Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework to assess the sustainability of service supply chains (SC) based on the concept of the balanced scorecard and three dimensions of sustainability, namely economic, social, and environmental performance. Design/methodology/approach After reviewing the literature and interviewing the experts, the preliminary list of identified general criteria is categorized in the four perspectives. Then, to select the most important factors in hospital SC, 15 experts evaluated the identified criteria by questionnaires of Fuzzy Delphi Method. Then, interpretative structural modeling was applied to identify the interrelations between the perspectives and between the criteria. Findings The framework includes four perspectives, financial; service SC operations; stakeholders’ satisfaction in the direction of sustainability; and learning, growth, and innovation, to improve the SC for sustainability in the service industry. According to the results, the identified criteria are interrelated. Practical implications The paper provides an important reference to assess the sustainability of service SCs. It will be beneficial in strategic and operational decision-making in service industries. Originality/value Reviewing the literature shows that the concept of sustainability of service SCs is still immature. The paper is a preliminary effort to identify the general criteria of sustainability and their interrelations in the service sector. The presented general framework links the financial measures with the environmental and social measures. It helps to maintain the balance between the sustainability goals for the service SC managers. It can be modified and applied in different service sectors.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework of sustainable service supply chain management (SCM) processes and practices in the multi-dimensional construct. It tries to provide a template for those sustainability general key practices that can be scheduled and budgeted in different service sectors. Design/methodology/approach To provide an applicable framework, its adaptability to most service settings should be ensured. In this regard, at first, the related literature on service SCM processes and sustainability practices of SCM are reviewed. To modify and confirm the extracted list, it is distributed to experts. After summarizing experts’ opinions, an initial list of the sustainable service supply chain practices (SSSCPs) is provided. Finally, the Fuzzy Delphi Method is applied to construct the framework for hospital supply chain (SC). Findings It suggests that the SSSCPs can be constructed in terms of seven major processes: managing the sustainable supplier, sustainable employee, sustainable customer, sustainable service performance, sustainable service operations, sustainable external relations, and sustainable knowledge, information and technology. Practical implications The framework can be employed as a template of sustainability practices for individual member firms of service SCs to identify and implement the key practices toward sustainability. Originality/value Reviewing the literature indicates that determining what is unique about the sustainable SCM in the service sector is immature. The paper is a preliminary effort to identify the general sustainability practices, in incorporating all sustainability dimensions in service SC processes.

In order to compete in the global environment, a manufacturing company has to keep developing new technologies. Selection of a right technology is a critical stage in a successful technology transfer process. However, technology selection is a complex multi-dimensional problem including both qualitative and quantitative factors, such as human resources, operational and financial dimensions, which may be in conflict and may also be uncertain. In addition, interdependent relationships exist among various dimensions as well as criteria of technology selection. The identified problems could be solved by combining multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) methods of different nature and fuzzy set theory. The objective of the current paper is to develop a complex approach to evaluate technologies and to rank their appropriateness for a company. A hybrid model is proposed, based on Fuzzy Analytic Network Process (FANP) and Fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (FTOPSIS). A real-life case study is presented to validate the proposed model.

This study analyzes the affecting variables on the relation of sustainability practice-performance in the service supply chain. The identified factors (supply chain features) are classified in a hierarchical structure of Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP): Macro Environment Features, Service Provider Features, Supplier Features, Employee Features, and Customer Features. Then, the FAHP is applied to identify the importance of each factor in the hospital supply chain, as an example of the service sector. To extract and predict the factors’ interactions, the knowledge base of the fuzzy if-then rules is constructed. The developed Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) gives insights on the supply chain features with significant impact on the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives. So, by predicting and strategically managing the affecting factors, service supply chain managers can have more effective and sustainable performance. The fuzzy surfaces indicate that the features of the macro environment, especially the government regulations, are crucial factors influencing the movement toward sustainability.

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