BACKGROUND INFORMATIONFor this milestone, the goal is to allow you to continue your analysis form Milestone One (attached) (the answers highlighted are the right ones) and forecast various operational

Phone4U Forecasting Report

Template for Forecasting Report (Milestone B) – delete all instructions (in blue font) from your forecasting report.

Phone4U Shanghai Manufacturing Plant Forecasting Report for YYYY-YYYY

Executive Summary

Should explain the primary aspects of your forecast, including key assumptions and findings. The executive summary should be stand-alone, meaning its content should be able to be read by reader without requiring the main body of the report. Executive Summary should include any recommendations (remember, this may be all the boss reads).

No more than one page, 12 point Times New Roman font, double spaced, using proper APA formatting.

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Introduction

Why forecast is being conducted, usually 1-2 paragraphs.

Forecast Methodology

Discuss the models, techniques, and methodologies you used in your analysis. Include a discussion of any modifications to standard models that you made (such as the weighted average, you may have used four-year vice three-year average). Make sure to discuss the “why the model was modified,” if applicable.

Key Methodology Assumptions

Brief descriptions of your key methodology assumptions, can be a bulleted list, but should include a short reason for the assumption. For instance, you may assume that fuel prices will remain within a certain band or that new phone user percentage is x%. If you used the new phone user percentage as an assumption, you should include why you picked that value and why you think the value if valid for your analysis. This is one of the more challenging parts of the final project. Contact your instructor is you need help.

Results

What did you find out from your forecast? Provide the key results from your analysis, including any graphs, charts, tables, or figures. The graphs, charts, tables, or figures should be well crafted and not just the default product from MS Excel. Graphs should be appropriate for the type of data and purpose for visually presenting the data. For example, forecasted sales over a twenty-year period should likely be a linear chart as opposed to a pie chart. This section should tell a story, and lead the reader to the salient points of the report (for example, you want to increase production of product x because forecasting shows demand will double for next five years).

This section should be of sufficient length to cover all pertinent portions of your analysis. Ensure each graph, chart, table, or figure has an accompanying discussion (don’t just put in images to take up space).

Recommendations

This section should include key recommendations from your analysis, such as “increase production of product A by x% for YYYY, to meet forecasted demand increase of Y% over the next z years. This section may include expected return on investment (i.e. – you increase production of x, which will yield a net revenue of d $ in YYYY.

This section shall normally be one page or less (but may be more if significant changes are recommended.

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References

Include, in proper APA format, all references used in the analysis. This may be forecasted values from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (such as forecasted inflation).