DEMATEL Technique Research Articles

Identifying the most critical side effects of antidepressant drugs: a new model proposal with quantum spherical fuzzy M-SWARA and DEMATEL techniques

Identifying and managing the most critical side effects encourages patients to take medications regularly and adhere to the course of treatment. Therefore, priority should be given to the more important ones, among these side effects. However, the number of studies that make a priority examination is limited. There is a need for a new study that determines which of these effects are more priority to increase the quality of the treatment. Accordingly, this study aims to define the most important side effects of antidepressant drugs with a novel model. Quantum Spherical fuzzy M-SWARA technique is considered to compute the importance weights of the items. The main contribution of this study is that the most critical side effects can be understood for antidepressant drugs by establishing a novel decision-making model. The findings demonstrate that psychological side effects are defined as the most critical side effects of antidepressant drugs. Furthermore, physical side effects also play a key role in this condition. Side effects in antidepressant treatment have a great impact on the effectiveness of treatment and patient compliance.

Penentuan kriteria ekonomi sirkular dan keberlanjutan dalam pemilihan suplier pada rantai pasok pangan menggunakan fuzzy demantel approach

This research aims to determine the criteria for CE and sustainability as indicators for evaluating suppliers in the food supply chain. This study is beneficial in realizing government regulations on environmentally friendly products. The method used in this research combines fuzzy multi-criteria decision making theory and the Dematel technique, known as Fuzzy Dematel. The criteria for CE and sustainability in the food supply chain suppliers in this study are obtained from literature and Expert’s opinions, consisting of 20 criteria distributed across four aspects: economic, environmental, social, and circular. The criteria that have a strong influence and relationship with CE and sustainability criteria in the evaluating food supply chain suppliers are cost, design of products, and the use of recyclable materials in packaging products. This indicates that these criteria are the most important factors that can have a significant influence as indicators for selecting CE and sustainability suppliers. With these criteria, managers can assist in evaluating supplier in industries undergoing a transition toward a CE.

Strategic exploration of sustainable drivers in innovating decision-making for disruptive policies through a facial expression-based fuzzy model

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to identify critical factors that affect the performance of disruptive innovation of the companies. In this process, a novel decision-making model has been constructed to achieve this objective. First, selected indicators for effective disruptive innovation policies are analysed with facial expression-based quantum spherical fuzzy DEMATEL. Furthermore, the second stage of the model consists of the ranking the performance of the Southeast Asian economies for the sustainable drivers of the disruptive innovation policies. Within this framework, facial expression-based quantum spherical fuzzy TOPSIS methodology is taken into consideration. The main contribution of this study is that considering facial expressions of the decision-makers helps to achieving more accurate results. In addition to this issue, integrating Spherical fuzzy numbers with DEMATEL and TOPSIS techniques contributes to make a more comprehensive evaluation so that uncertainty in decision-making processes can be handled more effectively. The findings indicate that market penetration has the highest importance to increase the performance of the disruptive innovation. On the other side, Singapore and Philippines has the greatest performance with respect to the disruptive innovation policies of small and medium enterprises.

Assessment of robustness attributes in electronic products supply chains

To facilitate the shift to circular models, supply chains urgently need to be strengthened and made more resilient and robust. The COVID-19 pandemic generated problems in logistics activities, disrupting supply chains, including electronic products flows. In this context, based on the need to keep supply chains reliable in the face of the risks inherent in their processes, this work aims to identify the attributes for a robust supply chain and analyze the interrelationship among them using DEMATEL technique. As a result, it was observed that the agility factor, risk-oriented management, and flexibility are the most important factors, and that Information Technology and Human Resources are the most influential (causal factors) for the design of a robust supply chain in the context of electronic products.

Exploring the service needs and the common-suited strengthening paths for bicycle-sharing services based on the AIA-NRM technique in consideration of various users

ABSTRACT Near metro stations in urban areas, a public bicycle rental service allows users to rent bicycles for leisure, short-distance connections, and daily commuting. This study aims to explore the driving factors of bicycle-sharing service systems (BSSSs) and different users’ preferences and service needs (leisure & recreation users, short-connection users, and daily commuting users). The four driving forces (primary services, primary facilities, ancillary services, and ancillary facilities) are applied to evaluate the BSSSs. The researcher used the attention and importance analysis (AIA) technique to assess service driving factors’ attention and importance status in the bicycle-sharing service systems (BSSSs). The DEMATEL technique was also employed to establish a network relation map (NRM) approach for different users. The researcher also combines the AIA and NRM techniques to provide the AIA-NRM technique for identifying common applicable paths and enhancement strategies for the BSSS. Furthermore, this study analyzes various institutions and BSSS service providers from multiple users’ perspectives, determines the development direction of BSSSs, evaluates related challenges, and finds sustainable strategies for strengthening BSSSs.

Drivers of a more sustainable future food system – Lessons from Sweden

The global food sector is one of the most impactful sectors in the world, necessitating an urgent shift towards more sustainable practices. Sweden has made great progress in putting sustainability on the agenda as a strategic component of its national development strategy. Still, understanding how a full-scale sustainable food system can be achieved in practice and the drivers of such a transition remain unclear. In this study, we first empirically explore these drivers, their interdependencies and how these affect the Swedish food system's progress towards its sustainability objectives. Then, we assess which scenarios for the future food system in Sweden perform better with regard to sustainability considerations. For the first objective, we utilised the DEMATEL technique to identify and quantify the cause-and-effect relationships among these drivers. The results showed that revenue and the use of toxic materials are key drivers for food systems' sustainability in Sweden, suggesting a path for system improvement focus areas in the future. For the second objective, we applied TOPSIS as a decision-making method for assessing the sustainability of four different future scenarios for the Swedish food system. The outcomes suggest that food tech is the most sustainable scenario among the ones considered. The findings of this study will collectively aid in promoting sustainable consumption, encouraging a shift towards a more sustainable agrifood system in Sweden, a leading nation in sustainability efforts.

Identification of key factors for the successful development of agricultural biogas plants in Poland

In Poland, the potential for biogas production is high. important source of renewable energy and contributes to reducing the emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas. In this article, based on materials from the National Agricultural Advisory Centre (KOWR), literature, and statistical data, the implementation of the agrigas plant construction programme was evaluated in individual voivodeships. Based on the collected data, it was concluded that the most meaningful factors for the successful development of Polish agricultural biogas plants are biogas production technology, substrate availability, energy price from renewable energy sources, waste disposal costs, population density in the commune, and allocation of places in local spatial development plans (MPZP). DEMATEL technique was used to identify key development factors. The results of the study provide useful information for both government and local authorities in the search for effective ways to drive the sector's development.

Sustainable and risk-resilient circular supply chain: A Peruvian paint manufacturing supply chain model

The article aims to propose a comprehensive approach to sustainable practices and risk resilience in a circular economy within the supply chain of a manufacturing company, addressing current challenges in sustainability, risk, and resilience. The interconnectedness of these aspects with the circular economy in the supply chain context is emphasized. The study employs fuzzy DEMATEL and fuzzy AHP tools in its design to address sustainable practices, risk resilience, and the circular economy in the manufacturing company’s supply chain. Fuzzy logic facilitates the management of imprecision and uncertainty, allowing for a flexible and precise evaluation. Fuzzy AHP focuses on ambiguous and subjective criteria, while fuzzy DEMATEL aids in understanding causal relationships among criteria, considering their fuzzy nature and interdependencies. Findings indicate that Supplier 1, Manufacturer 2, and Distributor 1 are the optimal choices, while efficiency (CSC1), security (RR3), and other criteria are identified as the most influential factors. The uniqueness of the study lies in its specific application and adaptation to the paint manufacturing supply chain sector, with a focus on sustainability, resilience, and the circular economy. The distinctive contribution involves customizing established methodologies to address sector-specific challenges, providing a practical tool for strategic decision-making. By applying an integrated approach based on fuzzy DEMATEL and fuzzy AHP techniques to the Peruvian paint company, the study offers a valuable perspective on the criteria for significant improvements in management, promoting sustainability, and the circular economy at the local level.

An integrated Pythagorean fuzzy-based methodology for sectoral prioritization of industry 4.0 with lean supply chain perspective

ABSTRACT Transition strategies to industry 4.0 (I4.0) have recently become crucial for an optimal human and technology interaction environment in business areas, which aims to reach a production system with minimum errors, scraps and reworks through computerized monitoring and traceability of out-of-control situations with high-quality products and minimum cost. Thus, the transition process of I4.0 can be considered a critical decision-making problem. Since the process consists of a wide range of impact areas, such as employees, workers, environment, and society, it should be considered in a multi-way perspective to obtain an acceptable roadmap. By minimizing the loss of information, this paper proposes a fuzzy methodology, DEMATEL, Cognitive Mapping (CM), and TOPSIS techniques, to analyse the sectoral prioritization of the I4.0 transition. The DEMATEL method is applied to identify the dependencies of the criteria. The criterion ‘Suitability of technological infrastructure’ is determined as the most effective one. The CM method is used to determine the weight of the criteria, in which ‘Technological Infrastructure Suitability’, and ‘Digitalization Level of Processes’ is the most important ones, respectively. Considered sectors are also prioritized by using the TOPSIS method. Finally, comparison and sensitivity analyses are performed for discussions on the transition process and possible outcomes.

Study on Material Design, Performance, and Practical Application of Electrically Conductive Cement Compound

Electrically conductive cementations composite has several advantageswhich include strain sensitivity and high conductivity (ECCC). The ECCC can also perform the role of a conductivity sensor in a safety system that monitors the health of a building. Understanding and predicting electrical resistivity as well as compressive stress are necessary when using ECCC (UCS). In this study, we developed ECCC using three conductivity fillers: waste steel slag (SS), graphite powder (GB), and near - field ground blast furnace slag (GGBS) (GGPS). By adjusting the concentrations of the three conductive fillers, cement, and curing age, we created 81 different mix ratio for the UCS test and 108 different concrete ratios for the conductivity test. Sandier soils are best for using ordinary Portland cement (OPC), which is frequently utilised for stabilising purposes. In a rotating kiln, unusual and local building materials like clay or other silicates are heated to high temperatures (>1500°C) to create Portland cement. Sandier soils are best for using ordinary Portland cement (OPC), which is frequently utilised for stabilising purposes. In a rotating kiln, unusual and local building materials like clay or other silicates are heated to high temperatures (>1500°C) to create Portland cement. Slag is a commercial waste product produced during the steelmaking process. At various phases of the steelmaking process, slag from both the electric arc furnace and the ladle furnace is produced in electric arc furnaces and refining ladle furnaces, respectively. A byproduct of blast furnaces used to manufacture iron, GGBS is a cementing ingredient mostly used in concrete. Between 1972 and 1976, the Battelle Memorial Institute in Geneva founded the Program in Science and Human Affairs to conduct research and address complex, interconnected concerns. DEMATEL is one of the decision-makers with a number of criteria. DEMATEL technique is frequently used to extract a difficult problem's complex structure. DEMATEL's goal is to scale from a complex system and the link between causal factors in order to describe the system's perceptible organisational structure. The cause and effect link between the criteria is evident while evaluating complexity. According to the results, ordinary Portland cement (OPC) has the highest ranking, while graphite powder (GP) has the lowest ranking. Resulting in ordinary Portland cement (OPC) ranked first, graphite powder (GP) has low rank.

Exploring the Driving Forces Behind Iran’s Nuclear Deterrence Strategy: A Novel Methodological Approach

ABSTRACT The perplexing nature of Iran’s nuclear program is evident in its simultaneous growth of enrichment capacity and the concurrent denial of any aspirations toward nuclear weapons development. This conundrum calls for a rigorous examination of Iran’s deterrence policy and the identification of obstacles hindering the adoption of a nuclear deterrence strategy. The present study’s contribution is thus twofold. Firstly, employing a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and the Delphi technique, it delves into the intricacies of Iran’s nuclear policy and identifies thirteen driving factors inhibiting the development of nuclear weapons. Secondly, by employing the DEMATEL technique, the article determines the importance of individual factors on Iran’s nuclear strategy as well as the causal relations among them. This study, which draws on the analysis of original data, concludes by highlighting the pivotal role of the Shia religion and the ideology of leaders in Iran’s way of war and deterrence strategy.

Identification of Effective Factors on Public Oversight of Public Policies with a Crowdsourcing Approach Using Thematic Analysis and DEMATEL Techniques

Objective: The primary goal of this article is to identify the factors influencing public oversight of public policies using a crowdsourcing approach with thematic analysis and DEMATEL techniques. Methodology: The research methodology is mixed (qualitative-quantitative). In addition to documentary studies, thematic analysis technique has been utilized. The statistical population in this study comprised all experts in the field of public policy-making, managers, and public health professionals, with theoretical saturation achieved after 16 interviews. Eventually, basic, organizing, and global themes were extracted, and in the quantitative part, the DEMATEL technique was used to determine the impact and influence of factors on public oversight of public policies with a crowdsourcing approach. Findings: This study identified 15 dimensions (health service capacities, motivational factors, environmental factors, internal policies, domestic infrastructure, executive factors, development and education of public services in health, development of domestic services, globalization of public services, development of knowledge sharing policies and services, structural issues, laws and regulations, cultural factors, financial management) and 32 components and 159 indicators were extracted. Through the DEMATEL method in the quantitative section, 8 influential components and 7 influenced components were identified. Conclusion: The studies indicated that among the identified dimensions, the dimension of health service capacities has the highest importance in terms of impact and requires special attention, while the dimension of cultural factors is the most influenced dimension that is affected by other dimensions.

Prioritisation of disaster recovery aspects through DEMATEL technique

Prioritisation of disaster recovery aspects through DEMATEL technique

Analysis of the relationships among Organizational Culture Indicators Using the DEMATEL Method at the Islamic Azad University in the West of Mazandaran Province

Organizational culture represents attitudes, beliefs, traditions, and values within an organization and reflects the main concerns of organizational sociology. This research aims to analyze the relationships among organizational culture indicators using the DEMATEL method at the Islamic Azad University in the west of Mazandaran province. The purpose of this research, in terms of the objective method, is applied, which has examined the current situation at the Islamic Azad University in the west of Mazandaran province as a case study. The present research community includes faculty members of Islamic Azad Universities in the west of Mazandaran, including Islamic Azad University of Mahmoudabad, Noor, Nowshahr, Chalous, Tonekabon, Ramsar, which altogether include 491 people. Out of this number, based on Cochran’s formula, 215 correctly completed questionnaires were considered as primary data for the DEMATEL technique. It should be noted that despite all the reviews during the completion and collection of the questionnaire, 12 questionnaires were not properly completed and were excluded from the review cycle. Using a review of previous literature, six indices of process-oriented versus result-oriented, employee-centered versus job-centered, professional-oriented versus local-oriented, open system versus closed system, easy control versus hard control, and legalism versus pragmatism were considered as organizational culture indicators. The DEMATEL technique was used to analyze the data, and based on the analysis, the index of legalism versus pragmatism was introduced as the most influential and most affected index, which also had the highest interaction with other indices.

Presenting Innovative Solutions in Response to Variety-Seeking Behavior in Online Retail Customers

Objective: Owners and managers of online retail stores, along with researchers, consistently strive to identify success factors in the online retail domain. One significant factor in the success of online retail stores is attention to consumer behavior. The aim of this research was to present innovative solutions for recognizing variety-seeking behavior in online retail customers. Methodology: This study was applied-descriptive and of the survey type. The research was conducted in two stages. Initially, innovation criteria were extracted from the literature, followed by an examination of the criteria's impact intensity and the causal relationships between them using the DEMATEL technique and MATLAB software, with the tool of pairwise comparison matrices. Findings: The results of the study demonstrated that product innovation, service innovation, process innovation, innovation in online services, and innovation in tools play an effective role in the variety-seeking behavior of online retail customers. Furthermore, the results specified that product innovation, tools and equipment, processes, online services, and after-sales services have the most significant impact on the variety-seeking behavior of customers, in that order. Conclusion: Given the results of the study, it seems that the use of ideation, innovation, creativity in production, presentation, and sale in online retail is essential. In other words, it is necessary for manufacturers of goods and service providers to use new and innovative ideas in the production and presentation of goods and services to be an appropriate response to the needs and variety-seeking behavior of customers.

Designing a Sustainable Supply Chain Agility Model in the Oil and Gas Industry of Bushehr Province Using a Mixed Approach

The primary objective of this research is to design a sustainable supply chain agility model in the oil and gas industry of Bushehr Province. This study employs a mixed-method approach (qualitative-quantitative), content analysis, the fuzzy DEMATEL technique, and the Analytic Network Process (ANP). The statistical population consists of managers, officials, and mid- to senior-level experts from companies operating in the oil and gas industry of Bushehr Province. A sample size of 10 managers, experts, and industry specialists was selected for each stage. The qualitative findings revealed that sustainable supply chain agility indicators are comprised of environmental factors (green purchasing, eco-friendly and economic design and packaging, environmental preservation), economic factors (adoption of information technology, responsiveness, speed, competence, flexibility), and social factors (customer collaboration, ethical purchasing, social responsibility, compliance with laws, integration of relationships, and supplier collaboration). In the quantitative section, the first stage using the fuzzy DEMATEL approach showed that environmental factors fall under the category of effect criteria, while economic and social factors fall under the category of cause variables. ANP findings indicated that among the environmental factors, the green purchasing indicator holds the highest weight (0.33), followed by the environmental preservation indicator (0.087) and eco-friendly and economic design and packaging (0.086). Among the economic factors, the speed indicator has the highest weight (0.0524), followed by flexibility (0.0513) and competence (0.0505). Among the social factors, the customer collaboration indicator (0.0439) and compliance with laws (0.0438) have the highest weight.

Explaining the Reciprocal Relationships of Constructs Influencing the Technology Management System in the Ministry of Petroleum

Objective: Given the importance of effective and efficient management of technology in the success and dynamism of the nation's vast oil industry, it is undoubtedly essential to pay adequate attention to the management and control of the components influencing the technology management system. The present article aims to identify and determine the reciprocal relationships and impacts of the factors within the technology management system in the subsidiary companies of the Ministry of Petroleum. Methodology: The research is developmental and applied in nature, with a statistical population consisting of 450 senior managers and experts from five subsidiary companies of the Ministry of Petroleum. The required sample, based on the Krejcie-Morgan table, was determined to be 210 individuals and was selected using the purposive judgment technique. The data collection tools included a researcher-made questionnaire with 52 items based on a Likert scale for performing exploratory factor analysis, as well as a standard DEMATEL technique questionnaire. The validity of the first questionnaire was confirmed based on content and construct validity, and Cronbach's alpha coefficients and composite reliability indicated the reliability of the research instruments. Findings: In this study, according to data analysis using Smart PLS software, 16 components affecting the technology management system were selected based on the eigenvalue criterion, explaining 60.8% of the variance of the studied variable. Additionally, by executing the steps of the DEMATEL scientific technique approach, the intensity of the reciprocal relationships among the research criteria was examined, and the factors were divided into two categories: influencing and influenced. Conclusion: Therefore, it is hoped that by increasing effective links between academic and research communities and industrial environments, particularly the large oil industry of the country, and simultaneously improving the quality and practical applicability of scientific research outcomes, the belief in the significant and positive impact of applying study findings in improving and organizing the technological sector of the country's oil industries will be strengthened within the managerial framework of this large organization.

Municipal solid waste management: Identification and analysis of technology selection criteria using Fuzzy Delphi and Fuzzy DEMATEL technique

Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) poses a considerable challenge to developing countries like Bangladesh because of the rising waste generation rates and lack of effective management practices such as illegal open dumping and informal waste collection. One of the crucial factors in the successful management of MSW is to select the appropriate technology which is a complex multi-criteria and laborious process. Despite the global emphasis on the importance of MSWM in the literature, there is a lack of studies conducted in developing countries that effectively identify and analyze the critical performance criteria for appropriate technology selection. This research aims to address this shortcoming by identifying, and prioritizing the selection criteria and finally investigating the inter-relationship between them and the degree to which they affect or are affected by one another. First, a thorough literature review and expert consultation were employed to determine a set of 21 key criteria using the Fuzzy Delphi method (FDM). Later, taking into account the imprecise and subjective nature of the DEMATEL method on human judgements, the Fuzzy DEMATEL technique was employed to investigate the cause-effect relationships among the identified criteria. The findings of the study demonstrated that 14 criteria were categorized as causal elements that have the most significant influence on the MSWM technology selection process and 7 criteria were categorized as effect. The selection of MSWM technology demands greater consideration of the top three ranked criteria, namely T4- Access to Technology (AT), T8- Feasibility (F), and the Ec6-Infrastructure requirements (IR). By identifying the pertinent criteria, structures and interrelationships, the outcome of the study can facilitate a better understanding of causal relationships among the criteria that require specific consideration from the decision-makers and allow them to select appropriate MSW management technology.

Determining The Main Criteria Required for The Green Transition of The Maritime Industry in Terms of MTME

In this study, the main criteria for the green transition of the maritime industry have been determined, taking into account the criteria determined by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the year 2050 and beyond. The criteria were prioritized using an AHP approach and the DEMATEL technique. The aim of the study is to determine whether the green conversion can meet the operational requirements of merchant ships. For this purpose, quantitative and qualitative research techniques were used as a hybrid. The ultimate goal of the study is to evaluate the impact of merchant ships, which will be built in the green concept, on the operational needs, within the framework of maritime transportation management engineering (MTME). At the end of the study, a gradual roadmap was presented to the maritime industry, which will prepare a strategic target plan within the scope of the green transition of the maritime industry.

Optimizing sustainable industry investment selection: A golden cut-enhanced quantum spherical fuzzy decision-making approach

This study aims to rank sustainable industry alternatives in emerging markets based on the directional impact relations of the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) index components for a socially and environmentally conscious investment strategy. To achieve this goal, we employ a golden cut-enhanced quantum spherical fuzzy decision-making approach. Specifically, we first use a quantum spherical fuzzy DEMATEL technique to identify the impact-relation directions and the weights of the ESG criteria set. Second, we employ the extended TOPSIS with the quantum spherical fuzzy sets to rank the industry alternatives concerning their directional ESG performances. The findings show that (i) H20 Emissions, Innovation, Community Investment, Gender Equity, Human Rights, and CSR Strategy are the main influencing factors based on their impact-relations directional scores, (ii) Resource Usage, Product Responsibility, and Shareholders’ Rights are the set of criteria under the influence of remaining ESG, (iii) Innovation is the strongest ESG performance criterion, whereas Human Rights is the weakest, (iv) technology and communication are the best-performing industries based on the directional ESG index performance scores, whereas real estate and basic materials industries are the worst performing. The study provides valuable and actionable insights for companies that aim to make socially responsible investments.