The Most Important Moments in Forecasting Dating back to the ancient time of the venerated Oracle at Delphi, humans have been curious as to what the future has in store. The desire for foresight has been proven to be not only a subject of extreme curiosity but also one of considerable need. In Histories of the Future, author Jonathon Karelse walks us through the storied timeline of forecasting and its disparate origins in places like sugar beet farms, naval warfare, and computer labs. It begins with the period leading up to the calamitous 1929 stock market crash and brings us through the decades, showing how the blend of technological advancements and business progression have advanced us to where we are today. Histories of the Future opens the potential for new and unique ways of understanding this core business process and gives light to an entirely new way of viewing the future.

JONATHON P. KARELSE is the award-winning CEO of NorthFind Management and a global leader in S&OP, demand planning, and operations management. He is leading the conversation that behavioral economics represents the next important development in supply chain planning for most companies. He is a graduate of the MIT Sloan School of Management, a member of the 2019 Management Excellence cohort at Harvard Business School, and a member of the Harvard Business Review's Advisory Council.

Jonathon P. Karelse's profile page

"A unique and fascinating tour of the history leading to modern-day business forecasting. Karelse shows how a combination of varied (and often misguided) approaches laid the foundation upon which we forecast today." —Michael Gilliland, Associate Editor, Foresight: The International Journal of AppliedForecasting; Director, International Institute of Forecasting; Author, The Business Forecasting Deal

"An engrossing account of a fascinating and neglected history that will provide important insights to anyone involved in business forecasting today."—Paul Goodwin, Emeritus Professor, University of Bath

"Histories of the Future is an insightful, clever book worth reading. It is not a ‘how to' guide. Instead, Jonathon Karelse, an enlightened practitioner, provides an exciting account about the people and times that gave rise to the major ideas and the key milestones in business forecasting. There is a lot to learn and enjoy while reading this book." —Spyros Makridakis, Director of the Institute of the Future, University of Nicosia; EmeritusProfessor of Decision Sciences, INSEAD

"By placing forecasting tools, techniques, and practices into their historical context Jonathon not only provides for an interesting read, he brings us to a deeper and more complete understanding of the forecasting discipline." —Bram DeSmet, adjunct professor, Vlerick Business School; CEO, Solventure