In your own words, what are the strengths and weaknesses of forecasting?
In Business Analytics

Advantages

Helps in Scheduling :

One of the greatest benefits of forecasting is that it helps the manager to prepare for the organization's future. Currently, planning and forecasting go hand in hand. We will not prepare for it without an understanding of what the future holds for the business. Forecasting, therefore, plays a very significant role in planning.

2) Changes to the Climate :

Prognostics should be able to point out the potential environmental changes when performed correctly. This implies that it will allow the organization to benefit from such environmental changes. It can develop and grow its business if the changes are beneficial to the company. And it may intend and prepare to defend itself in adverse circumstances.

3) Weak Spots Detection:

Another benefit of forecasting is that it can help the manager find any weak points that the company may have or overlooked areas. When attention has been drawn to these areas, successful controls and preparation strategies to fix them can be put into practice by the manager.

Disadvantages:

1) Factors Time and Cost

There is usually a lot of data and knowledge needed to make structured forecasts. And, there is a lot of time and money involved in the processing and tabulation of such results. Another aspect is also the translation of qualitative data into quantitative data. One must be cautious that the forecasting time, resources, and effort expended must not overshadow the real benefits of such forecasts.

2) Based on Forecasts

Assumptions, approximations, natural conditions, etc are the basis of every forecasting system. This renders those predictions inaccurate. So, the inherent weaknesses of forecasting must always be kept in mind and everyone has to be careful about being over-reliant on them.

3) Just Estimates

The future will be unpredictable at all times. Even if the best methods of forecasting are used and every factor possible is accounted for a prediction is still just an estimation. With 100 percent effectiveness, one can never predict future events. So even the best-laid plans can be nothing at all. This will still be one of forecasting's greatest constraints.

Hope it helps.

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