Title: Combining DEMATEL and ANP to establish a decision-making evaluation model for the farmers' association to introduce mobile technology

Authors: Chien-Heng Chou; Kuang-Husn Shih; Chien-Ta Hsieh

Addresses: Department of International Business Administration, Chinese Culture University, No. 55, Hwa-Kang Rd., Yang-Ming-Shan, Taipei, 11114, Taiwan ' CTBC Business School, No.600, Sec. 3, Taijiang Blvd., Annan Dist., Tainan City 709, Taiwan ' Department of International Business Administration, Chinese Culture University, No. 55, Hwa-Kang Rd., Yang-Ming-Shan, Taipei, 11114, Taiwan

Abstract: In the face of increasing environmental threats, the farmers' association, which has the closest relationship with Taiwan's agricultural development, has also been forced to transform and change its previous business model. The farmers' associations serve as the bridge between the government and the people. In order to understand how the farmers' association can effectively introduce mobile technology, this study combined the decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) and the analytic network process (ANP) to establish a decision evaluation framework for the digital transformation of farmers' associations, which can be used as an important reference for managers to plan business strategies and allocate resources. The results show that, the management of the farmers' associations is deeply influenced by the government's laws, regulations, and policies, but the resources and professional capabilities possessed by the farmers' associations are the most important factors for introducing mobile technology. Managers can also establish the priority order of decision-making according to the correlation between criteria and elements, in order to enhance the success rate of introducing innovative science and technology into the farmers' associations.

Keywords: mobile technology; MT; farmers' association; decision making trial and evaluation laboratory; DEMATEL; analytic network process; ANP; digital transformation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2026.154081

International Journal of Mobile Communications, 2026 Vol.27 No.4, pp.390 - 416

Received: 01 Jan 2022
Accepted: 23 Mar 2022
Published online: 11 Jun 2026 *

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