Exploring the impact of RFID technology and the EPC network on mobile B2B eCommerce: A case study in the retail industry

The main objective of this article is to provide some insights into radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and the electronic product code (EPC) network and investigates their impacts on mobile B2B eCommerce. Based on empirical data gathered from interrelated firms of a supply chain, several scenarios integrating the RFID-EPC network have been tested in a pilot project and evaluated. Through a business process approach, our results indicate that (i) this approach seems appropriate to capture the potential of the RFID-EPC network; (ii) the RFID-EPC network can improve the "shipping," "receiving," and "put-away" processes; (iii) these technologies can cancel, automate, or automatically trigger some business processes; (iv) they foster a higher level of information sharing/synchronization between supply chain members; and (v) they require to be integrated in a wider strategy. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.