arXiv subjects

Yael Grushka-Cockayne

Publications and source records attributed to Yael Grushka-Cockayne.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2023

Wielding Occam's razor: Fast and frugal retail forecasting

The algorithms available for retail forecasting have increased in complexity. Newer methods, such as machine learning, are inherently complex. The more traditional families of forecasting models, such as exponential smoothing and autoregressive integrated moving averages, have expanded to contain multiple possible forms and forecasting profiles. We question complexity in forecasting and the need to consider such large families of models. Our argument is that parsimoniously identifying suitable subsets of models will not decrease forecasting accuracy nor will it reduce the ability to estimate forecast uncertainty. We propose a framework that balances forecasting performance versus computational cost, resulting in the consideration of only a reduced set of models. We empirically demonstrate that a reduced set performs well. Finally, we translate computational benefits to monetary cost savings and environmental impact and discuss the implications of our results in the context of large retailers.

stat.ME↗

arXiv2022

Forecasting: theory and practice

Forecasting has always been at the forefront of decision making and planning. The uncertainty that surrounds the future is both exciting and challenging, with individuals and organisations seeking to minimise risks and maximise utilities. The large number of forecasting applications calls for a diverse set of forecasting methods to tackle real-life challenges. This article provides a non-systematic review of the theory and the practice of forecasting. We provide an overview of a wide range of theoretical, state-of-the-art models, methods, principles, and approaches to prepare, produce, organise, and evaluate forecasts. We then demonstrate how such theoretical concepts are applied in a variety of real-life contexts. We do not claim that this review is an exhaustive list of methods and applications. However, we wish that our encyclopedic presentation will offer a point of reference for the rich work that has been undertaken over the last decades, with some key insights for the future of forecasting theory and practice. Given its encyclopedic nature, the intended mode of reading is non-linear. We offer cross-references to allow the readers to navigate through the various topics. We complement the theoretical concepts and applications covered by large lists of free or open-source software implementations and publicly-available databases.

stat.AP↗

arXiv2018

Bayesian Ensembles of Binary-Event Forecasts: When Is It Appropriate to Extremize or Anti-Extremize?

Many organizations face critical decisions that rely on forecasts of binary events. In these situations, organizations often gather forecasts from multiple experts or models and average those forecasts to produce a single aggregate forecast. Because the average forecast is known to be underconfident, methods have been proposed that create an aggregate forecast more extreme than the average forecast. But is it always appropriate to extremize the average forecast? And if not, when is it appropriate to anti-extremize (i.e., to make the aggregate forecast less extreme)? To answer these questions, we introduce a class of optimal aggregators. These aggregators are Bayesian ensembles because they follow from a Bayesian model of the underlying information experts have. Each ensemble is a generalized additive model of experts' probabilities that first transforms the experts' probabilities into their corresponding information states, then linearly combines these information states, and finally transforms the combined information states back into the probability space. Analytically, we find that these optimal aggregators do not always extremize the average forecast, and when they do, they can run counter to existing methods. On two publicly available datasets, we demonstrate that these new ensembles are easily fit to real forecast data and are more accurate than existing methods.

stat.ME↗