Management Research in Iran

Abstract Risk management and improving the processes’ reliability are important in operations and production management. Failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) is regarded as one of the most powerful methods in this area. High applicability and proper analyzability have caused FMEA to be among the most important techniques of systems’ risk analysis and safety improvement. On the other hand, widespread application of this method in various fields has revealed some weak points and constrains; subsequently many researchers have offered revisions and modifications on it. In this article, analytical network process (ANP), a modern and powerful method in decision-making field, has been used in combination with FMEA (ANPFMEA) for defeating the shortcomings. ANP-FMEA considers mutual relationships of hazardous factors, and by offering certain structure, develops a systematic and flexible view in risk management scope. The suggested method deploys simple concept of risk priority number and assigns different importance in the form of power for each factor. The resulted RPN will cope better with the system, in which it is applied. This method provides more accurate analysis of risk and, consequently, more efficient and effective actions, causing attainment and maintenance of more desirable reliability.