A novel approach integrating IF-AHP, IF-DEMATEL and CoCoSo methods for sustainability management in food digital manufacturing supply chain systems

Purpose: Food manufacturing supply chain systems are the most relevant wheels of the world economy since they provide essential products supporting daily life. Nevertheless, various supply inefficiencies have been reported to compromise food safety in different regions. Sustainable supplier management and digitalization practices have become cornerstone activities in addressing these shortcomings. Therefore, this paper proposes an integrated method for sustainability management in digital manufacturing supply chain systems (DMSCS) from the food industry. Design/methodology/approach: The Intuitionistic Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (IF-AHP) was used to weigh the criteria and subcriteria under uncertainty. Second, the Intuitionistic Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (IF-DEMATEL) was applied to determine the main DMSCS sustainability drivers whilst incorporating the expert's hesitancy. Finally, the Combined Compromise Solution (CoCoSo) was implemented to pinpoint the weaknesses hindering DMSCS sustainability. A case study from the pork supply chain was presented to validate this method. Findings: The most important criterion for DMSCS sustainability management is “location” while “manufacturing capacity” is the most significant dispatcher. Originality/value: This paper presents a novel approach integrating IF-AHP, IF-DEMATEL, and CoCoSo methods for sustainability management of DMSCS pillaring the food industry.