Case Study Business Forecasting and Location Strategy Analysis

Forecasting

Find what goods/services your case study business produces and sells. Find annual sales data of the business over the last 10 years (if available), observe any ups and downs in the sales data, draw graph/add table using the data. Find information about sales forecast that the business had made, investigate if the actual sales were close or over or under to the predicted sales. If actual sales and predicted sales are different, identify what went wrong that the company didn’t realise the expected sales, see if the perdition about the sales was based on some assumptions/information, for example, Chinese market will grow by 5%, which will create 5% more demand for the products/services the business sells/produces or any other kinds of assumptions/information. Make recommendations, be specific and consistent with your analysis, for further improvements in forecasting. 

Spend 30 minutes and work with the group you are assigned for and find relevant information about your case study based on the hints stated above. 

Forecasting: 10 marks: (approx. 400 words): Provide a brief about forecasting and importance of forecasting for the business. 

I. Annual sales data of the business over the last 10 years (if available). Ups and downs in the sales/production data (present in suitable graph/ table) (3 marks); 

II. Discrepancies of actual sales in relation to forecast: close or over or under to the forecasted sales, identify the factors responsible for the discrepancies why the business didn’t realise the expected sales (Check if the perdition about the sales was based on some assumptions/information. What were the assumptions? (4 marks)); 

III. Suggest on how to improve forecasting of the business (3 marks). 

Find if the business you are considering operates globally. Identify how your business operates globally (licensing, FDI, joint venture or exporting). Find information on business and political environment (e.g., doing business indicators, minimum wage law, corruption) of other locations in the world where the case study business operates. A business might operate more than one location and you don’t need to consider all of the locations. Rather, consider one location and analyse the location’s advantage/disadvantage using specific information on business and political environment as discussed in the lecture. Make recommendations how to improve the location strategies. 

Location strategy: 10 marks (approx. 400 words): Explain the location strategy of the business and why location choice is so important for business in regards to operations management. 

Location Strategy: Evidence required: 

I. Check if the business operates globally/locally. Identify how the business operates globally (licensing, FDI, joint venture or exporting) (2 marks); 

II. Provide information on business and political environment (e.g., doing business indicators, minimum wage law, corruption) of other locations in the world where the business operates (2 marks); 

III.Three most important factors that were considered for location choice of the business, explain and provide recommendation for further improvement (6 marks). 

You are required to research thoroughly for this assignment and must source information from at least  fifteen (15) reliable, appropriate and knowledgeable sources. All sources of information must be  referenced using APA 6th style formatting;