RFID and the EPC Network as Enablers of Mobile Business: A Case Study in the Retail Industry

This article provides some insights into Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and the Electronic Product Code (EPC) Network and investigates their impacts as enablers of Mobile Business (M-Business). “M-business is the application infrastructure required to maintain business relationship and sell information, services, and commodities by means of the mobile devices”. Based on empirical data gathered from four tightly interrelated firms from three layers of a supply chain, several scenarios integrating RFID and the EPC Network have been tested in a pilot project and evaluated. In the context of warehousing activities in one specific retail supply chain, the results indicate that i) the business process approach seems quite appropriate to capture the real potential of RFID and the EPC Network; ii) they can improve the “shipping”, the “receiving”, the “put away” processes and allow “in transit visibility”, iii) they offer opportunities for process optimization through the automation or cancellation of non value added processes, and through the emergence of new “smart processes”, iv) they foster a higher level of information synchronization, visibility and sharing between supply chain members; and v) they enable supply chain members to leverage their existing IS investments. The paper helps to improve our understanding of the real potential of RFID and the EPC Network for mobile business processes.