A conceptual model of RFID's impact on relational value cocreation and appropriation

With the advances of Internet of Things (IoT), RFID technology is becoming ubiquitous. While prior studies have conceptualized RFID technology as a unidimensional concept or examined its impact from a homogeneous organizational context perspective, little attention has been paid to RFID technology characteristics deployed in a firm and the extent to which they impact this firm’s network of business partners in terms of relational value co-creation and appropriation. This study draws from relational perspective and Media Synchronicity Theory and proposes a conceptual model relating RFID characteristics – synchronicity, integration capability, scope of utilization – to relational value creation. Specifically, it proposes that RFID impact depends on the direct and combined effects of individual RFID characteristics on relational value outcomes. These effects are moderated by the quality of partnership between IT and business units in the firm. The conceptual model validation is necessary to assess the predictive power of the emitted hypotheses.