Article ID: | iaor200969289 |
Country: | Singapore |
Volume: | 26 |
Issue: | 3 |
Start Page Number: | 399 |
End Page Number: | 420 |
Publication Date: | Jun 2009 |
Journal: | Asia-Pacific Journal of Operational Research |
Authors: | Chukova Stefanka, Christozov Dimitar, Mateev Flamen |
Keywords: | information, quality & reliability |
In this paper we focus on two types of risks, the risk of malfunctioning of a product quantified by its reliability, and the risk of misunderstanding the features and qualities of a product while deciding whether to buy it. The later risk is caused by the information asymmetry, which is a natural property of any communication process. We discuss the relationship between these risks and product warranty. We begin with an overview of warranties from the decision-makers' viewpoint. We elaborate on the purposes, legalities, and types of warranties and follow with a summary of mathematical models and concepts for quantifying the financial implications of warranties of malfunctioning. Further, we propose a model for quantifying the risk of misinforming and elaborate on the relationship between this risk and product warranty.