An advanced adoption model and an algorithm of evaluation agents in automated supplier ranking

Intelligent evaluation agent has been the most recent attempt toward automated supplier bid selection based on customer preferences. It has been proven to have advantages for successful supply chain coordination. Based on a formerly implemented real‐time supply chain coordination system using intelligent agents, this work further investigates the problem to devise an intelligent fuzzy algorithm to evaluate supplier bids without direct human intervention. The general decision model of agent technology adoption has been explained in detail to provide a roadmap for managers and engineers in their movement toward multi‐agent working environments. Then, the hybrid evaluation mechanism has been discussed step‐by‐step. Afterward, the approach has been carefully implemented and verified via a real‐world case study. In this regard, a collection of twelve assessment criteria classified in two categories of customer suggestions and design specifications have been considered. This work has key advantages over earlier ones, including: modeling agent technology adoption in supply networks, description of an autonomous assessment mechanism using intelligent agents, making the best out of three useful methodologies of F‐AHP‐QFD, considering features of customer order and his/her preferences throughout the decision making process, and coordination of supply processes using a bidding system based on pervasive and ubiquitous computing mechanisms.