RFID-Applications within the supply chain

Radio frequency identification (RFID) has been heralded by some commentators as a technology that will have as big an impact on supply chain operations as the advent of computer based planning systems in the early 1970’s; others say it is just yet another technology fad that will have gone away in a couple of years. We are continually reading conflicting messages about RFID - this is partly due to the term being misused in some quarters and also because, as with all new technologies, it takes time for all those involved to define a common language. This paper will examine the benefits and barriers to RFID implementation before moving on to discuss applications of the technology and to look at case study examples.