A Combined Multi-Criteria Decision Model to Select a Knowledge Management Outsourcing Provider

One of the methods proposed for the improvement of competitive position is outsourcing. Most of the problems are predictable in the organization s internal activities. These problems can reduce by separation of inefficient internal activities from the knowledge management process. A solution is outsourcing a part of the knowledge management process to a third party outside of the organization. One of the critical activities for outsourcing is the selection of outsourcing providers. So, in this research, at first, the previous researches are reviewed, and the evaluation of the criteria and dimensions of the outsourcing provider of knowledge management are recognized, and the final list of the evaluation criteria of the outsourcing provider is determined and is validated by the experts of industry and university. In this way, a framework including 9 factors and 35 features are determined for selection of outsourcing providers of knowledge management, evaluated by the experts, and validated by the Fuzzy Delphi method. Then using the Fuzzy network analysis and Dematel techniques, by applying the relationships between the criteria and sub-criteria, data is analyzed to present a comprehensive analysis for the selection of more proper outsourcing providers of the knowledge management process.Based on the results, the quality criterion is the most effective criterion on the system and takes the least effect of the other factors. It means that these are the driving factors that by optimization of them, can expect optimization of the other factors. Moreover, the specialized organizational features factor is strongly affected by other factors, and it is optimized by other factors optimization. Then based on the results of the Fuzzy network analysis process, experience with the weight of 0.30773 and organizational culture with the weight of 0.02716 is the most and least important criteria, respectively. And economic and financial considerations, specialized organizational features, services, technology, quality, operational capacity, general organizational features, and organizational culture are the other criteria in order of their weight. Then the results of Fuzzy Delphi and Dematel are used and studied for the considered case study of two companies of knowledge management providers. And according to the performed ranking, the Nodak engineering consulting company has achieved a higher rank.