Optimization of knowledge transferring costs in designing product portfolio: a fuzzy binary linear programming model

Abstract

Purpose

The success of any organization in a knowledge-based economy depends on effective knowledge transferring and then proper use of the transferred knowledge. As is known, optimizing the knowledge transferring costs in a product portfolio plays an important role in improving productivity, competitive advantage and profitability of any organization. Therefore, this paper aims to determine an optimal product portfolio by minimizing the konlwedge transferring costs.

Design/methodology/approach

Here, a fuzzy binary linear programming model is used to select an optimal product portfolio. The model is capable of considering the knowledge transferring costs while taking into account the human-hours constraints for each product by a fuzzy approach. Using fuzzy ranking functions, a reasonable solution of the model can be achieved by classical or metaheuristic algorithms.

Findings

Numerical experiments indicate that the proposed fuzzy model is practically effective.

Originality/value

The contributions of this work essentially consist of considering knowledge transferring costs in selecting an optimal product portfolio and using the fuzzy data which make the model more realistic.

Citation

Dorostkar-Ahmadi, N., Shafiei Nikabadi, M. and babaie-kafaki, S. (2022), "Optimization of knowledge transferring costs in designing product portfolio: a fuzzy binary linear programming model", VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems, Vol. 52 No. 1, pp. 18-32. https://doi.org/10.1108/VJIKMS-02-2020-0019