Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) As A Competitive Advantage in Supply Chain Management

The concept of supply chain management has been done since prehistoric times. It has evolved over time with the optimization in manufacturing technologies. In today’s business climate, it is a standard operating practice that companies are continually trying to perfect in order to be more competitive. Supply chain management is far from perfect; there are still many issues, inefficiencies, and challenges that must be resolved. The current issues include uncertainties of process, supply, demand, or control. The use of radio frequency identification (RFID) is an established technology that is finding a new use within supply chain management. An RFID tag can transmit its information via radio waves when queried by a tag reader. When assembled onto a product, case, pallet, or container, this information can provide visibility to a company’s inventory system. This visibility can be extended throughout the supply chain. Since RFID tags do not need line-of-sight or contact, it can also be automated and provide benefits such as labor efficiencies, error reduction, labor savings, accurate asset tracking, and proactive stock management. Research was done through literature review of articles, websites, and white papers. Various examples demonstrated operational savings from the use of RFID within a supply chain. The variety of pilot studies and proposed implementations showed unlimited applications within supply chain management. The use of RFID in the supply chain is still in its infancy. There is a push by retailers and agencies to have the technology used. The use of RFID in supply chain management is not the cure for all the issues that a business may have. There is specific customization of the application as defined by business needs. The use of RFID in supply chain management still has future strategies that are currently unknown. Over the next decade, RFID will proliferate the supply chain due to usage maturity, decreasing tag prices, and better understanding of the technology. Note: The presentation associated with this report is included here as a supplemental file

Urban coral reefs: Degradation and resilience of hard coral assemblages in coastal cities of East and Southeast Asia

© 2018 The Author(s) Given predicted increases in urbanization in tropical and subtropical regions, understanding the processes shaping urban coral reefs may be essential for anticipating future conservation challenges. We used a case study approach to identify unifying patterns of urban coral reefs and clarify the effects of urbanization on hard coral assemblages. Data were compiled from 11 cities throughout East and Southeast Asia, with particular focus on Singapore, Jakarta, Hong Kong, and Naha (Okinawa). Our review highlights several key characteristics of urban coral reefs, including “reef compression” (a decline in bathymetric range with increasing turbidity and decreasing water clarity over time and relative to shore), dominance by domed coral growth forms and low reef complexity, variable city-specific inshore-offshore gradients, early declines in coral cover with recent fluctuating periods of acute impacts and rapid recovery, and colonization of urban infrastructure by hard corals. We present hypotheses for urban reef community dynamics and discuss potential of ecological engineering for corals in urban areas

Bridging the Cross-Cultural Roads to Team Performance

This paper examines the challenges that today\u27s cross cultural business teams must overcome in order to be a cohesive and effective unit. The discussion relates cultures, communication, and behavior and their effects on teamwork. Teams must understand the effects of culture and how cultural differences can effect communication and behavior. Members must respect cultural differences, communicate through these differences, and subdue how these differences may cause conflict. Although team diversity brings challenges, teams that overcome these obstacles ultimately deliver great performance

Implementing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) At The Gap

The use of radio frequency identification (RFID) is an established technology that is finding a new use within supply chain management. An RFID tag can transmit its information via radio waves when queried by a tag reader. When assembled onto a product, case, pallet, or container, this information can provide visibility to a company’s inventory system. This visibility can be extended throughout a company’s supply chain to provide benefits such as labor efficiencies, error reduction, labor savings, accurate asset tracking, and proactive stock management. In 2001, Gap Inc. launched an RFID pilot in one store in Atlanta resulting in increased data accuracy as well as a 15% increase in sales. Based on that success, management may already be positioning RFID into a corporate wide initiative. This paper examines the various alternatives to extending the use of RFID throughout The Gap’s business units and supply chain. Some early adopters of the technology are reaping the benefits of operational savings, reduced shrinkage, and increased sales. The decision model looked at a payoff matrix based on RFID implementation in a variety of the corporate business units (Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic). A comparison was also made on the predicted states of RFID per-tag costs over a three-year horizon. As part of the analysis, some risk variables were assigned due to the current volatility of tag technology, tag pricing, and overall economic factors. In the end, the recommendation based on the decision model was the implementation of RFID for the two business units GAP and Old Navy with a ‘slap & ship’ principle – meaning that just boxes are tagged when they enter GAP Inc.’s supply chain

Team Spin Self-Analysis: A Real, Cross- Cultural Team

Team SPIN was formed as a working group in the Communication and Team Building Class. Shortly after its formation, SPIN met the team basics defined by The Wisdom of Teams by Katzenbach and Smith and went beyond the basics with their enthusiasm and energy for the course. This paper describes how team SPIN was able to use their complementary skills and forge a common working approach to class assignments. The team overcame distractions and other outside commitments and displayed energy and enthusiasm for team activities. The team members were from culturally and professionally diverse backgrounds which helped them fill roles on the team that contributed to the team’s effectivity. Although this team performed well, its rotating leadership approach and flexible working rules may not work for all teams. Team SPIN has realized that additional structure in leadership, team meetings, and performance measurements may help other teams in the future

eBay (Strategic and Policy Issues)

Over the course of a decade eBay has exploded from a small startup into The World\u27s Online Marketplace™. In 1995, eBay\u27s founder Pierre Omidyar created a potent platform for a community of individuals and businesses to sell a host of goods and services. Millions of offerings across a multitude of categories are sold daily on eBay and Half.com, eBay\u27s site dedicated to fixed price trading. In fact, 2003 produced over $2.1 billion in net revenues, up from$1.2 billion in 2002. [EBay\u27s 2004 estimated revenues were announced as $3.15 billion, indicating that its continuing and unprecedented growth is showing no signs of slowing down. EBay\u27s long-term mission is to create the world\u27s most efficient and abundant marketplace in which anyone, anywhere, can buy or sell practically anything. However, as a pioneer in e-commerce, they are confronted with fierce competition and I many unprecedented growing pains associated with an e-commerce pioneer expanding rapidly into uncharted global markets. Teclmically, operating a secure, 24-bour Online auction house is challenging enough, but meeting the demands of a rapidly expanding client-base presents problems that could linlit bow eBay does business. Because of the very nature of how eBay\u27s online business functions, the sale of counterfeit and pirated goods continues to be problematic. Fraud is both difficult to prevent and investigate because of the high volume of transactions. Growing into other foreign markets, eBay anticipates that local, federal or international laws will make some transactions either difficult or impossible. EBay acknowledges that international expansion subjects them to a variety of risks. Their pullout from Japan in 2002 is evidence that local economic problems and competition are barriers internationally. Also, their recent move into China is not without risk either. Most Chinese citizens do not have checking accounts or credit cards for online transactions, and local competition is strong. Collectively, these and numerous other challenges add volatility to eBay\u27s stock and pose as challenges to their future