انتخاب تامین کننده با استفاده از مدل چند معیاری TOPSIS فازی برای واحد تولید استیل با مقیاس کم Supplier selection using fuzzy TOPSIS multi criteria model for a small scale steel manufacturing unit

1. Introduction Selection of supplier is very critical aspect in SCM where firms expend minimum 60 percent of its total sales on purchasing items like parts, components and raw materials [1]. Further, manufacturers procure services and goods using upto 70 percent of product cost [2]. Supplier selection is a region of enormous significance and must be considered as a tactical aspect in effectual SCM. During 1990s, manufacturers attempted to develop strategic partnerships to improve their management’s preference and competitiveness [3]. Supplier selection and evaluation are complex tasks for decision makers as they required to consider various criteria. Dickson [4] recognized 23 criteria for the selection of supplier based on which Weber et al. [5] measured supplier performance considering the criteria of price, delivery, quality, location, technical capability, productive capability, industry position, reputation, financial stability, maintainability and history. Evans [6] studied various key criteria for the selection of supplier such as price, quality and delivery. Recently, the marketing management literature has been paid considerable attention to the supplier selection process. Few important criteria are: suppliers’ profitability, technological capabilities, relationship closeness, conflict resolution and performance quality. Lin and Chang [7] emphasized that reputation, customer responsiveness, communication, relationship closeness and industry position are necessary in vendor selection. Due to inexact, imprecise, vague and uncertain nature of data, modeling of many situations may be insufficient or inexact [8]. The one of the most important business function is strategic sourcing (SS). Under the expanded heading of logistics, now SS is an essential segment of the firm program to cover the purchasing schemes. Companies are interested to find out how they can provide facilities to the customers rapidly with reasonable pricing compared to their competitors. So, managers realized that they should work in a mutual system with the best corporation in their logistics networks containing warehouses, suppliers, customers undoubtedly,production units and the distribution centers. The long-term viability of the company is determined on the selection of supplier decision [9]. Liao and Kao [10] analyzed issues related to selection of supplier in SCM. Both qualitative and quantitative criteria make multi criteria for selection of supplier problem more complex [11]. Methods are developed for decision makers in a suitable way to deal with the problem related to the selection of supplier more effectively [12]. The applications of various type fuzzy models are explored in the context of decision making problems [13]. Liao and Kao [10] presented MCGP and fuzzy TOPSIS approaches simultaneously for selection of supplier problems using trapezoidal fuzzy number. Asamoah et al. [14] reported an AHP approach in a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit in Ghana for evaluation and selection of suppliers. Kumar and Roy [15] studied factors which are qualitatively important to obtain suitable suppliers. Wang et al. [16] presented preemptive goal programming (PGP) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) jointly for selection of supplier.