ANP
An ANP–SWOT approach for interdependency analysis and prioritizing
the Iran's steel scrap industry strategies
a b s t r a c t
Supplying raw materials plays a central role in the Iran's crude steel plants. Iran's scrap recycling industry, as a major supplier of steel scraps, requires identifying and performing the efficient strategies to utilize the substantial amount of steel scrap. In this research, by designing a model and implementing the efficient strategic factors (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats), via the SWOT analysis, the appropriated strategies, SO, ST, WO and WT are determined. This model consists of four factors, 14 sub-factors and eight strategies. Since the SWOT method is unable to rank the factors and strategies, the MADM technique is applied to prioritize them. The dependency between the factors affects the priority of strategies. Therefore, AHP and ANP methods are applied discretely to examine whether the dependency among the factors changes the priorities of strategies. Comparison of the outcomes from the AHP and ANP methods presents that the dependency among the factors in ANP method causes major changes in ranking the alternatives particularly for the principal alternatives.
Introduction
The intensive consumption of non-renewable mineral resources, leads to further utilization of metal scraps as one of the most significant substitution of raw material in the metal industry. In many countries, after classification and cleaning, metal scraps are crushed and turned into powders for different industrial applications. Steel is the most consumed metal in the world. It is produced from iron ore or scrap through variety of processes. Steel scrap generally is obtained from recycling of the appliances, foods packages, outdoors wastes, industrial metal wastes, rebuilding production lines, machineries, and scabbed cars and ships. The
amount of scrap recycling in each country depends on different factors such as economic development level, steel consumption
and production rate as well as the accumulated metal scraps. Iran's steel industries with 20 million tons of crude steel production capacity as well as 14.5 million tons of annual productions in 2012, is the 15th crude steel producer in the world (WSA, 2013). According to the Iran steel industry master plan,
