Using interpretive structural modeling and fuzzy analytical process to identify and prioritize the interactive barriers of e-commerce implementation

The main purpose of this study is to present a novel and useful application of a specific analytical technique to indicate the interactions and calculate the ranking of the barriers of electronic commerce (EC) in the Iran Khodro industrial group, a leading Iranian automotive company, using the combination of two techniques: interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and the fuzzy analytical network process (FANP). Based on an in-depth review of the relevant literature and interviews with managers and experts from the company, thirteen barriers and challenges to the implementation of e-commerce were determined and categorized into four main factors: technical, organizational, individual, and environmental. In the following step, the ISM technique is applied to construct a structural graph and identify inherent interactions among these barriers. The FANP is then used to quantify the relationships and weigh the significance of these barriers. The results obtained from the proposed model reveal that a “lack of awareness regarding the benefits and nature of electronic commerce” is the most important barrier to the implementation of e-commerce. This type of modeling approach can be extremely valuable for companies that wish to focus their efforts and resources on removing the most important barriers and challenges toward the successful implementation of EC.