PLEASE: I JUST NEED QUESTION ONE WITH THE EXCEL STEPS. PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME, IT WOULD BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED.

Top-Slice Drivers

Introduction

Two years ago, Top-Slice Company moved from just making golf balls to also producing oversized drivers. Top-Slice makes three different models: the Bomber, the Hook King, and the Sir Slice-A-Lot. As the names suggest, the last two clubs help correct for golfers who either hook or slice the ball when driving.

While Top-Slice is pleased with the growing sales for all three models (see the following tables), the numbers present Jacob Lee, the production manager, with a dilemma. Jacob knows that the current manufacturing work cell is capable of producing only 2,700 drivers per month, and total sales seem to be rapidly approaching that number. Jacobs staff has told him it will take at least three months to plan for and implement an expanded work cell.

PLEASE: I JUST NEED QUESTION ONE WITH THE EXCEL STEPS. PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME, IT WOULD BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED.

MONTH April 2014 May June July August BOMBER 1,410 1,417 1,434 1,452 1,466 HOOK KING 377 381 387 391 396 SIR SLICE-A-LOT 343 344 346 349 350 352 354 400 403 409 412 357 359 363 420 423 426 365 367 369 431 437 371 September October November December January 2015 February March April May June July August September October November December January 2016 February March 1,483 1,490 1,505 1,521 1,536 1,547 1,554 1,562 1,574 1,587 1,595 1,613 1,631 1,642 1,656 1,673 1,685 1,703 1,720 441 445 454 461 375 377 381 384 386 464 471 389 477 480 392 394 396 399 485 490 Questions 1. Develop a quantitative forecast model for Jacob. Which modeling technique did you choose, and why? What are the assumptions behind your model? 2. According to your model, when will Top-Slice need to have the expanded work cell up and running? What are the implications for when Jacob should start the expansion effort? 3. Now suppose that over lunch the marketing vice president says to Jacob: We're feeling a lot of heat from Chinese manufacturers who are offering very similar clubs to ours, but at significantly lower prices. The legal department is working on a patent infringement case, but if we can't block these clubs from entering the market, I expect to see our sales flatten, and maybe even fall, over the rest of the year. What questions should Jacob ask? How would the answers to these questions affect the forecast? Does it still make sense to use quantitative forecasting under these circumstances? Why