Strategic decisions using the fuzzy PROMETHEE for IS outsourcing

Outsourcing has become a common strategy in the information system/information technology (IS/IT) field in recent years. Many organizations attempt to enhance their competitiveness, reduce costs, increase their focus on internal resources and core activities, and sustain competitive advantage by IS/IT outsourcing. Selection of appropriate outsourcing partners is an extremely important goal for organizations. This study presents the fuzzy Preference Ranking Organization METHod for Enrichment Evaluation (fuzzy PROMETHEE) to evaluate four potential suppliers using seven criteria and four decision-makers using a realistic case study. Rankings results provide a reference that assists decision-makers or organizations seeking to improve the efficiency of the IS/IT outsourcing decision processes. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.