You'll learn to prepare and process your data, create goals, build a predictive model, get your organization's stakeholders on board, and more. Inside... How to start a project Identifying data types Modeling tips Working with algorithms How data clustering works How data classification works How deep learning works Advice on presentations Step-by-step predictive modeling

Most decisions and plans in a firm require a forecast. Not matching supply with demand can make or break any business, and that's why forecasting is so invaluable. Forecasting can appear as a frightening topic with many arcane equations to master. For this reason, the authors start out from the very basics and provide a non-technical overview of common forecasting techniques as well as organizational aspects of creating a robust forecasting process. The book also discusses how to measure forecast accuracy to hold people accountable and guide continuous improvement. This book does not require prior knowledge of higher mathematics, statistics, or operations research. It is designed to serve as a first introduction to the non-expert, such as a manager overseeing a forecasting group, or an MBA student who needs to be familiar with the broad outlines of forecasting without specializing in it.

Choose, manage, and present data Select the right forecasting method for your business Use moving averages and predict seasonal sales Create sales forecasts you can trust You don't need magic, luck, or an advanced math degree to develop reliable sales forecasts; you just need Excel and this book! This guide explains how forecasting works and how to use the tools built into Excel. You'll learn how to choose your data, set up tables, chart your baseline, to create both basic and advanced forecasts you can really use. Inside... Prevent common issues Why baselines matter How to organize your data Tips on setting up tables Working with pivot charts How to forecast seasonal sales revenue Forecasting with regression

Drawing upon years of practical experience and using numerous examples and illustrative case studies, Threat Forecasting: Leveraging Big Data for Predictive Analysis discusses important topics, including the danger of using historic data as the basis for predicting future breaches, how to use security intelligence as a tool to develop threat forecasting techniques, and how to use threat data visualization techniques and threat simulation tools. Readers will gain valuable security insights into unstructured big data, along with tactics on how to use the data to their advantage to reduce risk. Presents case studies and actual data to demonstrate threat data visualization techniques and threat simulation tools Explores the usage of kill chain modelling to inform actionable security intelligence Demonstrates a methodology that can be used to create a full threat forecast analysis for enterprise networks of any size

Aimed at econometricians who have completed at least one course in time series modeling, Multiple Time Series Modeling Using the SAS VARMAX Procedure will teach you the time series analytical possibilities that SAS offers today. Estimations of model parameters are now performed in a split second. For this reason, working through the identifications phase to find the correct model is unnecessary. Instead, several competing models can be estimated, and their fit can be compared instantaneously.

Consequently, for time series analysis, most of the Box and Jenkins analysis process for univariate series is now obsolete. The former days of looking at cross-correlations and pre-whitening are over, because distributed lag models are easily fitted by an automatic lag identification method. The same goes for bivariate and even multivariate models, for which PROC VARMAX models are automatically fitted. For these models, other interesting variations arise: Subjects like Granger causality testing, feedback, equilibrium, cointegration, and error correction are easily addressed by PROC VARMAX.

One problem with multivariate modeling is that it includes many parameters, making parameterizations unstable. This instability can be compensated for by application of Bayesian methods, which are also incorporated in PROC VARMAX. Volatility modeling has now become a standard part of time series modeling, because of the popularity of GARCH models. Both univariate and multivariate GARCH models are supported by PROC VARMAX. This feature is especially interesting for financial analytics in which risk is a focus.

This book teaches with examples. Readers who are analyzing a time series for the first time will find PROC VARMAX easy to use; readers who know more advanced theoretical time series models will discover that PROC VARMAX is a useful tool for advanced model building.

This handbook presents state-of-the-art methods for modeling time series of counts and incorporates frequentist and Bayesian approaches for discrete-valued spatio-temporal data and multivariate data. The book examines the advantages and limitations of the various modeling techniques and keeps probabilistic, technical details to a minimum. While the book focuses on time series of counts, some of the methods discussed can be applied to other types of discrete-valued time series, such as binary-valued or categorical time series.

A comprehensive collection of the field's most provocative, influential new work Business Forecasting compiles some of the field's important and influential literature into a single, comprehensive reference for forecast modeling and process improvement. It is packed with provocative ideas from forecasting researchers and practitioners, on topics including accuracy metrics, benchmarking, modeling of problem data, and overcoming dysfunctional behaviors. Its coverage includes often-overlooked issues at the forefront of research, such as uncertainty, randomness, and forecastability, as well as emerging areas like data mining for forecasting. The articles present critical analysis of current practices and consideration of new ideas. With a mix of formal, rigorous pieces and brief introductory chapters, the book provides practitioners with a comprehensive examination of the current state of the business forecasting field. Forecasting performance is ultimately limited by the 'forecastability' of the data. Yet failing to recognize this, many organizations continue to squander resources pursuing unachievable levels of accuracy. This book provides a wealth of ideas for improving all aspects of the process, including the avoidance of wasted efforts that fail to improve (or even harm) forecast accuracy. Analyzes the most prominent issues in business forecasting Investigates emerging approaches and new methods of analysis Combines forecasts to improve accuracy Utilizes Forecast Value Added to identify process inefficiency The business environment is evolving, and forecasting methods must evolve alongside it. This compilation delivers an array of new tools and research that can enable more efficient processes and more accurate results. Business Forecasting provides an expert's-eye view of the field's latest developments to help you achieve your desired business outcomes.

Don’t let your fear of finance get in the way of your success. This digital collection, curated by Harvard Business Review, brings together everything a manager needs to know about financial intelligence. It includes Financial Intelligence, called a “must-read” for decision makers without expertise in finance; A Concise Guide to Macroeconomics, which covers the essentials of macroeconomics and examines the core ideas of output, money, and expectations; Essentials of Finance and Budgeting, which explains everything HR professionals need to know to make wise financial decisions; Ahead of the Curve, Joseph H. Ellis’s forecasting method to help managers and investors understand and predict the economic cycles that control their businesses and financial fates; Beyond Budgeting; which offers a coherent management model that overcomes the limitations of traditional budgeting; Preparing a Budget, packed with handy tools, self-tests, and real life examples to help you hone critical skills; and HBR Guide to Finance Basics for Managers, which will give you the tools and confidence you need to master the fundamentals of finance.

" If you have trouble estimating cost or schedule for your projects, you are not alone. The question is this: who wants the estimate and why? The definition of estimate is to guess. But too often, the people who want estimates want commitments. Instead of a commitment, you can apply practical and pragmatic approaches to developing estimates and then meet your commitments. You can provide your managers with the information they want and that you can live with. Learn how to use different words for your estimates and how to report an estimate that includes uncertainty. Learn who should and should not estimate. Learn how to update your estimate when you know more about your project. Regain estimation sanity. Learn practical and pragmatic ways to estimate schedule or cost for your projects."