Modelling Supply Chain Agility Antecedents Using Fuzzy DEMATEL

Abstract

The era we live in today is full of uncertainty and varying customer demand. Firms are managing various difficulties including consistent change, shorter item life cycles, assorted client necessities and expanded vulnerability of interest. The purpose of this paper is to put forth the dimensions along which a firm can improve its performance and enhance its sustainability through supply chain agility. Supply chain agility is a key component of all successful firms today, be it in the services or in the manufacturing sector. It is believed that an agile company would tend to outshine its competitors, who have not adopted the agile principles. Seven dimensions of supply chain agility have been identified in this paper; and their effect on each other and on supply chain agility is assessed using Fuzzy DEMATEL. Four major factors- accessibility, alertness, flexibility and swiftness are identified as the key determinants of agility. It is found that the operational flexibility and analytical capabilities of a firm play the most crucial role in determining its agility as they had the maximum effect on the overall system. This study provides the management of companies with a clear guide map as to how they can improve their agility in today’s highly competitive market and how one dimension of supply chain agility has an impact on another dimension. Identification of dimensions of agility and evaluating their impact on each other as well as on supply chain agility using Fuzzy DEMATEL is a new and unique contribution to the concept of agility.