Title

The Evolution of Sales Forecasting Management: A 20-year Longitudinal Study of Forecasting Practices

Authors

Teresa M. McCarthy Byrne, Bryant UniversityFollow
Donna F. Davis, Texas Tech University
Susan L. Golicic, University of Oregon
John T. Mentzer, University of TennesseeFollow

Document Type

Article

Comments

Published by John Wiley&Sons, Inc. in the Journal of Forecasting, volume 25 issue 5, 2006. Bryant users may access this article here.

Keywords

orecasting techniques; forecasting management; accuracy; satisfaction; familiarity

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Publication Source

Journal of Forecasting

Abstract

This paper presents results of a survey designed to discover how sales forecasting management practices have changed over the past 20 years as compared to findings reported by Mentzer and Cox (1984) and Mentzer and Kahn (1995). An up-to-date overview of empirical studies on forecasting practice is also presented. A web-based survey of forecasting executives was employed to explore trends in forecasting management, familiarity, satisfaction, usage, and accuracy among companies in a variety of industries. Results revealed decreased familiarity with forecasting techniques, and decreased levels of forecast accuracy. Implications for managers and suggestions for future research are presented. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.