Supply chain partners and configuration selection: An intuitionistic fuzzy Choquet integral operator based approach

Abstract

The concept of a supply chain exists for over twenty years but partners and configuration selection process still is rather unstructured. In order to increase value in any supply chain, a more comprehensive and integrative approach is required to select the right partners and establish the right configuration along the chain. Under economic growth, wrong decisions does not jeopardize profitability dramatically. However, recent economy downtrends has made the choice of suitable partners in the dynamic supply chain a key strategic concern. The nature of these decisions usually is complex and unstructured. This paper aims to present an intuitionistic fuzzy Choquet integral operator based approach to partners and configuration selection. In order to bring structure in the evaluation process, the supply chain operations reference (SCOR) model developed by Supply Research Council is employed. The paper discusses the development of the value chain concept from partners selection perspective, outlines general similarities and differences of the value chain and the SCOR, and uses a simple V-form supply chain example to establish the proposed approach. Finally, results of the application and sensitivity of the results to the change in the selection criteria weights are discussed. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.