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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Probabilistic Fuzzy Approach to Evaluation of Logistics Service Effectiveness

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Received: 9 September 2014 Abstract Accepted: 11 October 2014 Logistics service providers offer a whole or partial logistics business service over a certain time period. Between such companies, the effectiveness of specific logistics services can vary. Logistics service providers seek the effective performance of logistics service. The purpose of this paper is to present a new approach for the evaluation of logistics service effectiveness, along with a specific computer system implementing the proposed approach – a sophisticated inference system, an extension of the Mamdani probabilistic fuzzy system. The paper presents specific knowledge concerning the relationships between effectiveness indicators in the form of fuzzy rules which contain marginal and conditional probabilities of fuzzy events. An inference diagram is also shown. A family of Yager’s parameterized t-norms is proposed as inference operators. It facilitates the optimization of system parameters and enables flexible adjustment of the system to empirical data. A case study was used to illustrate the new approach for the evaluation of logistics service effectiveness. The approach is demonstrated on logistics services in a logistics company. We deem the analysis of a probabilistic fuzzy knowledge base to be useful for the evaluation of effectiveness of logistics services in a logistics company over a given time period.