Assessing Strategic Alliance Maturity through a Weighted Fuzzy Inference System: Perspectives from Data Envelopment Analysis and Genetic Algorithm

When two or more organizations seek to enhance their collaboration, they may opt to form strategic alliances. These alliances aim to progress cooperatively toward shared goals through resource sharing, while maintaining their independence. Maturity models are essential tools for aiding manufacturing organizations in developing their partnerships. However, there is a lack of empirical research on creating a strategic alliance maturity model with clear guidelines. Consequently, no existing model effectively measures the maturity of a strategic alliance, particularly one that can address inaccuracies due to human judgment and inherent evaluation uncertainties. This research aims to design a method to assess the maturity level of strategic alliances, providing a better understanding of the current state of cooperation based on strategic alliance maturity criteria.

This research developed a maturity model using fuzzy logic to evaluate the status of a collaboration at a specific point in time. The strategic alliance maturity model, based on fuzzy logic, was created through a clear and precise procedure and a multi-method approach, including literature reviews, interviews, focus groups, and case studies. A weighted fuzzy inference system combined with the fuzzy data envelopment analysis technique was employed to measure maturity levels using specific indicators. Additionally, a genetic algorithm was applied to generate a set of fuzzy rules. Like all maturity models, the one developed in this research consists of two main components: the maturity levels of the strategic alliance and its maturity dimensions.

The research model defines five levels of maturity: ad-hoc, initial, managed, planned, and optimized strategic alliance. A 44-item list of indicators for measuring strategic alliance maturity was compiled from articles, expert interviews, and analysis of successful and unsuccessful alliances. This list was then categorized into 17 criteria across six dimensions. Essential indicators were identified using the content validity ratio technique, and their relative importance was determined through data envelopment analysis. Expert surveys were used to create fuzzy sets for the variables of the fuzzy inference system. Additionally, a set of fuzzy rules was developed by examining examples of strategic alliances both domestically and internationally, and refining them through expert surveys.

The proposed model has been evaluated and validated through a real case study involving collaboration between a manufacturing organization and its business partner. The research results demonstrate that this approach offers a robust and practical diagnostic tool based on a set of strategic alliance maturity indicators. By analyzing the gaps identified by this model, an action plan can be devised to enhance the maturity level of the strategic alliance.