RFID and Interorganizational Collaboration: Political and Administrative Challenges

RFID is a powerful new technology which, in combination with other information technologies, offers great potential for supporting interorganizational collaboration. The case study reported herein suggests that organizations adopting RFID will need to change their technical and organizational processes and make accommodations in response to political and environmental constraints. The study focused on an initiative undertaken by the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium (WLIC). Through it, a large number of disparate organizations are working together to utilize RFID to track livestock movements, thereby helping to mitigate the potentially harmful effects of contagious diseases. This study demonstrates how political and administrative challenges interacted with technical aspects of the interorganizational system design. Suggestions are offered for further research on assimilation of RFID and other emerging technologies in interorganizational contexts.