Assessing sustainable supply chain transparency practices in Taiwan semiconductor industry: A hierarchical interdependence approach

This study contributes both theoretical and practical perspectives by providing sufficient resolution for detecting sustainable supply chain transparency structures, particularly when transparency has stretched beyond current supply chain operation, which involves various uncertain and complex factors. Sustainable supply chain transparency is established to enhance the disclosure and visibility of sustainability information within and outside the supply chain. However, the complexity and uncertainty of accessing supply chain information make such assessments challenging. This study integrates the balanced scorecard as the theoretical foundation in addition to the technical perspective for a performance model, employing a hybrid of the fuzzy Delphi method, a fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory, an analytic network process and Choquet Integral. The analysis aims to identify valid sustainable supply chain transparency attributes, examine causal relationships, assess hierarchical interdependencies, and indicate priority practices for Taiwan's semiconductor industry. The findings reveal six aspects and 20 indicators as a valid hierarchical structure, with causal aspects such as stakeholder efforts, information processing and analytics, and digital capability. The crucial managerial implications that focus on production and logistics processes, government regulation, safety and data security include connectivity and data confidentiality. The prioritizing practices of disclosure, traceability, and visibility are indicated to improve sustainable supply chain transparency in the industry.