ORIGINAL ARTICLE
A. Noorul Haq · G. Kannan
Fuzzy analytical hierarchy process for evaluating and selecting a vendor in a supply chain model
Received: 23 October 2004 / Accepted: 12 January 2005 / Published online: 16 November 2005 © Springer-Verlag London Limited 2005 Abstract The paper proposes a structured model for evaluating vendor selection using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy AHP. The model is developed using evidence from an empirical study. The paper aims to demonstrate how the model can help in solving such decisions in practice. A usability evaluation of the AHP-based model with three vendors is discussed. It also examines the structure of the decision hierarchy, whether it can represent vendor selection decisions in reality and whether it covers all key factors affecting vendor selection choices. The effectiveness of the AHP model is illustrated using a company in the southern part of India and the results validated using fuzzy AHP. Keywords Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) · Fuzzy AHP · Pair wise comparison · Supply chain management · Vendor selection which satisfies the service policy, maintaining the lowest possible cost level due the incredible competition environment that they are exposed to. A supply chain is a network of departments, which is involved in the manufacturing of a product from the procurement of raw materials to the distribution of the final products to the customer. Purchasing commands a significant position in most organizations since purchased parts, components, and supplies typically represent 40 to 60of the sales [1] of its end products. This means that relatively small cost reductions gained in the acquisition of materials can have a greater impact on profits than equal improvements in other cost-sales areas of the organization. There has been an evolution in the role and structure of the purchasing function through the 1990s.
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