Systematic combination of fuzzy and grey numbers for supplier selection problem

Abstract

Purpose

Supplier selection is a complex multiple criteria decision (MCDM) problem which directly depends on decision makers’ choice. Some decisions are getting involved with linguistic variables and they are not mathematically operable. To solve a typical decision problem through MCDM techniques, a number or a numerical interval should be defined. The purpose of this paper is to focus on that numerical interval and in a case of supplier selection, the aim is to close the decisions to the real number that the decision maker mentions and this number is in a numerical interval.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed method deals with grey relational analysis (GRA) and develops it by applying triangular fuzzy numbers. The grey numbers have two defined bounds; the proposed method defines two fuzzy bounds for each grey attribute. In the proposed method, the fuzzy membership function has been employed for each bounds of grey attribute to make them to fuzzy bounds with two undefined bounds. Also to make comparison, with employing of TOPSIS technique, both of the grey fuzzy combination decision matrix and the original grey decision matrix are obtained.

Findings

The results indicate that, except to the ideal solutions, the grey relation coefficient for each alternative is too close to each other. Indeed, they are too close to zero. Applying the proposed method in problem of supplier selection shows the difference between two selected supplier in proposed method and the original grey method.

Originality/value

As mentioned heretofore this paper aims to make decision makers’s decision more accurate and actually there is no other researches which used this combination method.

Citation

Zakeri, S. and Keramati, M.A. (2015), "Systematic combination of fuzzy and grey numbers for supplier selection problem", Grey Systems: Theory and Application, Vol. 5 No. 3, pp. 313-343. https://doi.org/10.1108/GS-03-2015-0008