Transactions on Data Analysis in Social Science

Transactions on Data Analysis in Social Science

Modeling the Assessment of Supply Chain Agility in Urban Search and Rescue Organizations: A Case Study of Tehran Fire Department

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
H. Amin Tahmasbi 1
S. J. Razavi Nasab 2
R. Narimani Nasab 3
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Shahrekord University, Iran
2 Ph.D. Student in Industrial Management - Production and Operations, Islamic Azad University, Bandar Anzali International Branch, Iran
3 Ph.D. Student, Islamic Azad University, Bandar Anzali International Branch, Iran
10.47176/TDASS.2021.150
Abstract
Agility refers to the ability to respond to unforeseen changes for proactive decision-making based on adaptability. Organizational agility consists of responsiveness, competence, flexibility, and speed components. Today, the quality of providing urban search and rescue services depends on their agility in unforeseen circumstances, requiring attention to these capabilities and capacities. In recent years, minimal efforts have been made to manage and design agile supply chain operations in crisis-oriented organizations, especially firefighting departments in the country. This article focuses on the agility of the supply chain in the fire department, utilizing a novel approach based on Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) in two dimensions: agility capabilities (flexibility, competence, cost, responsiveness, and speed) and agility enablers (collaborative relationships, process integration, information integration, stakeholder sensitivity). Ambiguity and complexity in the characteristics of agility, especially qualitative indicators, and the use of variables derived from experts' experiential knowledge highlight the necessity of using fuzzy logic to analyze the model's component information. By comparing the values obtained from the designed ANFIS in two dimensions of agility with the agility factor matrix, the agility position in the studied organization is located in the B region (potential agility). This assessment informs managers about the gap analysis between the current and desirable levels of agility, indicating that the organization is relatively well-equipped in terms of agility infrastructure, and in the near future, a higher level of agility can be predicted for its supply chain. Additionally, this research designs a dynamic model based on state-space equations and transformation functions to observe and investigate the dynamic behavior of supply chain agility over time. This model allows the organization to predict agility levels for future periods. In the presence of a gap between the current and desirable states, investments can be made to increase agility levels.
Keywords
Supply Chain
Agility
Hybrid Modeling
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Transactions on Data Analysis in Social Science
Volume 3, Issue 3
Summer 2021
Pages 150-158

  • Receive Date 05 June 2021
  • Revise Date 19 August 2021
  • Accept Date 01 September 2021