Radio frequency identification: supply chain impact and implementation challenges

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. RFID stands for Radiofrequency Identification. The acronym refers to small electronic devices that consist of a small chip and an antenna. RFID technology, initially explored in the 1980s, became more accessible and widely implemented by the early 2000s.Libraries Libraries have long served as essential institutions for knowledge preservation and dissemination, traditionally relying on physical resources like books and journals. RFID systems consist of tags, readers, and integrated software. The integration of RFID technology represents a significant advancement in library services, enhancing efficiency and user experience. A notable development in this area is RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology, which has significantly enhanced library management and user experience. RFID technology utilizes radio waves to identify and track objects, such as library materials, automatically. The advent of digital technology has revolutionized libraries, transforming them into dynamic hubs of information and community engagement. RFID technology provides several benefits, including improved user experience, operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and optimized resource utilization. The evolution of library technology began with mechanical cataloguing systems, progressing to automated systems and Integrated Library Systems (ILS). In a library setting, RFID technology improves inventory control, self-checkout systems, and security. While challenges exist, the benefits of RFID technology in improving library operations and services are substantial. RFID technology in libraries offers significant enhancements across various operational aspects. The adoption of RFID in libraries has led to benefits such as faster inventory checks, reduced checkout times, and enhanced security against theft. This technological evolution encompasses digital cataloguing systems, online databases, e-books, and automated circulation systems, among other advancements. Self-checkout systems improve user convenience by allowing patrons to borrow materials independently. RFID also enhances security through anti-theft measures and enables real-time data collection for operational insights and personalized services.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has been considered the “next revolution in supply chain management” (Srivastava, 2004, p. 60). Current research and development related to RFID focuses on the manufacturing and retail sectors with the aim of improving supply chain efficiency. After the manufacturing and retail sectors, health care is considered to be the next sector for RFID (Ericson, 2004). RFID technology’s potential to improve asset management in the health sector is considerable, especially with respect to asset management optimization. In fact, health expenses have increased substantially in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries in recent years. In Canada, the public health budget amounted to $91.4 billion (CAD) for the year 2005–2006 compared to $79.9 billion in 2003–2004 (CIHI, 2005). Moreover, the health care industry has been the focus of intense public policy attention. In order to curb this upward trend, the public heath sector in Canada is subject to strict budget constraints. Among the different alternatives for reducing expenditures, the improvement of asset management within the different health institutions appears to be worthwhile. RFID technology seems to be a viable alternative to help hospitals effectively manage and locate medical equipment and other assets, track files, capture charges, detect and deter counterfeit products, and maintain and manage materials. In other words, health care organizations would benefit particularly from RFID applications. The main objective of this study is to investigate the potential for RFID technology within one specific supply chain in the health care sector.B ased on a field study conducted in a large nonprofit hospital, this article tests some scenarios for integrating RFID technology in the context of two warehousing activities. We will first introduce the context of the health care sector and the current applications of RFID technology in that sector. The next section presents the methodological approach that was used in the study. The research findings and their implications are then discussed. Finally, some closing remarks are made.

PurposeThis paper aims to explore and describe the impact of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology on inventory accuracy within a production and assembly plant, and to propose a model for assessing the impact of the technology on inventory accuracy.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical investigation, based on case study research, focuses on an RFID implementation at a supplier of injection‐moulded, surface‐treated plastic to the automotive industry. This implementation is one of the few item‐level, open‐loop RFID implementations in the automotive industry.FindingsThe empirical paper provides insights into, how inventory accuracy has been improved and made attainable in practice by implementing RFID, and indicates that the technology ensures inventory inaccuracy will be kept at a minimum. As a result, an analytical model is presented which identifies the impact of RFID technology on inventory accuracy.Research limitations/implicationsThe case study and context need to be considered when generalising upon the findings. Furthermore, it is hoped future research could further develop the model presented and test it against implementation practice.Practical implicationsRFID technology provides practitioners with the opportunity to eliminate waste, and improve production and assembly performance. The research provides practitioners with experience of, and insights into how a production and assembly plant has improved inventory accuracy by implementing RFID technology. In particular, practitioners are provided with a model which enables them to assess the impact of RFID on inventory accuracy.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the RFID community by providing empirical insights into the impact of RFID technology on inventory accuracy, but also more broadly into logistics and operations management research.

Sustainability benefits of RFID technology in Vietnamese fashion supply chain

Most retailers suffer from substantial discrepancies between inventory quantities recorded in the system and stocks truly available to customers. Promising full inventory transparency, radio frequency identification (RFID) technology has often been suggested as a remedy to the problem. We consider inventory record inaccuracy in a supply chain model, where a Stackelberg manufacturer sets the wholesale price and a retailer determines how much to stock for sale to customers. We first analyze the impact of inventory record inaccuracy on optimal stocking decisions and profits. By contrasting optimal decisions in a decentralized supply chain with those in an integrated supply chain, we find that inventory record inaccuracy exacerbates the inefficiencies resulting from double marginalization in decentralized supply chains. Assuming RFID technology can eliminate the problem of inventory record inaccuracy, we determine the cost thresholds at which RFID adoption becomes profitable. We show that a decentralized supply chain benefits more from RFID technology, such that RFID adoption improves supply chain coordination.

Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) technology successfully integrates radio transmitter and receiver, small size memory space and control circuitry to remotely store and retrieve data via wireless RF transceiver. As low-cost RFID tag can be massively manufactured by semiconductor industry, new applications associated with RFID technology have emerged rapidly such as inventory tracking, book storage and management, and airport baggage handling. Generally an RFID system is composed of many RFID tags (or tagged objects), at least one RFID reader, and one backend application system with database. An RFID tag gains its operation energy from query signals that are radio waves transmitted by RFID reader. Once a tag responds the query with its stored information to RFID reader, usually a unique identity number or string, the RFID system can recognize the tag carrier and perform required business logic operation. As RFID technique is widely used in supply chain management, the corresponding RFID application systems are expected to process and manage large amount of tagged objects at a predefined period of time regularly. Therefore, for large-scaled RFID applications, tag reading throughput is very critical since it will affect the total data processing time. To measure tag reading throughput of a RFID system, two performance criteria are usually adopted: tag reading delay and reader energy consumption [5]. As RFID reader and tag always communicate over a shared wireless channel, it is very easy to have signal collisions during a normal tag identification process when multiple tags exist in reader’s interrogation area. Signal collision results in query or data retransmission and eventually increases communication overhead and time delay of tag identification. Hence, an efficient tag collision arbitration mechanism is very important and critical for RFID systems to achieve effective performance. Existing RFID tag identification schemes can be classified into aloha-based solutions [3, 10, 12-13, 16, 21, 23-24] and tree-based solutions [1, 2, 4, 6-9, 14-15, 17-20, 22]. In aloha-based schemes, a reader estimates the number of tags in its interrogation area and broadcasts the total number of timeslots to each tag. Then each RFID tag randomly selects its own timeslot to transmit its ID without knowing which timeslots have been selected by other tags. By distributing tag responses to distinct timeslots instead of getting all tag responses at the same time, aloha-based schemes effectively reduce the probability of signal collision. However, aloha-based schemes have tag starvation problem in which certain tags may not

The purpose of this paper is to develop a business model to generate quantitative evidence of the benefits of implementing radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, limiting the scope to outpatient surgical processes in hospitals. The study primarily uses the define-measure-analyze-improve-control (DMAIC) approach, and draws on various analytical tools such as work flow diagrams, value stream mapping, and discrete event simulation to examine the effect of implementing RFID technology on improving effectiveness (quality and timeliness) and efficiency (cost reduction) of outpatient surgical processes. The analysis showed significant estimated annual cost and time savings in carrying out patients' surgical procedures with RFID technology implementation for the outpatient surgery processes in a hospital. This is largely due to the elimination of both non-value added activities of locating supplies and equipment and also the elimination of the "return" loop created by preventable post operative infections. Several poka-yokes developed using RFID technology were identified to eliminate those two issues. Several poka-yokes developed using RFID technology were identified for improving the safety of the patient and cost effectiveness of the operation to ensure the success of the outpatient surgical process. Many stakeholders in the hospital environment will be impacted including patients, physicians, nurses, technicians, administrators and other hospital personnel. Different levels of training of hospital personnel will be required, based on the degree of interaction with the RFID system. Computations of costs and savings will help decision makers understand the benefits and implications of the technology in the hospital environment.

The purpose of this paper is to explore and describe the costs and process of implementing radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to manage and control the rotation of returnable transport items. Owing to the novelty of using RFID in logistics and supply chain management, in-depth case studies were conducted at two global firms in the retail industry to investigate how and why organisations implement and assess RFID technology. These case studies provide insights into how RFID benefits have been attainable in practice, and indicate that the cost of introducing RFID technology is not generally a barrier. As a result, this paper proposes an inductively derived stage model of the RFID implementation process. In this, implications for management are identified and discussed to guide managers in the process of implementing RFID technology.

PurposeTo realize full benefits without sacrificing the practicality of such projects, the decision-making process for residential building construction needs to include sustainability principles at every level. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the applicability of radio frequency identification (RFID) and identify the barriers that impede its successful adoption in construction projects to achieve sustainability.Design/methodology/approachThis paper opted for a quantitative approach by using a structured questionnaire survey. A total of 107 responses were collected from Nigerian construction practitioners involved in private and public construction businesses.FindingsThe results showed the high cost of RFID implementation, with a mean score of 4.42 as the top-ranked barrier, followed by lack of security, maintenance, power availability and inadequate training. This study further deployed Ginni’s mean difference measure of dispersion and revealed that the stationary barrier to adopting RFID technology is the lack of demand.Practical implicationsThe findings of this research can assist decision-makers in improving the sustainability of all building projects by implementing RFID.Originality/valueThe findings of this study will serve as the basis for comprehension and critically evaluate the numerous barriers preventing the widespread adoption of RFID technology.

Modern identification procedures such as radio frequency identification (RFID) are able to provide transparency in applications including supply chain, logistics and equipment management. The benefits of visibility and fast identification provided by RFID technology especially in supply chain management (SCM) reduce the risk of counterfeiting (Gao et al., 2004). There are two mainly ways in which RFID technology supports a visible and fast identification processes: 1) RFID allows for new, automated and secure ways to efficiently authenticate physical items; and 2) As many companies invest in networked RFID technology for varying supply chain applications, the item-level data can be gathered in any case (Lehtonen et al., 2006). Despite these benefits, RFID technology is still not widely implemented. The main reasons are, firstly, the difficult are, firstly, the difficult technical aspects of implementation resulting in high setup costs, secondly, growing security and privacy concerns. Our focus in this paper is to discuss the second reason for the low take-up of RFID technology, that is, security and privacy concerns. We argue that without applying maximum security and privacy, trustworthiness between supply chain partners will be minimal. As a result, the effectiveness and collaboration of traditional supply chain environment with RFID technology cannot be achieved. Given that humans cannot read the RFID tags on items and the tags themselves maintain no history of past readings, the challenge of security and privacy in this technology is related to the nature of RFID tags and their functionality (Juels, 2005). A retailer inventory that is labeled with unprotected tags may be monitored and read by unauthorised readers. The inventory data holds significant financial value for commercial organisations and their competitors. Once data has been accessed by unauthorised users, it can be cloned on empty tags, giving rise to the counterfeiting issue. Counterfeiting in the form of cloned or fraudulent RFID tags is the consequence of a lack of security measures and trustworthiness among the supply chain partners when RFID technology is used to automate their business transactions. Privacy violations stem from the fact that when goods are tagged, the manufacturers, retailers and consumers will be able to track the goods beyond point-of-sale (POS) because they have associated data. Even if the tags only contain product codes rather than unique serial numbers, a consumer’s taste in brands “constellation” can betray their identity.

RFID technology and its diverse applications: A brief exposition with a proposed Machine Learning approach

As the expanding of the production scale, the efficiency and the stability of the manufacturing line begin to dominate the key role in manufacturing industry accompany the material monitor. It is learned that effective and correct operation will save a lot of producing cost. Therefore, in this paper, a monitor and control system framework architecture based on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is presented according to specific manufacturing requirement of discrete product line in China. In this system, the RFID technology is supposed to be combined with real time database and Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) etc. It is applied to enhance the automation of the manufacturing with RFID technology. A case in point is the application of the framework in one clothing factory. The feedback indicates that with the help of the RFID technology based system the productivity of cloth producing has been increased. It not only provides a stable manufacturing process and an accuracy management method for producing timely, but also increases the automation level of the manufacturing line. It can be reconfigured to determine the production facility's positions automatically.

Purpose There is a great deal of concern among the Egyptian economy that small- and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs’) potentials are not fully used although they dominate it and contribute to its success. The question is what challenges are preventing those SMEs from performing efficiently. This research aims to focus on examining the issues regarding the supply chain of Egyptian SMEs, exploring the areas that need improvement and assessing the impact of technology in enhancing their performance and whether they afford applying it. Design/methodology/approach In this research, semi-structured interviews were conducted at 14 Egyptian SMEs. Then, the business process at six of the fourteen SMEs was observed. After that, a representative sampling was applied and a company was chosen as a representative case company. Moreover, the selected company’s documents were analyzed to capture the full image of the current supply chain performance in Egyptian SMEs. Finally, the Six Sigma DMAIC approach was used to assess the effectiveness of the current supply chain and identify the problems faced and how to deal with these deficiencies. Findings The current process of the supply chain was analyzed and the result shows the obstacles and constrains facing SMEs in Egypt. Despite the clear benefits of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, Egyptian SMEs still do not use it to solve their problems due to its high cost and their low budgets. However, the investigation concludes that SMEs in particular can benefit from the RFID technology and will be able to pay back the cost of the system applied after a certain period of time that is measured by calculating the breakeven point of having the RFID system against the current situation. As a result, improvements were realized and recommended for the organization. Originality/value This research develops a model that suits SMEs in the Egyptian market. The use of a case study approach with a quality measurement tool, namely, the Six Sigma DMAIC approach, especially after surveying several SMEs, and observing the business process at some of them, makes this a thorough investigation which proves that even SMEs can use the RFID technology despite its high cost that hinders its utilization. Thus, this research helps decision-makers in Egyptian SMEs make better informed decisions and guides them to when will they be able to pay back the cost of the system applied.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in library management system and services in Bangladesh. This study followed survey and interview methods of data collection through a structured questionnaire. The population of study was all nine libraries in Bangladesh where RFID technology has been installed. The study reveals that all nine libraries are using RFID technology, namely, anti-theft detection Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) gate, staff-work station and RFID tag. In addition to these, some of them are using kiosk, converter, level printer, book drop station, digital library assistance (DLA) and RFID smart card for entrance. The significance numbers of library users employ the RFID system and services and it is increasing gradually, but some of the RFID machines like level printer, book drop station and DLA are under-utilized because of lack of trained staff, patron’s doubt on new technology and less demand on using them in house-keeping library operation.

Even invented and applied initially during the World War II, RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) technologies [1] have attracted much attention recently. Precisely speaking, RFID technologies have been applied very widely in some proprietary or closed systems, for example, animal control [2], portal control (access badges), etc. in last decades. The main advantages of RFID application are, storing item data in an electronic way even for further update, data access by electromagnetic wave in a wireless manner, and allowing quick multiple accesses to RFID tags. Based on the diverse applications, different spectrum bands are allocated, for example, LF (125 134.2 kHz and 140 148.5 kHz) for animal control, HF (13.56MHz) for electronic ticket, and UHF (868 MHz-928 MHz) for logistics, etc. Most of the frequencies are located in the ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) bands [1]. However, RFID was emphasized again mainly because of the need of supply chain [3]. By proposing a standard for the format of electronic data used for goods items, of which EPC (Electronic Product Code) [4] is an example, the products can be registered at once when they are shipped out from the factories in one country, and be released when they are checked out at the counter of a supermarket in the other country in the world. These products might have been transferred through Customs of many countries and carried by different traffic means. When being through these check points, the related data stored in the tags are updated. This is called “product tracking” and is to be carried out in an “Internet of Thing (IOT)” [5]. This Chapter is to have a review on the technology theme – how to provide low-cost RFID Tags, when RFID technology is to be applied into the logistics area where the RFID tags are supposed to be not re-usable and to be as “zero-cost” as possible. Generally speaking, there are three major parts composing a RFID Tag’s total cost, namely, antenna, chip and assembly for them. The cost of antenna, in addition to the design phase, is mainly dependent on the manufacturing process. Therefore, manufacturing process should be focused if antenna’s cost, then the tag, is concerned. This is the theme of this Chapter. Not like the other antenna applications, for example, wireless LAN or mobile phone, in which antennas need to be compliant to the end products’ appearance by following the market trend. In the tag antenna industry, on the contrary, it does not need to design or modify the tag antenna often. The tag antenna just needs to electrically match the chip used in the beginning of design. It is not necessary for tag providers to prepare a wide product spectrum in the market. Again, not like the mobile phone industry, RFID tag’s players just