G-resilient multi-tier supplier selection and order allocation in food industry: a hybrid methodology

Abstract

In the post epidemic era, food industry associations need to build a green and resilient (G-resilient) supply chains network through supplier selection and order allocation (SS/OA) decisions to avoid unexpected disruption risks and meet uncertain demand and cost for green food. This paper proposes a hybrid methodology using fuzzy multi-objective mixed integer linear programming model (FMOMILPM) to solve G-resilient multi-tier SS/OA problem within the uncertain demand and cost environment in food industry. We first proposed a G-resilient multi-criteria framework that consists of traditional, green and resilience pillars as well as their criteria for evaluating multi-tier suppliers. Second, FMOMILPM is developed based on the fuzzy evaluation of group decision makers and the uncertain demand and cost to handle the G-resilient multi-tier SS/OA problem towards minimizing cost and transportation time of orders and maximizing purchasing value of G-resilient. The LP-metrics and ϵ-constraint methods are employed to obtain a set of Pareto solutions out of the FMOMILPM, and then the final Pareto solution is determined by TOPSIS. The applicability of the proposed methodology is validated by a real case study in the UK halal food industry.

KEYWORDS:

• Multi-tier
• supplier
• G-resilient
• fuzzy multi-objective optimisation
• uncertain demand
• food industry

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China Project (71772032). This Research Project received Funding from the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation of the Sultanate of Oman, under Commissioned Research Program, Contract NO. 01/12/2023-31/08/2025, 01/12/2023-31/01/2025, 01/12/2021-31/07/2023, and 01/12/2021-30/11/2022.

Notes on contributors

Ahmed Mohammed

Dr. Ahmed Mohammed is an Acting Director - Faculty of Transport and Logistics and Associate Professor in Logistics & Supply Chain Management at Muscat University. He has several years of academic and industrial experience in the UK and the middle east. Ahmed owns a Ph.D. in engineering from the University of Portsmouth/UK. His research focuses on the modeling and optimization of supply chains networks. Ahmed has published so far around 50 peer-reviewed journals (e.g., IJPE, CAIE, JCLP, and ANOR) and conference papers and conducted a number of collaborative projects with the industry. Also, He is a reviewer for several quality journals such as IJPE, TRE, TRD, EJOR, IET, IJPE.

Chunguang Bai

Prof. Chunguang Bai received the Ph.D. degree in management science from the Dalian University of Technology. She is currently a Professor with the School of Management and Economics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. She has been recognized as one of the most cited researchers in China across disciplines. Her research interests include sustainable supply chain management, management of technology, and the circular economy.

Nabil Channouf

Dr. Nabil Channouf has more than 25 years of experience in modeling and coding in diverse complex decisionmaking situations through application of Data Science, Machine Learning, Applied Statistics, Mathematical Modeling and Optimization. More than 15 years of teaching experience in universities in Canada and Middle-East in the field of Operations Management, Statistics, Business Analytics and Operations Research.

Teejan Al Ahmed

Dr. Teejan Al Ahmed is a highly educated individual with a diverse background in the field of pharmacy, biochemistry, teaching, and laboratory work. She earned her BSc in Pharmacy from the University of Mosul in Iraq and her MSc in Medical Biochemistry/Biomedical Science from Cardiff Metropolitan University in the UK, and she is doing her PhD in drug development/pharmacy at Nottingham university in Malaysia. During her studies, Teejan gained extensive knowledge in various areas including medical biochemistry, immunology, research strategies, molecular biology, analytical and diagnostic methods, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, toxicology, and organic chemistry.

Shaymaa Maher Mohamed

Mrs. Shaymaa Maher Mohamed is a Lecturer at Department of Sciences, Basic Education College, Mosul University, Mosul, Iraq. She received her BSc and MSc degrees in education sciences from university of Mosul. Mrs. Shaymaa has more than 15 years of teaching experience.