Prioritization of Supplier Selection Criteria Using the Intuitionistic Fuzzy DEMATEL Method

Abstract

Purpose – Since the understanding of "environmental awareness", which has recently become an agenda item for businesses that include supply chain activities, requires awareness and taking precautions in increasing global climate crises, it is to prioritize the factors affecting the green supplier selection problem, focusing on the environmental dimension of supply chain operations. In this direction, the aim of this study is to rank the criteria that is effective on the purchasing decisions of a company engaged in plastic industry from green suppliers by using the Intuitionistic Fuzzy DEMATEL method. Design/methodology/approach - Fuzzy Logic, which can model nature and human perceptions more realistically today, and Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) Methods, which are used especially in the selection or ranking studies of companies to achieve their goals related to green supply selection, were selected and the Intuitionistic Fuzzy DEMATEL method was used. The supplier selection criteria subject to analysis were determined according to examining both the classical and green supplier selection criteria in the literature. In this context, three Decision Makers from the company's purchasing department was enabled to evaluate six alternative companies with eighteen green supplier selection criteria. Findings – Green supplier selection criteria were classified according to cause-effect group, and the degree of interaction between them was determined. Due to the largest value of the (D-R) value, it shows that the most important criterion in supplier selection is "Price/Cost". Discussion – A framework has been developed for managers to create green supplier selection lists. Determined criteria and priorities; may change over time due to evolving technologies, market trends or regulatory frameworks. To address these limitations and improve future research, it is recommended to to use updated criteria in the analysis, which are green ones in today’s world. What is current is the use of environmentally friendly criteria. When environmentally friendly criteria are used in the study, it is understandable that the "Price/Cost" criterion has the highest level of importance, as in most classical supplier selection problems, during the transition to an environmentally friendly system. In terms of impact factor, the "Quality" criterion was determined as the most effective criterion. Addressing the green supplier selection problem in practice with the Intuitive Fuzzy DEMATEL method seems feasible if the cost is taken into consideration and it is done without compromising quality.