Modelling the operational maturity challenges faced by online food ordering and delivery enterprises during Covid-19 lockdown in Oman: A Fuzzy Interpretive Structural Modelling Approach

Purpose: This research aims to ascertain the various operational maturity challenges faced by the online food ordering and delivery enterprises (OFODE), their nature and their interactive relationships. In particular, we aim to i) identify the most relevant operational maturity challenges faced by the OFODE during the Covid-19 lockdown in Oman b) explore and establish any likely structural relationship among these challenges and, c) put them into logical clusters. Design/methodology/approach: Experts helped to reduce the eighteen initially identified maturity challenges to thirteen most pressing ones. Mutual relationships, dominance of interactions and their classifications were explored using Fuzzy Interpretive Structural Modeling (FISM) and Fuzzy MICMAC analysis. Findings: The study of situation specific operational maturity challenges convinced us to propose a distinct FISM model that depicts the relationship among these challenges. Keeping commissions and fees reasonable emerges as the challenge which all other challenges seemingly culminate into. One of the most important situation specific challenges (i.e. customer confidence about infection free delivery) emerges as a linkage challenge which aggravates as well as is aggravated by certain challenges. Research limitations/implications: Besides enriching literature, the proposed model has implications for practitioners particularly when the similar lethal waves are experienced anywhere. The number of respondents, subjective approach, specific context as well as the geographical area coverage are the key limitations. Originality: This study is the first known scientific effort which attempts to model the operational maturity challenges faced by the OFODE during covid-19 lockdown period. The authors employed the FISM modelling approach to forge these interrelated challenges into a structural model.