Supplier selection of companies providing micro mobility service under type-2 neutrosophic number based decision making model

Abstract

Environmental approaches play an active role in the production platform as well as in the supply chain. Studies that deal with supplier selection problems in the supply chain with a green focus have recently intensified. In this research, the supplier selection problem of companies providing “last mile” service, which is seen as the last step of transportation, is handled with a green focus. The supplier selection problem of these companies is differentiated according to strategic and non-strategic product groups. In this study, a green-oriented supplier selection proposal is presented for both the strategic product group and the non-strategic product group. The supplier selection problem is accepted as a multi criteria decision making problem (MCDM). Thus, the type-2 neutrosophic numbers (T2NNs) - based CRiteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) – based Multi-Attributive Border Approximation Area Comparison (MABAC) hybrid model is applied to evaluate the green-oriented supplier. The motivation of the study is to determine the best alternative supplier type for strategic and non-strategic products groups. In this context, two cases are created, ten criteria are selected, and three supplier types are determined. Supplier types are as follows: (i) Classical suppliers, (ii) Hybrid-Classical to green centric suppliers, and (iii) Start-Ups & green centric suppliers. To devise a solution for addressing the research problem, the selection of the optimal green supplier type was accomplished through a recommended T2NN-CRITIC-MABAC hybrid model. Accordingly, for both strategic and non-strategic product groups, micro-mobility service providers identified Hybrid-Classical to Green Centric Suppliers as the most suitable green supplier type. In addition, the findings are strengthened by creating twenty-two sensitivity analysis scenarios. In conclusion, the T2NN-CRITIC-MABAC hybrid method introduced in this study represents a methodologically diverse, fuzzy logic-based approach with practical implications for supplier selection in the micro mobility services sector. Its application and empirical testing contribute to the literature and provide valuable insights for decision-makers in the industry.