Enhancing healthcare supply chain resilience: decision-making in a fuzzy environment

Abstract

PurposeResilience is a fundamental component of healthcare supply chains, as the quality and endurance of human life are dependent on them. However, there are numerous resilience-building measures, and there is a need for prioritization of those strategies. This research study aims to prioritize resilience strategies for healthcare supply chains while considering the risks that most severe, probable to occur and have the lengthiest periods of recovery.Design/methodology/approachThis research study has used multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques for analysis. Initially, the criteria for prioritization of risks, i.e. severity, probability of occurrence and recovery time were assigned with importance weights through the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Then, these weights were used in the fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPIS) analysis for prioritization of risks. Subsequently, the identified risks were used for highlighting the appropriate resilience strategies through the fuzzy quality function deployment (QFD) technique.FindingsResults indicate that Industry 4.0, multiple sourcing, risk awareness, agility and global diversification of suppliers, markets and operations are the most significant resilience strategies.Research limitations/implicationsThis study's limitation is that it is conducted in a general perspective, rather than reducing the context to a developing or developed country. Different areas have variable market factors, due to which potential risks occur in a different form. Moreover, resilience strategies work differently in different environments. Therefore, for future endeavors, the studies should be carried out in a limited context.Originality/valueThis research study proposes a novel MCDM-based approach for ranking resilience strategies, in light of the most probable, severe and long-lasting risks. In addition, this approach has been employed for the enhancement of resilience in healthcare supply chains.

Resilience development and digitalization of the healthcare supply chain: an exploratory study in emerging economies

“…The systems perspective of resilient healthcare has offered insights into the conditions that make healthcare systems successful despite their complexity and scarcity of resources (Ellis et al, 2019). For instance, using a multicriteria decision-making method, Rehman and Ali (2021) prioritized resilience strategies for HSCs while considering the most severe risks, probable to occur, that have the lengthiest recovery periods.…”

“…, 2019). For instance, using a multicriteria decision-making method, Rehman and Ali (2021) prioritized resilience strategies for HSCs while considering the most severe risks, probable to occur, that have the lengthiest recovery periods.…”

Supply chain sustainability risk decision support model using integrated Preference Selection Index (PSI) method and prospect theory

“…Motivated by this research scarcity and in compliment with inclusion to consider decisionmakers risk behavior, this paper intends to integrate the PSI and prospect theory to accommodate the decision behavior of SME decision-makers. Next, to consider the importance of supply chain attributes such as sensitivity against the impact of particular risk (Lahmar et al, 2018) and speed capability to recover from the impact of certain risks (Behzadi et al, 2018;Rehman and Ali, 2021), sensitivity and recoverability level of the supply chain is added as additional risk criteria in compliment to the previous three risk reprioritization criteria.…”

“…, 2018) and speed capability to recover from the impact of certain risks (Behzadi et al. , 2018; Rehman and Ali, 2021), sensitivity and recoverability level of the supply chain is added as additional risk criteria in compliment to the previous three risk reprioritization criteria.…”

Editorial: Special issue on resilient supply chains through innovative logistics management

“…The seventh paper entitled “Enhancing healthcare supply chain resilience: decision-making in a fuzzy environment” by Rehman and Ali (2022) prioritizes resilience strategies for healthcare SCs while considering the risks that most severe, probable to occur and have the lengthiest periods of recovery. It proposes a novel multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM)-based approach for ranking resilience strategies, in light of the most probable, severe and long-lasting risks.…”