Sustainable Supplier Research Articles

Supplier sustainability: A comprehensive review and future research directions

Sustainability is not a one-player task. Organizations have started to realize that their supply chains have a significant social and environmental impact, usually greater than their own operations, and managing sustainability at suppliers is crucial for supply chain-wide sustainability. Supplier sustainability management (SSM) research is fast evolving across multiple disciplines but lacks an interdisciplinary review to guage the progress made, and to decide the path forward. Heightened global focus on sustainability compels us to explore research avenues in SSM for meaningful progress. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of SSM research including the most recent work. We propose the Motivation-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Govern (MMAIG) framework for supplier sustainability, identify the limitations of current SSM research in enabling this framework, and propose future research directions. Our key observations are that (a) current SSM research is heavily focused on measuring and monitoring supplier sustainability, and (b) supplier sustainability improvement/development research is limited and the majority of it is about sustainable supplier selection. The future research directions that we propose are centered around (a) optimizing the investments towards supplier sustainability through collaboration, proposing mechanisms that consider risks, liabilities, and gains of all parties, and (b) considering behavioral aspects to overcome SSM implementation issues. Organizations can achieve efficient improvement in supplier sustainability by using a collaborative approach that is data-driven and trust-based. We discuss several mechanisms within our MMAIG framework that can help organizations in their collaborative approach.

An Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Model Based on Extended VIKOR and MARCOS for Sustainable Supplier Selection in Organ Transplantation Networks for Healthcare Devices

The selection of proper healthcare device suppliers in sustainable organ transplantation networks has become an essential topic of increasing life expectancy. Assessment of sustainable healthcare device suppliers can be regarded as a complex multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem that consists of multiple alternative solutions with sustainable criteria. For this reason, this paper proposes a new integrated MCDM model based on combining an extended vlsekriterijuska optimizacija i komoromisno resenje (E-VIKOR) and measurement alternatives and ranking according to the compromise solution (MARCOS) approaches under interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IVIFSs). The aggregating technique of the E-VIKOR method is a strong point of this method compared to the original approach. The IVIFS is taken to cope with the uncertain situation of real-world applications. In this regard, an IVIF-similarity measure is introduced to compute weights of the decision-makers (DMs). The IVIF-Shannon entropy method is utilized to calculate the criteria weights, and a new hybrid proposed model is developed by presenting the IVIF-E-VIKOR method and IVIF-MARCOS, to calculate the ranking of sustainable supplier alternatives in organ transplantation networks to supply the surgery devices. Afterward, an illustrative example is introduced to evaluate the performance of the proposed model, and a comparative analysis is presented to confirm and validate the proposed approach. Moreover, sensitivity analysis for essential parameters of the proposed model is performed to assess their effects on outcomes.

Consistent and Sustainable Supplier Evaluation and Order Allocation: Evaluation Score based Model and Multiple Objective Linear Programming Model

Consistent and Sustainable Supplier Evaluation and Order Allocation: Evaluation Score based Model and Multiple Objective Linear Programming Model

New Approach to Identify the Most Sustainable Supplier Based on IFS

To meet the expectations of consumers, who are increasingly demanding products that respect the concept of sustainable development (SD), companies are called upon to engage in an SD approach that begins with the selection of suppliers, taking into consideration the environmental, social and economic criteria. In this paper, we present a new model of selecting the best sustainable supplier. We have developed a hybrid model, which is built by extending the fuzzy set (FS) to the intuitionistic fuzzy set theory (IFS) and with the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method. Our model presented, allows us to measure the weight of the selected criteria of SD, to present an approach for defining the SD strategy within companies and finally to choose among the suppliers, the best supplier who respects the concept of SD by taking into consideration the links between the axe of SD. The results of the application of our approach have shown that our model can be easily used in all companies wishing to select sustainable suppliers. Keywords—Sustainable supplier selection; sustainable development; criteria; DEMATEL; intuitionistic fuzzy set; supply chain management.

Evaluating and selecting the supplier in prefabricated megaprojects using extended fuzzy TOPSIS under hesitant environment: a case study from China

PurposePrefabricated components sustainable supplier (PCSS) selection is critical to the success of prefabricated projects. However, limited studies have addressed the uncertainty and complexities during the selection process, particularly in multi-criterion group decision-making (MCGDM) circumstances. Hence, the research aims to develop a group decision-making model using a modified fuzzy MCGDM approach for PCSS selection under uncertain situation.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed study develops a framework for sorting decisions in PCSS selection by using the hesitant fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (HF-TOPSIS) method. The maximum consistency (MC) model is used to calculate the weights of decision makers (DMs) based on the cardinality and sequence of decision data.FindingsThe proposed framework has been successfully applied and illustrated in the case example of CB01 contract section in Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) megaproject. The results show various complicated decision-making scenarios can be addressed through the proposed approach. The MC model is able to calculate the weights of DMs based on the cardinality and sequence of decision data.Originality/valueThe research contributes to improving accuracy and reliability decision-making processes for PCSS selection, especially under hesitant and fuzzy situations in prefabricated megaprojects.

Theory of binary-valued data envelopment analysis: an application in assessing the sustainability of suppliers

PurposeThe objective of this study is to present a binary-valued data envelopment analysis (DEA) theory. The authors’ proposed approach, for the first time, combines binary-valued and integer-valued theories concurrently in the DEA context. To do so, new production possibility sets (PPSs) with some distinguished features are developed.Design/methodology/approachThe authors address integer inputs and outputs in the proposed approach by introducing a new PPS.FindingsTo take into account the binary data, the authors develop axiomatic DEA principles. The binary production principles guarantee any combination of convexity and feasibility. Furthermore, the authors develop a new DEA model to consider integer and real data. A case study is presented to show the usefulness of the developed models. Using the proposed models, the authors obtained benchmarks to solve the sustainable supplier selection problems.Originality/value(1) For the first time, binary-valued and integer-valued theories are presented in an integrated DEA model. (2) To deal with the pure binary data, a new PPS is proposed. (3) To consider real, integer and binary data, a new PPS is introduced. (4) New technologies are developed to propose feasible solutions. (5) The proposed models can project inefficient decision-making units (DMUs) on efficiency frontier given binary, integer and real data. (6) A case study is given for the performance evaluation of sustainable suppliers.

A group consensus decision making based sustainable supplier selection method by combing DEMATEL and VIKOR

Sustainable supplier selection (SSS) plays an increasingly critical role in the stability and development of the organization with increasing environmental awareness. This article proposes a linguistic multiple attribute group decision-making method to select the appropriate sustainable supplier by combing Decision Making and Trial Evaluation Laboratory(DEMATEL) and VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR). To do that, a distribution linguistic based DEMATEL technique is developed to deal with the complexity in criteria of SSS. To eliminate the inconsistency among multiple decision-makers providing the preference information of evaluation criteria, a minimum adjusting cost feedback mechanism is utilized to reach group consensus. Therefore, the proposed weights obtaining method can not only deal with the subjectivity of evaluation criterion but also satisfy group decision-makers with different profits and backgrounds. Then, based on the evaluation matrices of supplier performance, it calculates the ranking of alternative suppliers by the VIKOR method. Hence, it can deal with the ambiguity of decision makers’ evaluation and provide the best solution for decision-makers, as a consequence, it makes the final evaluation result more feasible and operable. Finally, the effectiveness and efficiency of this method are verified based on the actual situation of ABC Company. This study proposed a linguistic multiple attribute group decision-making method to select the appropriate sustainable supplier by combing Decision Making and Trial Evaluation Laboratory(DEMATEL) and VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR). What’s more, the proposed method considered the group consensus reaching processes.

Supplier selection in sustainable supply chains: Using the integrated BWM, fuzzy Shannon entropy, and fuzzy MULTIMOORA methods

With the increasing awareness of environmental protection and social responsibility, sustainable supplier selection (SSS) has been receiving more and more attention. However, traditional methods for selecting sustainable suppliers suffer from three main drawbacks: (i) Few existing studies have considered criteria weightings that have been determined both subjectively and objectively, reasonably and simultaneously. Moreover, among these limited studies, existing methods for combining weightings that have been calculated both subjectively and objectively provide only a poor degree of differentiation. (ii) Although MULTIMOORA method has high potential to solve the complex SSS problem, few researchers have given it much attention. (iii) The current Reference Point Approach within MULTIMOORA is not comprehensive as it only considers the distance between the alternative and the positive ideal point. Together, these drawbacks result in both inefficiency and ineffectiveness in SSS. This paper proposes a novel fuzzy MULTIMOORA-based method for SSS. The proposed method, firstly, obtains weights by both group Best Worst Method (subjective method) and fuzzy Shannon Entropy Method (objective method), respectively. Then the two types of weights are combined by Deviation Maximization method, reasonably and effectively. Finally, the paper introduces an improved fuzzy MULTIMOORA method to rank alternative suppliers, which considers both the minimum distance from the positive ideal point and the maximum distance from the negative ideal point. The practicability and effectiveness of the proposed method is verified in an illustrative application in Company L, a well-known international forklift truck manufacturer in China.

A New Hybrid Triple Bottom Line Metrics and Fuzzy MCDM Model: Sustainable Supplier Selection in the Food-Processing Industry

Vietnam’s food processing and production industries in the past have managed to receive many achievements, contributing heavily to the growth of the country’s economic growth, especially the production index. Even with an increase of 7% per year over the past five years, the industry currently also faces problems and struggles that require business managers to rewrite legal documents and redevelop the business environment as well as the production conditions in order to compete better and use the available resources. Xanthan gum (a food additive and a thickener) is one of the most used ingredients in the food-processing industry. Xanthan gum is utilized in a number of variety of products such as canned products, ice cream, meats, breads, candies, drinks, milk products, and many others. Therefore, in order to improve competitiveness, the stage of selecting raw-material suppliers is a complicated task. The purpose of this study was to develop a new composite model using Triple Bottom Line Metrics, the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) method, and the Combined Compromise Solution (CoCoSo) algorithm for the selection of suppliers. The application process was accomplished for the Xanthan-gum (β-glucopyranose (C35H49O29)n) supplier selection in a food processing industry. In this study, the model building, solution, and application processes of the proposed integrated model for the supplier selection in the food-processing industry are presented.

Sustainable supplier selection and order allocation for multinational enterprises considering supply disruption in COVID-19 era

The unprecedented outbreak of COVID-19 has left many multinational enterprises facing extremely severe supply disruptions. Besides considering triple-bottom-line requirements, managers now also have to consider supply disruption due to the pandemic more seriously. However, existing research does not take these two key objectives into account simultaneously. To bridge this research gap, based on the characteristics of COVID-19 and similar global emergency events, this article proposes a model that aims to solve the problem of sustainable supplier selection and order allocation considering supply disruption in the COVID-19 era. It does so by using a multi-stage multi-objective optimization model applied to the different stages of development and spread of the pandemic. Then, a novel nRa-NSGA-II algorithm is proposed to solve the high-dimensional multi-objective optimization model. The applicability and effectiveness of the proposed model is illustrated in a well-known multinational producer of shortwave therapeutic instruments. JEL Classification: M11

A hesitant fuzzy linguistic QFD approach for formulating sustainable supplier development programs

Buying companies increasingly need to establish supplier development programs to improve the economic, environmental, and social performance of their suppliers. However, decision models that support the analysis and choice of sustainable supplier development programs (SSDPs) are relatively scarce in the literature. Given this context, this study proposes a model to support the formulation of SSDPs based on the HFLTS-QFD method, which combines Hesitant Fuzzy Linguistic Term Sets with the Quality Function Deployment technique. This model was applied to a European automotive company based on the judgments of an expert who evaluated six SSDPs regarding a set of buying company requirements. In this application, cost and quality were considered to be the most important requirements, whereas the programs related to the adjustment of production capacity, cost reduction, and the creation of a Kaizen system were classified as priorities for implementation. The results of the sensitivity analysis tests considering pessimistic and optimistic scenarios reinforced the robustness of the model. When compared with previous approaches, the proposed model presents several advantages, such as: it allows decision makers to use more than one linguistic term and linguistic expressions to evaluate buying company requirements and SSDPs; it considers the difficulty of implementation as a decision factor in selecting the most suitable SSDPs; and it provides an implementation ranking for the selected SSDPs based on the estimated implementation time and its potential to generate benefits for the buying company.

A Choquet integral based interval Type-2 trapezoidal fuzzy multiple attribute group decision making for Sustainable Supplier Selection

A new Choquet Integral based interval type-2 (IT2TrFS) trapezoidal fuzzy multiple attribute group decision making (GDM) for Sustainable Supplier Selection (SSS) is put forward in this article. It mainly consists of two aspects: (1) resolving the interaction between criteria (attributes); and (2) obtaining a consensual evaluation matrix acceptable to the group. The new partial order of IT2TrFS is proposed to better retain the original evaluation information of individual experts. Then, the Choquet integral with IT2TrFS is put forward to compute the criteria weight, so as to reflect interaction relationship between criteria. The distance of IT2TrFS is explored to calculate the consensus level, which is used to detect the inconsistencies among experts, and then a new feedback mechanism with considering benefit or cost criteria is developed to obtain the individual consensus evaluation matrix. Then, Shapley value based on fuzzy measure is used to determine weight of experts to reflect their global relationship. The final group evaluation matrix is obtained by integrating all individual consensus evaluation matrices. At last, a numerical case is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the designed method.

SÜRDÜRÜLEBİLİR TEDARİK ZİNCİRİ YÖNETİMİNDE TEDARİKÇİ DEĞERLENDİRME KRİTERLERİNİN DEMATEL YÖNTEMİYLE İNCELENMESİ VE AHŞAP SEKTÖRÜNDE BİR UYGULAMA

Supplier selection is considered among the most criterional decision-making problems as it aims to maximize conflicting targets. In order to meet the demands of customers, enterprises take environmental and social factors into account as well as economic factors. The main objective of the study is to evaluate supplier selection criteria within a sustainable supply chain and to determine which criteria have more weight. In the study, a conceptual framework has been developed by taking into account economic, environmental and social factors in order to evaluate the performance of a sustainable supply chain performance. In addition to these 3 main criteria, 9 sub-criteria are also included in the study. In this study, the DEMATEL method is applied to measure the sustainability performance of suppliers in the sustainable supply chain of a company operating in the natural wood coating sector. At the end of the practice, the weight rating of each criterion is calculated. It has been revealed that the economic, then social and environmental dimension is considered important in the sustainable supplier selection criteria for the company evaluated within the scope of the study and that the cost of supply is the most important performance criterion. The criteria are divided into affecting and affected by evaluating the level of importance relative to each other. It has been shown that the enterprise should focus on which performance criteria in the supplier selection.

COVID-19 and Its Implications to the Assessment of Sustainable Palm Oil Supply Chain Management: An Indonesian Perspective

Motivated by the low sustainability index and pressure to meet the global demand for eco-friendly crude palm oil (CPO) in the pandemic-ridden environment, this research aims to investigate the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic to assess the drivers of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) of the Indonesian CPO sector to tackle supply chain disruptions. To achieve this aim, the study seeks to determine the sustainability drivers to accommodate the pandemic-ridden environment and if sustainability indicators can help improve the supply chain management of the CPO sector. A methodology is divided into two interrelated parts: first, based on a careful review of extant literature of the CPO sector and sustainable supply chain in the light of pandemic. The proposed methodology is then tested using the response data of 108 oil mills' representatives collected through survey questionnaires and analyzed using statistical tools of reliability, distribution, Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and diagnostic tests of CFA. The findings designate the environmental costs, rapidity, and adaptability as core economic indicators; the social and workforce development, health, and safety workforce development and consumer issues as crucial social indicators; while energy and material efficiency, management of waste and emissions, and sustainable suppliers as the best environmental indicators. This study provides a holistic platform on the implications of the pandemic to assess the SSCM of the CPO sector. These findings are expected to aid the industrial managers in employee skills and health protocols, customer service, and environmental management. The study is also anticipated to guide the supply-chain partners and government policymakers to take initiatives on SSCM in the context of the pandemic.

An integrated framework for sustainable supplier development through supplier evaluation based on sustainability indicators

The chemical industry has growing importance in sustainability because of the potential adverse effects on the environment. Also, stakeholders emphasize many social issues besides environmental protection for the chemical industry. Relying on a solid supplier base has become the main prerequisite for chemical manufacturers to achieve environmental targets and fulfill stakeholders' expectations while remaining competitive. This study develops the Integrated Sustainable Supplier Evaluation & Development Framework (ISSED-F) to support chemical manufacturers with managing supplier relationships according to the economic, environmental, and social facets of sustainability. Although the literature is rife with evaluation models aiming to fulfill the supplier selection tasks, these models mostly ignore the developmental role of supplier evaluation. To remedy this gap, ISSED-F adopts a deductive and holistic approach from setting the criteria to setting the measurement structure, evaluating the suppliers, and developing the suppliers. Materiality analysis, Analytic Network Process (ANP), Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE), and cluster analysis are the fundamental methods that constitute the ISSED-F structure. A case study presents the use of the ISSED-F in a transnational chemical manufacturer's supplier relationship management (SRM) process. The case company evaluates 69 suppliers and assigns development strategies to the relevant performance segments within the implementation. The successful implementation of ISSED-F shows that it can be a roadmap for chemical manufacturers to adopt sustainability practices and ensure continuous development in their supply chains.

Sustainable supplier evaluation and selection in developing countries: an integrated fuzzy framework

Evaluation and selection of suppliers play a vital role in improving their sustainability performance. In this regard, evaluating the sustainability performance of suppliers is much more critical in developing countries. These countries are among the best destinations for supplying raw materials and workforce utilisation because of lower costs. In recent years, various multi-criteria decision aiding (MCDA) frameworks utilised to evaluate suppliers based on sustainable aspects. However, few studies analysed the evaluation and selection of suppliers' sustainability in an integrated fuzzy MCDA model regarding the supplier selection process and developing nations. This research presents a comprehensive, integrated fuzzy decision model for sustainable supplier evaluation and selection using an integrated FDelphi-FDEMATEL-FANP-FVIKOR by considering sustainability (social, economic and environmental). Also, this research provides a comprehensive analysis of MCDA techniques' literature in terms of the main steps of sustainable supplier selection (e.g., formulation of criteria, handling of criterion's interaction, weight calculation and final selection). The previous research rarely considered the evolution of suppliers' sustainability according to its steps in the literature. This framework assists supply chain managers and practitioners better understand the extraordinary role of these steps on businesses. This research's proposed framework is validated by a numerical example taken from Iran's automotive industry.

Two-Stage Fuzzy MCDM for Green Supplier Selection in Steel Industry

Steel is one of the most powerful industries globally, and the associated products have a tremendous impact on nurturing a sustainable society. Considering environmental concerns within this industry's supply chain is highly successful in saving both energy and natural resources and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. In light of this, sustainable suppliers are considered input partners who play a specific role in the chain of business operations of every enterprise, maintaining them to achieve higher levels of customer satisfaction and thus gain more market share. Supplier selection can be characterized as a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem under a vague and uncertain environment. In this paper, a hybrid model of fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) and fuzzy technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (FTOPSIS) is suggested to determine the most potent green supplier of steel manufacturing in Vietnam based on a complete set of five main criteria (price, quality, delivery, service, environment) through literature review and experts’ responses. The significance of each criterion is measured by experts’ judgments in linguistic terms, which can be expressed in triangular fuzzy numbers using the FAHP model. Then, the FTOPIS model is deployed to rank alternatives. A case study of Vietnam's top 10 steel manufacturers is implemented to exhibit the model's effectiveness. From FAHP findings, “lead time”, “warranty”, “defect rate”, “supply capacity”, and “product price” were recognized as the most impactful criteria. As for the ranking of sustainable suppliers, “Hoa Phat Group Joint-stock company”, “Hoa Sen Group”, and “Pomina Steel Corporation” are the top three optimal suppliers. In dealing with qualitative data and input uncertainties in the supplier evaluation and selection problem, this paper can suggest more possible solutions and provide significant materials in similar outsourcing selection problems and applications of relevant industries.

A hybrid multi-criteria decision making method for sustainable supplier selection: a case study

A hybrid multi-criteria decision making method for sustainable supplier selection: a case study

An Integrative Multi-Issue Negotiation Approach to Support Decision-Making to Select a Sustainable Supplier in the Agribusiness Field

An Integrative Multi-Issue Negotiation Approach to Support Decision-Making to Select a Sustainable Supplier in the Agribusiness Field

Sustainable Supplier Selection in a Construction Company: A Dominance-Based Rough Set Analysis Approach

Sustainable Supplier Selection in a Construction Company: A Dominance-Based Rough Set Analysis Approach