Title: Selection of free zone industrial plants proposals using analytic network process (ANP)

Authors: Mahmoud Awad, Leslie Monplaisir

Addresses: Industrial Engineering Department, ALHOSN University, P.O. Box 38772, Abu Dhabi, UAE. ' Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Wayne State University, 4815 Fourth Street, Detroit, USA

Abstract: The interest of establishing and expanding free zones (FZ) to promote the national industrial sector grew rapidly in the last two decades. In this paper, plant proposals assessment and decision-making approach is developed for local communities or governments to evaluate plant benefit to the local communities. Local community leaders are faced with the challenge of deciding which industrial proposals are better for the national growth in the short and long run. This challenge arises from the large amount of performance measures that affect new proposed plants and local community|s success. In this study, an analytic network process (ANP) is used to help local communities in making rational decisions. The proposed approach is supported by a case study to evaluate proposals presented to a local free zone in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Keywords: free zones; industrial proposals; analytical hierarchy process; AHP; analytical network process; ANP; UAE; United Arab Emirates; decision making; plant proposals; local communities; industrial plant.

DOI: 10.1504/IJADS.2011.039517

International Journal of Applied Decision Sciences, 2011 Vol.4 No.2, pp.171 - 190

Published online: 29 Sep 2014 *

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