An integrated DEMATEL and Fuzzy ANP techniques for evaluation and selection of outsourcing provider for a telecommunication company

In recent years, strategy aspects related to core competency, risk analysis and organizational flexibility especially have been growing. This trend has led researchers and industries to become more interested in the multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) models for selecting outsourcing providers. The efficiency of decision-making mostly depends on the ability of decision-makers analyzing the complex cause and effect relationship between criteria and taking effective actions based on the analysis. Using an analytical method to select the most eligible outsourcing provider is significant for a company which desires to improve its competitiveness. In this study, a fuzzy integrated multi-criteria decision making method for evaluation and determination of an outsourcing provider for a telecommunication company is analyzed by using DEMATEL and Fuzzy ANP multi-criteria decision making techniques. First, DEMATEL method is used in order to put forward the interrelationship among the main criteria which are determined in the study for outsourcing selection process. Then, local weights of the sub-criteria and sub-subcriteria are calculated by Fuzzy ANP approach on the basis of cause-effect relationships that are exposed through DEMATEL method. The local weights are put into ANP supermatrix, and calculations are implemented to select out the most eligible outsourcing provider.     

Choosing knowledge management strategies by using a combined ANP and DEMATEL approach

Numerous companies are expecting their knowledge management (KM) to be performed effectively in order to leverage and transform the knowledge into competitive advantages. However, here raises a critical issue of how companies can better evaluate and select a favorable KM strategy prior to a successful KM implementation. The KM strategy selection is a kind of multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem, which requires considering a large number of complex factors as multiple evaluation criteria. A robust MCDM method should consider the interactions among criteria. The analytic network process (ANP) is a relatively new MCDM method which can deal with all kinds of interactions systematically. Moreover, the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) not only can convert the relations between cause and effect of criteria into a visual structural model, but also can be used as a way to handle the inner dependences within a set of criteria. Hence, this paper proposes an effective solution based on a combined ANP and DEMATEL approach to help companies that need to evaluate and select KM strategies. Additionally, an empirical study is presented to illustrate the application of the proposed method.     

有源型电能质量治理设备电网适应性评估方法

工程实践表明复杂电网环境对有源型电能质量治理设备性能的影响不可忽略。对此,提出了有源型电能质量治理设备电网适应性的概念及其评估方法。首先将电网适应性与稳定性、鲁棒性的概念进行对比,得出电网适应性的具体内涵。其次构建了电网适应性评价体系,该体系针对电压偏差、频率偏差、三相不平衡、电压谐波4种典型场景,围绕设备损耗、谐波发射水平、补偿性能、响应时间4个评价指标,基于决策试验和评价（DEMATEL）模型建立的模糊综合评价方法开展评价。最后,以某LCL型有源电力滤波器为例进行性能评估与分析,结果证明了所提方法的有效性。     

Smart experience-oriented customer requirement analysis for smart product service system: A novel hesitant fuzzy linguistic cloud DEMATEL method

Smart product service system (PSS) has become an essential strategy to transform towards digital servitization for manufacturing companies. By leveraging smart capabilities, smart PSS aims to create superior user experience in a smart context. To develop a successful smart PSS, customer requirement management from smart experience perspective is necessary. However, it is a challenging task to identify and evaluate diverse, implicit and interrelated smart experience-oriented customer requirement (SEO-CR) in smart PSS context. Hence, this paper proposes an effective methodology to elicit and analyze SEO-CRs. At first, a generic, two-dimensional SEO-CR system is presented as a basis to derive the tailored SEO-CRs for various smart PSS applications. Second, a novel HFLC-DEMATEL (hesitant fuzzy linguistic cloud-based Decision-making and trial evaluation laboratory) method is proposed to accurately evaluate the priority and complicated interaction of SEO-CRs, considering the hesitancy, fuzziness and randomness under uncertain decision environment. Some new operations (e.g., cloud total-relation matrix and weight determination method) and a cloud influence relation map are developed to fully take advantage of cloud model in DEMATEL implementation. Finally, a real case of smart vehicle service system (SVSS) is presented. The 18 SEO-CRs of the SVSS are derived based on the generalized SEO-CRs. By using HFLC-DEMATEL, some important SEO-CRs in context of SVSS are identified, such as autonomous and convenience. The finding of results can help designers make proper decisions in design and development of SVSS with a superior smart experience. The effectiveness and reliability of the proposed method are validated by conducting some comparative analyses.     

结合OWA算子和模糊DEMATEL的风险评估方法

针对传统故障模式与影响分析(FMEA)方法在实际应用中的不足,提出一种基于有序加权平均(OWA)算子和决策试行与评价实验法(DEMATEL)的风险排序方法。FMEA专家对故障模式的3个风险因子给出模糊评价信息,应用OWA算子对评估信息进行集结,得到各故障原因对故障模式的影响强度。采用模糊DEMATEL法构建FMEA系统要素间的初始直接影响矩阵,经过运算可得综合影响矩阵,并计算各故障原因的原因度,据此进行产品或系统的失效风险评估。运用该方法对地铁车门系统的基础部件进行安全性分析,并将所得结果与传统RPN方法的结果做对比,验证了该方法的可行性和有效性。     

A novel hybrid MCDM approach based on fuzzy DEMATEL, fuzzy ANP and fuzzy TOPSIS to evaluate green suppliers

It is well known that “green” principles and strategies have become vital for companies as the public awareness increased against their environmental impacts. A company’s environmental performance is not only related to the company’s inner environmental efforts, but also it is affected by the suppliers’ environmental performance and image. For industries, environmentally responsible manufacturing, return flows, and related processes require green supply chain (GSC) and accompanying suppliers with environmental/green competencies. During recent years, how to determine suitable and green suppliers in the supply chain has become a key strategic consideration. Therefore this paper examines GSC management (GSCM) and GSCM capability dimensions to propose an evaluation framework for green suppliers. However, the nature of supplier selection is a complex multi-criteria problem including both quantitative and qualitative factors which may be in conflict and may also be uncertain. The identified components are integrated into a novel hybrid fuzzy multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) model combines the fuzzy Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory Model (DEMATEL), the Analytical Network Process (ANP), and Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) in a fuzzy context. A case study is proposed for green supplier evaluation in a specific company, namely Ford Otosan.     

DEMATEL-based model to improve the performance in a matrix organization

Carrying out a design project for a high-tech facility requires a large amount of special knowledge in order to deal with the specific requirements from the client. Often the client forms a matrix organization, structured with several interrelated functional and project divisions to dictate the various requirements and needs. However, an ill-defined matrix organization is likely to result in late and inadequate decisions. This in turn may result in a poorly performing design. Identifying those divisions within the organization that perform poorly in the way they provide information for the project is critical. Therefore, this study proposes an innovative model to identify those divisions that may be responsible for the poor performance of the design project. The proposed model integrates the satisfied importance analysis (SIA) and the decision making trial and evaluation laboratory technique (DEMATEL). The SIA evaluates the performance of each division, while the DEMATEL captures the causal relationships among divisions to generate an influence-relations map. The proposed model is applied to a real-world high-tech facility design project in Taiwan to demonstrate the strengths of the model.     

考虑竞争性分析的改进模糊重要度绩效分析方法

重要度绩效分析（IPA）是顾客满意度评价的常用方法,分析结果是产品/服务改进设计的重要依据。）为处理顾客评价信息的不确定性,采用模糊集方法表达并处理重要度和绩效评价信息。针对传统IPA方法中,属性绩效值的获取没有考虑市场竞争因素的问题,提出了考虑竞争性分析的改进模糊IPA方法。灰色关联分析法用来计算属性的市场竞争性系数,以修正顾客群决策得到的初始属性绩效评价值。考虑到属性之间存在影响关系,DEMATEL方法用来分析属性的影响和被影响程度,以修正顾客群决策得到的初始属性重要度评价值。以某电子产品的顾客满意度分析为例,验证了所提方法的有效性。     

Identifying critical factors that affect the application of information technology in construction management: A case study of China

The new mode for managing construction projects with information technology (IT) has attracted worldwide attention because it can help managers and workers perform tasks and bring potential benefits, such as high-quality products and accident-free production, effectively. However, the application of IT in site have not achieved expected results because it is faced with many constraints caused by internal factors from enterprises and projects and external factors from the government and environment. Although many relevant studies have discussed the constraints of implementing different IT and devices in the construction industry or site, few articles have specifically focused on identifying and analyzing the indicator system. In this work, we took China as the background, scientifically identified 23 influential factors that affect the implementation of IT in construction management through literature review and expert interviews. Subsequently, questionnaires were issued, and Delphi method was used to obtain empirical data that aimed at four different management fields. Then, an efficient and convenient method called DEMATEL was used to deal with these data. Afterward, the factors were divided into four categories, namely, core, diving, independent, and impact factors. Finally, the similarities and differences of the analysis results from the four fields were compared, and the key factors were identified. Results show that the cross-domain talent ability, concept and value cognition, and organization structure are core factors in all management fields that should be managed first along with the IT innovation ability in the enterprise. The formulation of technical standards and related device and training input are also critical in specific fields. Strategic planning plays a role in macro control and promotion. Data management and application, platform construction, solution, and collaboration have direct impacts on information management. The research results provide suggestions not only for the government to formulate effective policies for IT application and promotion in construction industry, but also for enterprises to take measures in improving management efficiency in the construction site and realizing its substantial benefits.     

多方案DEMATEL的偏好交互与融合方法研究

为有效应对多方案DEMATEL在实际决策情景中涌现的个体选择偏好、流程导向偏好与交互学习偏好三者交互与融合问题,针对现有单方案方法在构造直接判断矩阵过程中忽视专家整体偏好一致性的不足,解析决策过程中三类偏好交互影响的系统复杂性,创新性地从偏好表征有效性、决策过程可控性及专家交互有序效性三个维度形成偏好交互与融合策略的整体思考。相对现有研究的贡献在于：关注多方案情景的多评价对象、多决策目标和多要素集合特征,依据整体决策信息判定策略和成对要素比较信息序列转换策略,创造性提出初始判断信息的整体判断偏好一致性检验方法和多轮次非一致性决策信息调整方案。针对某一众创空间内三个创业团队开展关键影响要素识别,实例验证结果表明上述所构建的方法和策略有效可行,能够形成更具参考价值的多方案对比分析结论,对响应复杂决策情景中的多主体、多层次、多偏好决策困境具有一定参考价值。