A virtual case benchmarking scheme for vendors' performance assessment

Purpose - This paper attempts to propose a virtual case-based benchmarking system (VCBS) which incorporates computational intelligence technologies into partners' benchmarking process to support decision-making. Design/methodology/approach - The proposed system consists of three main modules: data repository module, OLAP module and case-based reasoning (CBR) module. The VCBS is a web-based application that enables users to access the system and submit information to the system in anywhere at anytime. The database repository, on the other hand, maintains and acquires the data that are generated in the transactions processes and other workflow processes. It also ensures the entire valuable data which are accessible for the management to make decisions. The OLAP and the CBR modules are considered as the brain of the VCBS. The CBR module is aimed for short-listing candidate, while the OLAP module is utilized for benchmarking the short-listed candidate. Findings - The VCBS is particularly useful in situations where multiple supply chain partners are involved to achieve the common objective to produce the products to the best satisfaction of customer demands with the lowest possible cost. Research limitations/implications - Since data warehouse does not update in real time it only performs update periodically during non-office hours to avoid network traffic. The solution provided to the company may not be the most updated information. Originality/value - The proposed system improves the current practice of partner selection by adopting the computational intelligence technologies into the traditional partner selection process with the assimilation of data repository, CBR and OLAP to form the integrated system for evaluation of potential partners prior to the final decision.