1. Introduction
In today’s competitive environment, companies are forced to optimize business processes and improve the performance
of their entire supply chains. Successful performance of a supply chain depends on every single organization involved, and an
efficient and flexible supply chain enables the firm to select the right suppliers at the right time for the right materials, not
only significantly reducing purchasing cost, but also greatly improving corporate competitiveness [1]. Among the various
drivers in a supply chain, sourcing, inventory, and transportation are recognized as the major ones [2]. In the first place,
partnering with the right suppliers has been increasingly recognized as a strategic and crucial component of supply chain
management [3]. Selecting the right suppliers can impact the overall purchasing cost (the cost of raw materials and component
parts), which accounts for a large percentage of the final product cost. According to Burton [4], the cost of components