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An online approach for distributor benchmarking

Hongze Ma (Narvik University College, Narvik, Norway)
Ziqiong Deng (Narvik University College, Narvik, Norway)
Wei Deng Solvang (Narvik University College, Narvik, Norway)

Benchmarking: An International Journal

ISSN: 1463-5771

Article publication date: 1 August 2004

1552

Abstract

When an enterprise wants to design its distribution chain, it needs first to assess all possible distributors, then select the eligible ones to form the design model. This assessing process can be finished by distributor benchmarking. In this paper, a new approach is developed to benchmark distributors. The benchmarking process is done by the following three steps. First, all factors needed for benchmarking a distributor are identified by a systematic analysis. Second, an internet‐based information acquisition module is developed to get all needed information from possible distributors. Third, an inference module based on the combination of fuzzy logic and array‐based logic is developed to benchmark a distributor. As the information acquisition module is implemented via Internet, and the inference process for benchmarking a distributor is executed by computer applications, it is possible to realize online distributor benchmarking by the approach provided in this paper.

Keywords

Citation

Ma, H., Deng, Z. and Deng Solvang, W. (2004), "An online approach for distributor benchmarking", Benchmarking: An International Journal, Vol. 11 No. 4, pp. 385-402. https://doi.org/10.1108/14635770410546782

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2004, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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