A decision support system for supplier selection based on a strategy-aligned fuzzy SMART approach

This study presents a strategy-aligned fuzzy simple multiattribute rating technique (SMART) approach for solving the supplier/vendor selection problem from the perspective of strategic management of the supply chain (SC). The majority of supplier rating systems obtained their optimal solutions without considering firm operations management (OM)/SC strategy. The proposed system utilizes OM/ SC strategy to identify supplier selection criteria. A fuzzy SMART is applied to evaluate the alternative suppliers, and deals with the ratings of both qualitative and quantitative criteria. The final decision-maker incorporates the supply risks of individual suppliers into final decision making. Finally, an empirical study is conducted to demonstrate the procedure of the proposed system and identify the suitable supplier(s). (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.