Piloting RFID Along the Supply Chain: A Case Analysis

The paper examines a project utilizing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems between a department store chain (Kaufhof) and a fashion goods manufacturer (Gerry Weber). It analyses the project according to the ‘5 Ps’ of RFID, a concept, proposed by Loebbecke and Palmer (2006b), which suggests that firms considering RFID should investigate: the Physics of the transponder, the reader, and the data transfer; the Processes being changed and enhanced, the Prices for technical components and their installation, the Privacy aspects of capturing and retaining customer data, and the Performance impacts, the business case contribution of RFID implementations. The paper shows project results which support the business case for RFID adoption with benefits for both project partners and the entire supply chain. It concludes with a brief summary and an outlook to future research opportunities in the emerging RFID field.