RFID for the Supply Chain and Operations Professional

The quality and effectiveness of decisions made within an organization and its supply chain depend upon the accuracy and timeliness of the information upon which they are based. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a technology that can provide more accurate information in near real time and thus increase the quality and timeliness of decisions based on that information. RFID systems are currently in use in areas such as inventory management, process control, asset tracking and monitoring, and retail point of sale. Organizations which appropriately incorporate RFID into their operations and information management systems have increased their agility, effectiveness, and efficiency resulting in organizational growth and increased profitability. The appropriate utilization of RFID allows organizations to become more agile resulting in their ability to respond to customers more efficiently and effectively. Technology by itself does not result in improvements and RFID is no exception. RFID is not a solution for every problem. However, when coupled with other appropriate technologies to address an appropriate objective, RFID can offer a variety of benefits to businesses. The proper integration into the firm's competitive plans and processes, and the ability to leverage those technologies for competitive advantage results in increased performance for organizations. The intent of this book is to provide a sufficient discussion of RFID to enable readers with no prior knowledge to develop a basic understanding of the technology. The book discusses current applications and specific examples of RFID usage taken from a variety of industries. The appropriate coupling of RFID with other technologies such as GPS, ERP, and robotics is discussed as well as an overview of the RFID implementation process. This book will help readers develop an understanding of the capability of the technology to increase an organization's customer responsiveness.

About the Authors

Dr. Pamela (Pam) Zelbst is an associate professor of management, as well as the director of the Sower Business Technology Laboratory (SBTL) at Sam Houston State University (SHSU). She earned certification in Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology from Comp Tia. She is a sought-after speaker on RFID technology and has spoken at several conferences, including the Industry Studies Association sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the RFID Symposium at Baylor University.

Victor (Vic) Sower is a distinguished professor emeritus of operations management at Sam Houston State University (SHSU). Before entering the academic arena at SHSU, Vic worked for 18 years in a variety of manufacturing positions, including process engineer and process development engineering manager for Ampex Corp. At SHSU he taught courses in operations management, supply chain management, quality management, and technology and innovation management and established the Sower Business Technology Laboratory in the College of Business.