An accessible introduction to the most current thinking in and practicality of forecasting techniques in the context of time-oriented data.Analyzing time-oriented data and forecasting are among the most important problems that analysts face across many fields, ranging from finance and economics to production operations and the natural sciences. As a result, there is a widespread need for large groups of people in a variety of fields to understand the basic concepts of time series analysis and forecasting. Introduction to Time Series Analysis and Forecasting presents the time series analysis branch of applied statistics as the underlying methodology for developing practical forecasts, and it also bridges the gap between theory and practice by equipping readers with the tools needed to analyze time-oriented data and construct useful, short- to medium-term, statistically based forecasts.Seven easy-to-follow chapters provide intuitive explanations and in-depth coverage of key forecasting topics, including:Regression-based methods, heuristic smoothing methods, and general time series modelsBasic statistical tools used in analyzing time series dataMetrics for evaluating forecast errors and methods for evaluating and tracking forecasting performance over timeCross-section and time series regression data, least squares and maximum likelihood model fitting, model adequacy checking, prediction intervals, and weighted and generalized least squaresExponential smoothing techniques for time series with polynomial components and seasonal dataForecasting and prediction interval construction with a discussion on transfer function models as well as intervention modeling and analysisMultivariate time series problems, ARCH and GARCH models, and combinations of forecastsThe ARIMA model approach with a discussion on how to identify and fit these models for non-seasonal and seasonal time seriesThe intricate role of computer software in successful time series analysis is acknowledged with the use of Minitabr, JMPr, and SASr software applications, which illustrate how the methods are imple-mented in practice. An extensive FTP site is available for readers to obtain data sets, Microsoft Office PowerPointr slides, and selected answers to problems in the book. Requiring only a basic working knowledge of statistics and complete with exercises at the end of each chapter as well as examples from a wide array of fields, Introduction to Time Series Analysis and Forecasting is an ideal text for forecasting and time series courses at the advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate levels. The book also serves as an indispensable reference for practitioners in business, economics, engineering, statistics, mathematics, and the social, environmental, and life sciences.

Douglas C. Montgomery, PhD, is Regents' Professor of Industrial Engineering and Statistics at Arizona State University. Dr. Montgomery has over thirty years of academic and consulting experience and has devoted his research to engineering statistics, specifically the design and analysis of experiments, statistical methods for process monitoring and optimization, and the analysis of time-oriented data. He has authored or coauthored over 190 journal articles and eleven books, including Introduction to Linear Regression Analysis, Fourth Edition and Generalized Linear Models: With Applications in Engineering and the Sciences, both published by Wiley.

Cheryl L. Jennings, PhD, is a Process Design Consultant with Bank of America. An active member of both the American Statistical Association and the American Society for Quality, her areas of research and professional interest include Six Sigma; modeling and analysis; and process control and improvement. Dr. Jennings earned her PhD in industrial engineering from Arizona State University.

Murat Kulahci, PhD, is Associate Professor in Informatics and Mathematical Modelling at the Technical University of Denmark. He has authored or coauthored over thirty journal articles in the areas of time series analysis, design of experiments, and statistical process control and monitoring.