Supplier selection in agile manufacturing using fuzzy analytic hierarchy process

The focus on competitive supply chains and extended enterprises requires the adoption of agile manufacturing practices demanding their suppliers to have agile attributes. This study designs and implements a procedure for judging the suitability of suppliers for an organisation competing on agile manufacturing characteristics. Quantitative and qualitative factors are used to appraise and select appropriate suppliers to fit within an organisation's agility practices. Under incomplete information from the experts, the fuzzy set theory is used to handle the uncertainty. A fuzzy analytic hierarchy process is used for the selection of the best supplier for agile manufacturing. The selection criteria are determined after a wide literature review. A detailed application is given to illustrate the model.