Prioritizing and Analyzing Supplier Development Activities in the Automotive Industry

Purpose: Supplier development (SD) activities are crucial in the automotive industry as they enhance the capabilities and performance of suppliers, ensuring a more efficient, reliable, and competitive supply chain. This paper aims to prioritize activities related to SD using the Best-Worst Method (BWM).
Design/methodology/approach: Three fundamental stages were conducted in this study. First, relevant studies were synthesized. SD activities were identified, and finally, through calculation of the CVR, ۳۰ activities were classified into four categories. In the second stage, using the Best-Worst Method, a linear optimization model was formulated for the activities in each category. By solving these models, the weights of the identified activities for each of the four categories were obtained separately.Findings: The main findings reveal that the highest priority activities identified by experts include “Evaluation of tangible supplier capabilities and feedback”, “Training and updating the supplier”, “Creating collaborative communications or partnerships”, and “Sharing environmental, ethical, and social responsibility information”. In the third stage, the obtained prioritization in each category was shared with experts, and their suggestions regarding the findings were documented and interpreted. The results indicate a strong preference for activities that support collaboration and capability enhancement over those focused on competition.
Practical implications: The identified activities in this paper are comprehensive and can be utilized by the automotive industries of various countries. Additionally, the approach used, due to its novelty, simplicity of calculations, practicality, and compatibility with managers' subjective judgments, is expected to be well-received by researchers and especially by managers in the automotive industry and even other industries.
Originality/value: This study underscores the importance of a structured approach to prioritizing SD activities within supply chains.

کلیدواژه ها:

Supplier Relationship Management ، SD Activities ، BWM ، Automotive Industry