A Novel Quality Function Deployment Based Integrated Framework for Improving Supply Chain Sustainability

Abstract Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) plays an important role in the success of the company’s sustainability progress. Industrial management faces difficulty designing a resilient, sustainable supply chain (SSC) with emerging new needs. Hence, the industrial management needs to integrate the customers’ requirements (CRs) in designing the SSC as customer satisfaction plays an important role in the success. Knowing the CRs, the industries may figure out the technical requirements (TRs) that may enhance the industries’ technical capability. This study proposes an integrated approach to help design a resilient SSC by considering both CRs and TRs. The integrated approach consists of the fuzzy Delphi method (FDM), fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP), fuzzy measuring attractiveness by a categorically based evaluation technique (FMACBETH), and quality function deployment (QFD). The results obtained with FAHP and FMACBETH are incorporated into QFD to identify needed TRs. A case study is conducted to verify the integrated approach. Reduced carbon footprint, affordable cost, and on-time delivery are the three important CRs: financial strategy, green supply chain management, and government assistance are the three critical TRs. Based on the outcomes, the study suggests some implications that assist industrial management in improving sustainable supply chain management practices.