Explaining the relationship of strategic map using combined approach of Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision Making and Goal Programming

Strategy maps show the value creation path in any organizations that includes the strategic objectives of organization. Strategic objectives can provide focus on organization’s resources based on balanced scorecard and since the organizations when developing their strategy map, face with a number of different objectives and relationships between them, therefore it is necessary to use a practical approach to explain the relationship between strategic objectives. Hence, this article aims to provide a hybrid approach for identifying causal relationships between strategic objectives for drawing a strategic map, So that with minimum number of relationships, the maximum impact among the strategic objectives is clarified in the map. In this regard, the importance of all possible relationships is determined by fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) and then strategic map was drawn by goal programming with considering to objectives of minimizing the number of relationships and maximizing the total importance of the selected relationships. The FAHP results show “supporting demand-oriented researches”, “Strengthen inter-agency cooperation” and “Supporting strategic science and technology” objectives respectively have been the most important in the customer, processes and learning and growth levels of strategic map. In the following, by goal programming with focus on maximum reach of strategic objectives according to their weights, the minimum connections (14 relationships from 26 relationships) were selected to draw the strategic map. The systematic approach presented in this paper could be the basis of developing the strategic map of all organizations.