An integrated FDM-FSWARA-FCOPRAS approach for choosing quality management practice in tile and ceramic SMEs in Iran
Volume 14, Issue 4, Autumn 2025, Pages 289-303
https://doi.org/10.48313/jqem.2025.219124
Mahdi Nasrollahi, Hamid Sadegh Beigi
Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a model for identifying and prioritizing optimal quality management strategies in small and medium-sized enterprises operating in Iran's ceramic and tile industry, with a focus on enhancing competitive advantage in export markets.
Methodology: This research employs an integrated multi-phase fuzzy approach. First, 29 quality management strategies were extracted from the literature and screened using the Fuzzy Delphi Method. Next, evaluation criteria were weighted using the Fuzzy SWARA (FSWARA) method. Finally, the selected strategies were prioritized using the Fuzzy COPRAS (FCOPRAS) method.
Findings: The results indicated that the key criteria for quality management include continuous process improvement, responsiveness to customer needs, and process innovation. In addition, strategies grounded in internal organizational factors, such as leadership styles, teamwork, and process orientation, proved more effective than those grounded in external factors, such as supplier management.
Originality/Value: By integrating three fuzzy decision-making methods under uncertainty, this study offers a comprehensive and precise model for identifying and ranking quality management strategies. Its emphasis on SMEs in the Iranian ceramic and tile industry, along with its methodological integration, distinguishes it from previous studies.