Using data science in order to solve a problem requires a scientific mindset more than coding skills. Data Science for Supply Chain Forecasting, Second Edition contends that a true scientific method which includes experimentation, observation, and constant questioning must be applied to supply chains to achieve excellence in demand forecasting. This second edition adds more than 45 percent extra content with four new chapters including an introduction to neural networks and the forecast value added framework. Part I focuses on statistical "traditional" models, Part II, on machine learning, and the all-new Part III discusses demand forecasting process management. The various chapters focus on both forecast models and new concepts such as metrics, underfitting, overfitting, outliers, feature optimization, and external demand drivers. The book is replete with do-it-yourself sections with implementations provided in Python (and Excel for the statistical models) to show the readers how to apply these models themselves. This hands-on book, covering the entire range of forecasting—from the basics all the way to leading-edge models—will benefit supply chain practitioners, forecasters, and analysts looking to go the extra mile with demand forecasting.

Data Science for Supply Chain Forecast Data Science for Supply Chain Forecast is a book for practitioners focusing on data science and machine learning; it demonstrates how both are closely interlinked in order to create an advanced forecast for supply chain. As one will discover in this book, artificial intelligence (AI) & machine learning (ML) are not simply a question of coding skills. Using data science in order to solve a problem requires a scientific mindset more than coding skills. The story behind these models is one of experimentation, of observation and of constant questioning; a true scientific method must be applied to supply chain. In the data science field as well as that of the supply chain, simple questions do not come with simple answers. In order to resolve these questions, one needs to be both a scientist as well as to use the correct tools. In this book, we will discuss both. Is this Book for me? This book has been written for supply chain practitioners, forecasters and analysts who are looking to go the extra mile. You do not need technical IT skills to start using the models of this book. You do not need a dedicated server or expensive software licenses: you solely need your own computer. You do not need a PhD in mathematics: mathematics will only be utilized as a tool to tweak and understand the models. In the majority of the cases - especially when it comes to machine learning - a deep understanding of the mathematical inner workings of a model will not be necessary in order to optimize it and understand its limitations. Reviews "In an age where analytics and machine learning are taking on larger roles in the business forecasting, Nicolas' book is perfect solution for professionals who need to combine practical supply chain experience with the mathematical and technological tools that can help us predict the future more reliably." Daniel Stanton - Author, Supply Chain Management For Dummies "Open source statistical toolkits have progressed tremendously over the last decade. Nicolas demonstrates that these toolkits are more than enough to start addressing real-world forecasting challenges as found in supply chains. Moreover, through its hands-on approach, this book is accessible to a large audience of supply chain practitioners. The supply chain of the 21st century will be data-driven and Nicolas gets it perfectly." Joannes Vermorel - CEO Lokad "This book is unique in its kind. It explains the basics of Python using basic traditional forecasting techniques and shows how machine learning is revolutionizing the forecasting domain. Nicolas has done an outstanding job explaining a technical subject in an easily accessible way. A must-read for any supply chain professional." Professor Bram Desmet - CEO Solventure "This book is before anything a practical and business-oriented "DIY" user manual to help planners move into 21st-century demand planning. The breakthrough comes from several tools and techniques available to all, and which thanks to Nicolas' precise and concrete explanations can now be implemented in real business environments by any "normal" planner. I can confirm that Nicolas' learnings are based on real-life experience and can tremendously help on improving top and bottom lines." Henri-Xavier Benoist - VP Supply Chain Bridegstone EMEA

In this book . . . Nicolas Vandeput hacks his way through the maze of quantitative supply chain optimizations. This book illustrates how the quantitative optimization of 21st century supply chains should be crafted and executed. . . . Vandeput is at the forefront of a new and better way of doing supply chains, and thanks to a richly illustrated book, where every single situation gets its own illustrating code snippet, so could you. --Joannes Vermorel, CEO, Lokad Inventory Optimization argues that mathematical inventory models can only take us so far with supply chain management. In order to optimize inventory policies, we have to use probabilistic simulations. The book explains how to implement these models and simulations step-by-step, starting from simple deterministic ones to complex multi-echelon optimization. The first two parts of the book discuss classical mathematical models, their limitations and assumptions, and a quick but effective introduction to Python is provided. Part 3 contains more advanced models that will allow you to optimize your profits, estimate your lost sales and use advanced demand distributions. It also provides an explanation of how you can optimize a multi-echelon supply chain based on a simple—yet powerful—framework. Part 4 discusses inventory optimization thanks to simulations under custom discrete demand probability functions. Inventory managers, demand planners and academics interested in gaining cost-effective solutions will benefit from the "do-it-yourself" examples and Python programs included in each chapter. Events around the book Link to a De Gruyter Online Event in which the author Nicolas Vandeput together with Stefan de Kok, supply chain innovator and CEO of Wahupa; Koen Cobbaert, Director in the S&O Industry practice of PwC Belgium; Bram Desmet, professor of operations & supply chain at the Vlerick Business School in Ghent; and Karl-Eric Devaux, Planning Consultant, Hatmill, discuss about models for inventory optimization. The event will be moderated by Eric Wilson, Director of Thought Leadership for Institute of Business Forecasting (IBF): https://youtu.be/565fDQMJEEg

Master a complete, five-step roadmap for leveraging Big Data and analytics to gain unprecedented competitive advantage from your supply chain. Using Big Data, pioneers such as Amazon, UPS, and Wal-Mart are gaining unprecedented mastery over their supply chains. They are achieving greater visibility into inventory levels, order fulfillment rates, material and product delivery… using predictive data analytics to match supply with demand; leveraging new planning strengths to optimize their sales channel strategies; optimizing supply chain strategy and competitive priorities; even launching powerful new ventures. Despite these opportunities, many supply chain operations are gaining limited or no value from Big Data. In Big Data Driven Supply Chain Management, Nada Sanders presents a systematic five-step framework for using Big Data in supply chains. You'll learn best practices for segmenting and analyzing customers, defining competitive priorities for each segment, aligning functions behind strategy, dissolving organizational boundaries to sense demand and make better decisions, and choose the right metrics to support all of this. Using these techniques, you can overcome the widespread obstacles to making the most of Big Data in your supply chain — and earn big profits from the data you're already generating. For all executives, managers, and analysts interested in using Big Data technologies to improve supply chain performance.

From data collection to evaluation and visualization of prediction results, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the process of predicting demand for retailers. Each step is illustrated with the relevant code and implementation details to demystify how historical data can be leveraged to predict future demand. The tools and methods presented can be applied to most retail settings, both online and brick-and-mortar, such as fashion, electronics, groceries, and furniture. This book is intended to help students in business analytics and data scientists better master how to leverage data for predicting demand in retail applications. It can also be used as a guide for supply chain practitioners who are interested in predicting demand. It enables readers to understand how to leverage data to predict future demand, how to clean and pre-process the data to make it suitable for predictive analytics, what the common caveats are in terms of implementation and how to assess prediction accuracy.

Discover the role of machine learning and artificial intelligence in business forecasting from some of the brightest minds in the field In Business Forecasting: The Emerging Role of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning accomplished authors Michael Gilliland, Len Tashman, and Udo Sglavo deliver relevant and timely insights from some of the most important and influential authors in the field of forecasting. You'll learn about the role played by machine learning and AI in the forecasting process and discover brand-new research, case studies, and thoughtful discussions covering an array of practical topics. The book offers multiple perspectives on issues like monitoring forecast performance, forecasting process, communication and accountability for forecasts, and the use of big data in forecasting. You will find: Discussions on deep learning in forecasting, including current trends and challenges Explorations of neural network-based forecasting strategies A treatment of the future of artificial intelligence in business forecasting Analyses of forecasting methods, including modeling, selection, and monitoring In addition to the Foreword by renowned researchers Spyros Makridakis and Fotios Petropoulos, the book also includes 16 "opinion/editorial" Afterwords by a diverse range of top academics, consultants, vendors, and industry practitioners, each providing their own unique vision of the issues, current state, and future direction of business forecasting. Perfect for financial controllers, chief financial officers, business analysts, forecast analysts, and demand planners, Business Forecasting will also earn a place in the libraries of other executives and managers who seek a one-stop resource to help them critically assess and improve their own organization's forecasting efforts.

In a decentralized supply chain, most of the supply chain agents may not share information due to confidentiality policies, quality of information, or different system incompatibilities. Every actor holds its own set of information and attempts to maximize its objective (minimizing costs/minimizing inventory holdings) based on the available settings. Therefore, the agents control their own activities with the objective of improving their own competitiveness, which leads them to make decisions that maximize their local performance by ignoring the other agents or even the final consumer. These decisions are myopic because they do not consider the performance of all the partners to satisfy the consumer. Demand Forecasting and Order Planning in Supply Chains and Humanitarian Logistics is a collection of innovative research that focuses on demand anticipation, forecasting, and order planning as well as humanitarian logistics to propose original solutions for existing problems. While highlighting topics including artificial intelligence, information sharing, and operations management, this book is ideally designed for supply chain managers, logistics personnel, business executives, management experts, operation industry professionals, academicians, researchers, and students who want to improve their understanding of supply chain coordination in order to be competitive in the new era of globalization.

Supply Chain Analytics introduces the reader to data analytics and demonstrates the value of their effective use in supply chain management. By describing the key supply chain processes through worked examples, and the descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analytic methods that can be applied to bring about improvements to those processes, the book presents a more comprehensive learning experience for the reader than has been offered previously. Key topics are addressed, including optimisation, big data, data mining and cloud computing. The author identifies four core supply chain processes – strategy, design, execution and people – to which the analytic techniques explained can be applied to ensure continuous improvement. Pedagogy to aid learning is incorporated throughout, including an opening section for each chapter explaining the learnings designed for the chapter; worked examples illustrating how each analytic technique works, how it is applied and what to be careful of; tables, diagrams and equations to help ‘visualise’ the concepts and methods covered; chapter case studies; and end-of-chapter review questions and assignment tasks. Providing both management expertise and technical skills, which are essential to decision-makers in the supply chain, this textbook should be essential reading for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students of supply chain analytics, supply chain leadership, and supply chain and operations management. Its practice-based and applied approach also makes it valuable for operating supply chain practitioners and those studying for professional qualifications. Online resources include chapter-by-chapter PowerPoint slides, tutorial exercises, written assignments and a test bank of exam questions.

An incredible volume of data is generated at a very high speed within the supply chain and it is necessary to understand, use and effectively apply the knowledge learned from analyzing data using intelligent business models. However, practitioners and students in the field of supply chain management face a number of challenges when dealing with business models and mathematical modelling. Supply Chain Analytics and Modelling presents a range of business analytics models used within the supply chain to help readers develop knowledge on a variety of topics to overcome common issues. Supply Chain Analytics and Modelling covers areas including supply chain planning, single and multi-objective optimization, demand forecasting, product allocations, end-to-end supply chain simulation, vehicle routing and scheduling models. Learning is supported by case studies of specialist software packages for each example. Readers will also be provided with a critical view on how supply chain management performance measurement systems have been developed and supported by reliable and accurate data available in the supply chain. Online resources including lecturer slides are available.