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

Qualitative Analysis and Application of Vendor Selection Criteria

Regardless of industry type –service or manufacturing- selecting the most fitting material, component, or parts supplier is indeed a major challenge for modern business. A careful deliberate and effective selection process resulting in the most appropriate choice can literally bring success to the entire enterprise, and the opposite is quite true. Vendor selection process is one of the most widely-researched areas in the field of purchasing and outsourcing. The pioneering work of Dickson in 1968 laid the foundation for a disciplined approach to the problem. His benchmark study rank-ordered the top 23 selection criteria according to their relative importance based on responses of purchasing agents and managers to a research questionnaire. The next major research concerning criteria order came in 1991 when Weber et al reviewed 74 articles to update and validate Dickson’s conclusions. Weber confirmed the status of a few criteria, pointed out the importance gained by others and indicated the absorption of a few into others. The research literature from 1991 to date is rich with useful topics. The strategic dimension of the selection process appears to be of considerable interest and reflects a major change in the arena of purchasing, outsourcing and vendor/partner selection. However, none of the past or recent work known to our team has been broad enough to cover the three facets of the topic: relative criteria ranking, qualitatively criteria description and multi objective quantitative selection modeling. This is what our paper seeks to deliver. It is intended as a practical introductory guide to professionals (particularly project managers) dealing with the challenge of vendor selection for the first time

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