Evaluation of the Perceived Effectiveness of Reliability Improvement Warranties (RIW) Applied during the Air Force RIW Trial Period.

摘要

Reliability Improvement Warranties (RIWs) were implemented by the U.S. Air Force in 1974, as the beginning of a RIW trial period. Six major Air Force programs have used RIWs since the trail period began. The Air Force Director of Contracting and Manufacturing Policy (HQ USAF/RDC) requested that the RIW trial period be concluded and that the effectiveness of the Air Force's use of RIWs during the trial period be evaluated. This research effort was an attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of RIWs during the trail period and to provide recommendations for the future use by the Air Force of the RIW concept. RIW experts involved with each of the six Air Force RIW programs were interviewed and asked to rate eleven RIW effectiveness criteria, and to provide recommendations for the future use of the RIW concept. In addition, the RIW experts were asked to respond to open-ended questions of interest to the research effort. The research team concluded from the nonparametric statistical tests the RIW experts perceived effective, and that the experts recommend continued use by the Air Force of the RIW concept. (Author)