IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i15p4119-d253130.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sustainable Development Performance for Small and Medium Enterprises Using a Fuzzy Synthetic Method-DEMATEL

Author

Listed:
  • Kuo-Jui Wu

    (School of Business, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China)

  • Qing Chen

    (School of Business, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China)

  • Yun Qi

    (School of Business, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
    These authors contributed equally to this study.)

  • Xiaoyue Jiang

    (School of Business, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
    These authors contributed equally to this study.)

  • Shuo Gao

    (Department of Geography and Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science, London WC2A 2AE, UK
    These authors contributed equally to this study.)

  • Ming-Lang Tseng

    (Institute of Innovation and Circular Economy, Asia University, Taichung City 41354, Taiwan
    Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung City 40447, Taiwan)

Abstract

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are forced to adhere to sustainable development (SD) regulations and standards. However, SMEs encounter difficulty in assessing their performance due to the lack of an efficient and effective approach to deal with the uncertainties in hierarchical relationships and interrelationships. Moreover, interrelations exist among the proposed attributes that increase the difficulty of the assessment. To overcome these issues, exploratory factor analysis is used to screen out the less important attributes and build a hierarchal structure. The fuzzy synthetic method addresses the hierarchical structure and decision-making, and a trial evaluation laboratory assesses the interrelationships among the attributes by providing a visual interrelationship map. The results indicate that strategic and financial management are the major problems for SMEs. SD relies on enhancing sustainable supply chain performance, sustainable human resources and environmental management. This study contributes by not only filling the information gap for SD for SMEs but also providing a guideline for improvement. The theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Kuo-Jui Wu & Qing Chen & Yun Qi & Xiaoyue Jiang & Shuo Gao & Ming-Lang Tseng, 2019. "Sustainable Development Performance for Small and Medium Enterprises Using a Fuzzy Synthetic Method-DEMATEL," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-25, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:15:p:4119-:d:253130
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/15/4119/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/15/4119/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tseng, Ming-Lang & Wu, Kuo-Jui & Ma, Li & Kuo, Tsai Chi & Sai, Fuyume, 2019. "A hierarchical framework for assessing corporate sustainability performance using a hybrid fuzzy synthetic method-DEMATEL," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 524-533.
    2. Hussain, Matloub & Khan, Mehmood & Al-Aomar, Raid, 2016. "A framework for supply chain sustainability in service industry with Confirmatory Factor Analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 1301-1312.
    3. Kristina Oskarsson & Fredrik von Malmborg, 2005. "Integrated management systems as a corporate response to sustainable development," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 12(3), pages 121-128, September.
    4. Ofer Arbaa & Eva Varon, 2018. "The role of active management and asset allocation policy on government and corporate bond fund returns," Borsa Istanbul Review, Research and Business Development Department, Borsa Istanbul, vol. 18(3), pages 167-175, September.
    5. Kornelakis, Andreas, 2018. "Why are your reward strategies not working? The role of shareholder value, country context, and employee voice," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 107-113.
    6. Fourcroy, Charlotte & Gallouj, Faiz & Decellas, Fabrice, 2012. "Energy consumption in service industries: Challenging the myth of non-materiality," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 155-164.
    7. Papadas, Karolos-Konstantinos & Avlonitis, George J. & Carrigan, Marylyn, 2017. "Green marketing orientation: Conceptualization, scale development and validation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 236-246.
    8. Lagoarde-Segot, Thomas, 2015. "Diversifying finance research: From financialization to sustainability," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 1-6.
    9. Lee, Ki-Hoon & Farzipoor Saen, Reza, 2012. "Measuring corporate sustainability management: A data envelopment analysis approach," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(1), pages 219-226.
    10. Rupert J. Baumgartner & Daniela Ebner, 2010. "Corporate sustainability strategies: sustainability profiles and maturity levels," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 18(2), pages 76-89.
    11. Pantouvakis, Angelos & Renzi, Maria Francesca, 2016. "Exploring different nationality perceptions of airport service quality," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 90-98.
    12. Thomas Dyllick & Kai Hockerts, 2002. "Beyond the business case for corporate sustainability," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(2), pages 130-141, March.
    13. R Chalmeta & S Palomero, 2011. "Methodological proposal for business sustainability management by means of the Balanced Scorecard," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(7), pages 1344-1356, July.
    14. Lloret, Antonio, 2016. "Modeling corporate sustainability strategy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 418-425.
    15. Wu, Kuo-Jui & Liao, Ching-Jong & Chen, Chih-Cheng & Lin, Yuanhsu & Tsai, Chuck F.M., 2016. "Exploring eco-innovation in dynamic organizational capability under incomplete information in the Taiwanese lighting industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 181(PB), pages 419-440.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hazem Ali & Ting Chen & Yunhong Hao, 2021. "Sustainable Manufacturing Practices, Competitive Capabilities, and Sustainable Performance: Moderating Role of Environmental Regulations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-19, September.
    2. M. Alimohammadlou & Z. Khoshsepehr, 2022. "Investigating organizational sustainable development through an integrated method of interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy AHP and WASPAS," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 2193-2224, February.
    3. Xiaobo Wang & Xueru Zhao & Caixia Zhang, 2021. "An Attribute-Based Evaluation Framework for Sustainable Scientific Instruments Platforms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-23, October.
    4. Nguyen, Thi Thu Cuc & Nguyen, Thi Hoai Phuong & Nguyen, Thi Bich Thuy & Selvarajan, Sonia Kumari & Baskaran, Angathevar, 2022. "The impact of opportunity factors on fraudulent behavior in the Vietnamese stock market," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    5. Wu, Kuo-Jui & Tseng, Ming-Lang & Yang, Wen-Hua & Ali, Mohd Helmi & Chen, Xiaobo, 2023. "Re-shaping sustainable value chain model under post pandemic disruptions: A fast fashion supply chain analysis," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    6. Shuo Gao & Ming Kim Lim & Renlu Qiao & Chensi Shen & Chentao Li & Li Xia, 2022. "Identifying critical failure factors of green supply chain management in China’s SMEs with a hierarchical cause–effect model," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 5641-5666, April.
    7. Renato Vivas & Ângelo Sant’anna & Karla Esquerre & Francisco Freires, 2019. "Measuring Sustainability Performance with Multi Criteria Model: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-13, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jennifer Adolph & Markus Beckmann, 2024. "Corporate sustainability strategy: From definitional ambiguity toward conceptual clarification," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4708-4729, July.
    2. Füsun Küçükbay & Ebru Sürücü, 2019. "Corporate sustainability performance measurement based on a new multicriteria sorting method," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(3), pages 664-680, May.
    3. Čater, Tomaž & Čater, Barbara & Milić, Patricia & Žabkar, Vesna, 2023. "Drivers of corporate environmental and social responsibility practices: A comparison of two moderated mediation models," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    4. Iliana Loor Alcívar & Francisco González Santa Cruz & Nelly Moreira Mero & Amalia Hidalgo-Fernández, 2020. "Study of Corporate Sustainability Dimensions in the Cooperatives of Ecuador," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-12, January.
    5. Hsueh, Che-Fu, 2014. "Improving corporate social responsibility in a supply chain through a new revenue sharing contract," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 214-222.
    6. Nurisyal Muhamad & Sofiah Md Auzair & Amizawati Mohd Amir & Md Daud Ismail, 2016. "Measuring Sustainability Performance Measurement System," EuroEconomica, Danubius University of Galati, issue 3(12), pages 182-199, JUNE.
    7. Viju Raghupathi & Jie Ren & Wullianallur Raghupathi, 2020. "Identifying Corporate Sustainability Issues by Analyzing Shareholder Resolutions: A Machine-Learning Text Analytics Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-24, June.
    8. Makomborero Bure & Robertson K. Tengeh, 2019. "Implementation of internal controls and the sustainability of SMEs in Harare in Zimbabwe," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 7(1), pages 201-218, September.
    9. María Luisa Pajuelo Moreno & Teresa Duarte-Atoche, 2019. "Relationship between Sustainable Disclosure and Performance—An Extension of Ullmann’s Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-33, August.
    10. Edgars Sedovs & Tatjana Volkova, 2024. "Sustainability: Is It a Strategic Management Research Fashion?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-24, August.
    11. Jeremy Galbreath, 2018. "Do Boards of Directors Influence Corporate Sustainable Development? An Attention‐Based Analysis," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(6), pages 742-756, September.
    12. Shyam Singh & Nathalie Holvoet & Vivek Pandey, 2018. "Bridging Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility: Culture of Monitoring and Evaluation of CSR Initiatives in India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-19, July.
    13. Susana Garrido Azevedo & Radu Godina & João Carlos de Oliveira Matias, 2017. "Proposal of a Sustainable Circular Index for Manufacturing Companies," Resources, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-24, November.
    14. Rodrigo Lozano, 2020. "Analysing the use of tools, initiatives, and approaches to promote sustainability in corporations," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(2), pages 982-998, March.
    15. Gmelin, Harald & Seuring, Stefan, 2014. "Achieving sustainable new product development by integrating product life-cycle management capabilities," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 166-177.
    16. Morgan X. Yang & Ji Li & Irina Y. Yu & Kevin J. Zeng & Jian‐Min (James) Sun, 2019. "Environmentally sustainable or economically sustainable? The effect of Chinese manufacturing firms' corporate sustainable strategy on their green performances," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 989-997, September.
    17. Areia Aníbal & Esteves Francisco & Santos João Rocha & Anunciação Pedro, 2020. "The DPOBE Model for Organizational Sustainability: An Exploratory Study about its Structure, Pillars and Components among a Group of Master Degree Students," Economics and Culture, Sciendo, vol. 17(1), pages 38-52, June.
    18. Mehrnaz Ashrafi & Gregory M. Magnan & Michelle Adams & Tony R. Walker, 2020. "Understanding the Conceptual Evolutionary Path and Theoretical Underpinnings of Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-17, January.
    19. Hsiao-Yen Mao & Wen-Min Lu & Hsin-Yen Shieh, 2023. "Exploring the Influence of Environmental Investment on Multinational Enterprises’ Performance from the Sustainability and Marketability Efficiency Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-23, May.
    20. Salome Zimmermann, 2019. "Same Same but Different: How and Why Banks Approach Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-20, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:15:p:4119-:d:253130. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.