In order to develop the best customer base it can, Harrison's Gourmet Foods sends out different types of promotional items to see which one garners the best response in terms of customers who will buy once and come back to order again. The information Harrison's receives provides the basis for modeling.

The correct word for the blank space is: predictive.

Explanation:

Predictive modeling, also called predictive analytics, uses data gathered in research and graphics in an attempt to predict events of different types from sports to company earnings. Predictive modeling uses Information Technology (IT) to collect large amounts of data to have the most accurate information in the study that would allow individuals to find out what could happen in the future. Predictive modeling is based on repetitive inputs that could give us an idea that patterns are formed now and then predictably.

you have to put the parentheses like this:

in fact, you have to perform the operation inside parentheses first, and then proceed in order: