Identify critical success factor of knowledge management in supply chain : Fuzzy DEMATEL approach

Knowledge management (KM) is a major enabler of supply chain (SC) management. The performance of KM in SC may be affected by various different factors and it is always difficult for the practitioners to improve all aspects at the same time. This study presents a favorable method combining fuzzy set theory and the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method to identify critical factors for successful KM implementations in SC. Considering the interdependence among factors, this fuzzy DEMATEL method forms a structural model and then visualizes the causal relationships among factors through a cause-effect relationship diagram. Then according to the results of proposed method, critical success factor (CSF) of KM in SC is figured out. Finally, four CSFs are identified out of 12 influencing factors, which will helps to improve effectiveness and efficiency of KM in SC.