Building competitive advantage with radio frequency identification tags

Abstract

Purpose

To analyze the legal and ethical standing of the most promising business applications of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology.

Design/methodology/approach

High potential RFID installations are identified in the supply chain, in operations, and in consumer applications. Pertinent legal precedents are noted and discussed as are some ethical issues beyond legislation and regulation.

Findings

Although an extremely attractive technology, legitimate concerns exist about RFID, particularly in consumer applications. Legal protections vary widely by country and are generally not fully applicable to some areas of potential information abuse.

Research limitations/implications

This research is not exhaustive to all countries, it concentrates mainly on the USA and EU. Further, legislation and regulation change all the time, so the situation is highly variable. This analysis is only a snapshot at one point in time.

Practical implications

Practitioners looking to install RFID technology should be able to better judge the environment within which they operate and where the risks are greatest for change in the legal and regulatory atmosphere.

Originality/value

This paper draws together the practical discussion concerning RFID's applications with specific legal analysis. It also begins to draw in different national legal systems.

Citation

Erickson, G.S. and Kelly, E.P. (2007), "Building competitive advantage with radio frequency identification tags", Competitiveness Review, Vol. 17 No. 1/2, pp. 37-46. https://doi.org/10.1108/10595420710816597