A Study on the Ethical Implementation of Radio Frequncy Identification Technology in Retail

Long checkout lines at the grocery store can be very frustrating. Thanks to point-of-sale technology though, those lines aren\u27t nearly as long as they could be. Point-of-sale technologies have been developed and implemented worldwide to help reduce the amount of time it takes a consumer to pay for products at the cash register. These technologies have also aided retailers and manufacturers in achieving higher levels of efficiency. Bar codes, for example, were first developed to decrease the amount of time required to purchase an item, improve the tracking of inventory, accelerate the acquisition of important statistical data, and facilitate market research. Now, retail store owners have their eyes on a more modem and advanced point-of-sale technology- radio frequency identification (RFID). Unlike manually scanning a bar code, this recently developed point-of-sale technology uses a tiny chip to wirelessly transmit data to a reader computer. RFID promises greater efficiency in retail than the bar code with respect to purchase time, inventory tracking capability, collection of important statistical data, and valuable market research. All of this could add up to greater profits for retail businesses, cheaper prices for consumers, and less time spent standing in line at the checkout. Although these promises sound beneficial, the use of RFID technology might also create privacy concerns for consumers. Many American consumers are not aware of the vast amount of personal data businesses gather on their customers, or what exactly they do with it. RFID technology will increase the retailer\u27s ability to gather and store personal information on consumers. This raises the possibility for invasion of consumer privacy Therefore, this research paper was initiated to answer the question of whether or not radio frequency identification technology has the potential to invade consumer privacy rights. The aim of this research was to study how to ethically implement RFID technology into retail in a way that protects consumers against the invasion of their privacy. It first looked at Universal Product Code technology in the development of today\u27s bar codes. Then, it defined radio frequency identification technology. It discussed the importance of carefully examining this, as well as any, new technology and centered on the controversy that surrounds RFID. It examined privacy and security concerns for the retail consumer and explored the value of a consumer\u27s personal information. It also focused on the debate over restrictions, current laws on consumer privacy, and proposed legislation on RFID technology. From this study, the researcher deduced that RFID technology had the potential to invade consumer privacy rights. It was also found that a consumer\u27s personal, identifiable information was protected under the Constitution as private property. It was concluded that a set of protective guidelines was necessary for the security of a consumer\u27s personal, identifiable information. Therefore, a proposed plan for ethically implementing radio frequency identification technology into a retail business was created. This plan included a Consumer Bill of Rights for Radio Frequency Identification Tagging, Technology Awareness Policy, and Point-of-Sale Protection Progra

Siri, Alexa, and Other Digital Assistants: A Study of Customer Satisfaction With Artificial Intelligence Applications

Siri, Alexa, and other digital assistants are rapidly becoming embraced by consumers and the adoption is projected to grow from 390 million to 1.8 billion for the period of 2015 to 2021. Digital assistants are offering benefits to consumers while also proving to be a disruptive technology for businesses. Coupling digital assistants with other artificial intelligence technologies offers the potential to transform companies by creating more efficient business processes, automating complex tasks, and improving the customer service experience. Businesses have begun integrating this technology into their operations with the expectation of achieving significant productivity gains. Customer satisfaction has been discussed extensively throughout marketing literature. Yet, there is little empirical evidence of customer satisfaction with digital assistants. This study used PLS-SEM to analyze 244 survey responses obtained from a cross-section of consumers. Using the Expectations Confirmation Theory as its foundation, the study identified that expectations and confirmation of expectations substantially explained customer satisfaction with digital assistants. For practice, the study provides guidance which allows firms to prioritize marketing and managerial activities. Firms should focus priorities on assisting digital assistant users to become aware of new skill capabilities while also providing relevant examples of how these skills can be used to meet user needs. In addition, priorities should be focused on assisting users with understanding how the average person can use digital assistants to perform more than just mundane tasks with relative ease. These priorities were identified as areas of high importance for customer satisfaction and require performance improvements

Consumer´s Adoption Of Smart Devices To Prevent Household Food Waste

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Data Driven Marketing, specialization in Marketing IntelligenceIn some cases the consumer buys food, prepares it, consumes it, and unfortunately sometimes ends up wasting it, generating household food waste. This small action, repeated several times and on a global scale, has made food waste a worldwide problem. The fast technological development has opened up opportunities for the emergence of IoT devices, such as smart refrigerators as a promising tool to prevent food waste. This study aimed to investigate the main factors influencing the adoption of smart refrigerators as a technology to prevent household food waste. By applying and adapting the UTAUT2 model with three new constructs, namely privacy concerns, green self-identity, and attitude towards technology. An online survey was applied to 498 individuals residing in the United States of America. A Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) tool was applied to analyze the participants' data. The main influencers of behavioral intention to use smart refrigerator to prevent food waste were identified as social influence, performance expectancy, attitude, habit, and hedonic motivation, in this respective order. Privacy concerns and green self-identity were shown to play a role in shaping consumers' attitudes and their consequent behavioral intention. This research provides significant theoretical and managerial implications for the adoption of IoT technology to prevent food waste by highlighting both consumer drivers and barriers to technology adoption

Smart meter data: balancing consumer privacy concerns with legitimate applications

Smart meters are being rolled out in large numbers throughout the world, with proponents claiming they are a critical step in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Yet there are significant unresolved negative reactions to smart meters, principally based on the concern that smart meters might be used to infer the private activities that occur within a dwelling. Though smart meter data is classified as personal data, and as such protected under existing data protection frameworks in the EU, there are relevant exceptions, notably where the data is required for legitimate applications associated with the performance of 'regulated duties'. This paper contributes to this debate by examining the data requirements for some of the proposed applications of smart meter data within the electricity supply industry, and investigates whether the use of personal data can be minimized or even avoided. The discussion includes system balancing, demand reduction, demand response and distribution network operation and planning, and indicates that, for most of these applications, the requirements for personal data can indeed be minimized. 'Privacy friendly' alternatives are discussed

Effects of Home Voice Assistants' Autonomy on Instrusiveness and Usefulness: Direct, Indirect, and Moderating Effects of Interactivity

This research investigates whether interactivity of home voice assistants can reduce the consumer's perceptions of intrusiveness when using these products because of their autonomy. To do so, the authors applied structural equation modeling to 607 questionnaires. The results show that autonomy has a quadratic effect on intrusiveness and usefulness, being more intense for high levels of autonomy. Interactivity reduces intrusiveness both directly and indirectly through brand trust, and interactivity has a positive effect on usefulness. Furthermore, interactivity moderates the effect of autonomy on intrusiveness. These results lead to interesting managerial implications, such as the inclusion of interactive characteristics in smart products to enable consumers to control and communicate with them

When Mobile Phones are RFID-Equipped - Finding E.U.-U.S. Solutions to Protect Consumer Privacy and Facilitate Mobile Commerce

New mobile phones have been designed to include delivery of mobile advertising and other useful location-based services, but have they also been designed to protect consumers\u27 privacy? One of the key enabling technologies for these new types of phones and new mobile services is Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), a wireless communication technology that enables the unique identification of tagged objects. In the case of RFID-enabled mobile phones, the personal nature of the devices makes it very likely that, by locating a phone, businesses will also be able to locate its owner. Consumers are currently testing new RFID-enabled phones around the globe, but the phones are not yet in general use by consumers in the United States and Europe. The incorporation of RFID into cell phones in order to deliver mobile advertising and other location-based services raises a host of important privacy questions that urgently need to be addressed before the phones become widely available. Analyzing the risks to consumer privacy in this new context, this paper offers a comparative law analysis of the applicable regulatory frameworks and recent policy developments in the European Union and the United States and concludes that there are many privacy concerns not presently addressed by E.U. and U.S. laws. This article also offers specific ideas to protect consumers\u27 privacy through applications of fair information practices and privacy-enhancing technologies. When mobile phones are RFID-equipped, consumers will need new privacy protections in order to understand the risks and make knowledgeable decisions about their privacy

Energy conservation through smart homes in a smart city: A lesson for Singapore households

Energy saving is a hot topic due to the proliferation of climate changes and energy challenges globally. However, people's perception about using smart technology for energy saving is still in the concept stage. This means that people talk about environmental awareness readily, yet in reality, they accept to pay the given energy bill. Due to the availability of electricity and its integral role, modulating consumers’ attitudes towards energy savings can be a challenge. Notably, the gap in today's smart technology design in smart homes is the understanding of consumers’ behaviour and the integration of this understanding into the smart technology. As part of the Paris Climate change agreement (2015), it is paramount for Singapore to introduce smart technologies targeted to reduce energy consumption. This paper focused on the perception of Singapore households on smart technology and its usage to save energy. Areas of current research include: (1) energy consumption in Singapore households, (2) public programs and policies in energy savings, (3) use of technology in energy savings, and (4) household perception of energy savings in smart homes. Furthermore, three case studies are reviewed in relation to smart homes and smart technology, while discussing the maturity of existing solutions

Bridging the Gap: Exploring new ways to deliver online Grocery shopping using Smart Software

Its great convenience and the availability of delivery and pickup options, online grocery shopping has transformed the procurement of food and household goods. These platforms frequently outperform brick-and-mortar businesses in terms of product selection. Technology, such as mobile apps and websites, has played a critical role in this process by delivering user-friendly interfaces, personalized recommendations, and smooth transactions. Artificial intelligence and data analytics improve the shopping experience even further by personalizing options and streamlining inventory management for shops.However, there are significant hurdles to online grocery buying, including delivery problems, the need for strong cybersecurity, and worries about the environmental impact of packing and transportation. Despite these obstacles, the online grocery business continues to be a dynamic and exciting component of modern retail as technology evolves and customer behaviors change