An automobile manufacturer wants to deliver a customer's automobile within seven days of the order after allowing the customer to select all options. They are trying to decide which of the following production strategies to use: Produce to order, Produce to semi-finished stock, or Produce to finished stock.

(a) Which of these should they use? Describe the strategy you recommend, and explain why it should be used.

(b) Assuming the company accepts your recommendation from (a), what forecasts would be needed to develop production plans? (What level of aggregation? What time horizon?)