$.$ The Trapper Lawn Equipment Company manufactures a line of riding mowers. The company

currently uses a chase strategy in its sales and operations planning. Management attempts to

maintain a line fill rate of at least $99$ percent and hold inventory of five days. Employees can produce three units a day on average. The historical records for the last three months and the plan for

the next six months are given as follows:

Trapper Lawn Equipment Company Sales and Operations Planning Spreadsheet: Riding Mowers Product

Group $($Make$-$to$-$Stock$)$

History Plan

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Sales

Forecast $($in million $$)12\mathrm{.}5010\mathrm{.}0016\mathrm{.}255\mathrm{.}005\mathrm{.}007\mathrm{.}5010\mathrm{.}0012\mathrm{.}5017\mathrm{.}50$

$($in units$)5,0004,0006,5002,0002,0003,0004,0005,0007,000$

Actual $($in units$)4,3843,6266,065$

Diff. month $616374435$

Diff. cumulative $9901,425$

Operations

Plan $($in units$)5,0004,0006,5002,0002,0003,0004,0005,0007,000$

$($in employees$)72701143332436776106$

Number working days$/$mo$.231919202123202222$

Actual $($in units$)5,6494,0917,279$

Diff. month $64991779$

Diff. cumulative $7401,519$

Inventory

Plan $($in units$)1,2701,2701,2703,9443,9443,9443,9443,9443,944$

$($in $1,000$ $$)2,2232,2232,2236,9026,9026,9026,9026,9026,902$

Actual $($in units$)2,2652,7303,944$

Days of supply $121212394130201712$

a$.$ Given this information, suggest a revised production plan for the next three months $($January$,$

February, March$)$ that will hit the five days of inventory supply target if you accept the sales

forecast.

b$.$ What are the implications of this plan, considering the qualitative factors?