J. Basic. Appl. Sci. Res., 1(9)1112-1123, 2011 © 2011, TextRoad Publication ISSN 2090-424X Journal of Basic and Applied Scientific Research www.textroad.com *Corresponding Author: Somaye Ghasemi Fard, Master degree of Industrial Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Zahedan branch, Zahedan, Iran. Tel: (+98)-915-695-3104 Fuzzy Evaluation to Reach the Required Agility at Manufacturing Organizations Alireza Shahraki 1 , Noor Mohammad Yaghoobi 2 , Somaye Ghasemi Fard* 3 1 Assistant professor of department of Industrial Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran 2 Associate professor of department of management, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran 3 Master degree of Industrial Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Zahedan branch, Zahedan, Iran ABSTRACT Change is one of the major organization features in competitive area. Organizations deal with changes in different angels such as change in customer demand, technological innovations and unstable environment. In order to adapt with turbulent and volatile market they make an attempt for change priorities, strategic vision and their traditional models .therefore, in the last few decades the manufacturing has become changed to new paradigm called agility. The agility as a 21 st century paradigm is an organization ability to exploit opportunities based on the occurred change. There is well document research in association with this winner strategy, agility evaluation and make organizations agile. However, there is no evidence that weather an organization gets to an agile state is a vital and inevitable activity in global economic system or not? In this paper details of the approach and a framework of fuzzy agility evaluation will be asserted. An example is also used to illustrate the approach developed. KEY WORDS: Agility, Fuzzy logic, Agility need level, Fuzzy agility index. 1. Introduction 1.1. What is agility In the last decade the manufacturing industry has experienced notable and pervasive changes that stem from business environments and threat manufacturing success as well as their survival.The shadow of change (anticipated or unexpected) have been seen in diverse customer requirements, competitors strategies, technological innovations and particularly in market demands. Therefore the penetration of concepts of change into management studies and researches [1] are inevitable. In this situation, companies have a strategic vision to manage these changing and unpredictable business environments, besides survival turbulent and volatile markets, enabling them to exploit begetting opportunities thereupon maintaining the competitive advantage. Many authors termed this ability in a continuously and unpredicted changing business environment as an agility. There are several definitions of agility in literature review which each of them introduces as one or more aspect of agility. Some researchers defined agility as an ability to cope with uncertainty and unexpected changes and challenges in business environment besides effectively respond to given advantages and convert threat to opportunities [1-3]. Agility as a 21 st century paradigm has 1112