A knowledge-based decision support system for apparel enterprise evaluation

Abstract

Until recently, determining the ability of a manufacturing enterprise to produce and deliver a commodity has largely been a highly subjective process rather than an informed decision-making process. The traditional approach relies heavily on the expertise, knowledge and experience of the evaluator. However, with the advancements in knowledge-based systems (KBS) and decision support systems (DSS), it is feasible to abstract and represent the expert knowledge and develop a knowledge-based approach. A knowledge-based decision support system (KBDSS) can determine various factors which affect the manufacturing capabilities and how these factors can be aggregated to arrive at a quantitative index for the enterprise. Such an approach will result in consistent and reliable evaluations. Moreover, such expert knowledge can widely be dispersed throughout an enterprise. In this chapter, we present the details of the design and implementation of a knowledge-based system, which can assist decision makers to evaluate apparel manufacturing enterprises.