Radio frequency identification (RFID) will be an extremely important part of IT in the long run, particular in improving supply chain management (SCM) processes.
This is the view of Abr'e Pienaar, CEO of iPlan industrial engineers and South African representative on the international education strategies committee of the Council for Supply Chain Management Professionals.
"Although IT is a means to an end and should not exist for its own sake, it is of prime importance in optimising any business process," he says.
However, Pienaar adds, RFID should be viewed as a long-term strategy rather than something that can deliver quick returns.
"RFID will replace more systems than detractors say, but the technology is likely to take much longer to realise its full potential than claimed by its supporters," he explains.
According to Pienaar, the Internet revolutionised the world of SCM because it enabled a much higher level of visibility than before, but security has remained a big issue as increased system automation has often led to increased vulnerability.
Pienaar believes the future of RFID is secure because of its potential to improve both visibility and security within the supply chain.
Share