An integrated fuzzy multi-criteria decision making approach for evaluating suppliers' co-design ability in new product development

There are many methods for managing the complexity and challenges of new product development (NPD) under faster emerging technology. Most firms use them to collaborate with external organisations for their co-design on new products. This study purposes to provide a measurement model by applying multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) approach to evaluate suppliers' co-design capabilities in NPD in terms of product structural design and engineering, product concept and functional design, and process design. This MCDM includes fuzzy step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) to determine the relative weights of criteria and fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) to rank the results of suppliers' capabilities regarding to their co-design in NPD. Given the result, supplier with the highest collaboration performance rating is selected at first. The evaluation of suppliers' collaboration is regarded as an essential starting point for management challenge to develop suppliers' capabilities. © 2020 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.