The paper examines the impact of different approaches in implementing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, namely, supply chain inventory management system based on RFIDs to address the challenges encountered in the operation of the warehouses, item-level inventory tracking at retail stores and customer order processing and distribution using RFIDs to eventually propose RFID-based Supply Chain Management (SCM). SCM involves effective information sharing, inventory management, transportation, sourcing and pricing strategies. The paper highlights how RFID can improve SCM drivers, one by one, and together improve overall synergy. It extends the solutions of case studies and proposed improvements to RFID solutions in ERP applications. It also highlights the motivation to such implementations as these solutions offer further cost savings and performance gains. Consequently, it concludes that RFID is a vital technology for the success of SCM and bridging the gaps among the existing enterprise applications.

The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an automatic identification system without contact and without a need for line-of-sight (Finkenzeller, 1999) with applications significantly impacting Supply Chain Management (SCM). When the United States Department of Defense (DOD) decided to adopt the technology as a means of tracking its inventory (Sen et al., 2009), WalMart swiftly took advantage of RFID technology by mandating its suppliers to tag all goods supplied to its supermarket chain (Matta, 2008). As the prices of RFID tags are reasonable, RFID technology is successfully implemented in almost all segments of SCM for inventory tracking. It is also demonstrated that RFIDs have been successfully implemented in the retail industry in particular for fast checkout operations (Rathore and Valverde, 2011). The RFID technology is used in services sector as well for inventory management and secured communications (Felix and Valverde, 2014). RFID technology holds promise in transforming SCM by providing real-time intelligence for tracking enterprise assets. Khan and Valverde (2014) showed it to be beneficial to improve the profits and internal communications of the firm (Valverde and Saade, 2015; and Valverde et al., 2016). RFID technology also facilitates the reengineering of legacy systems into modern supply chain systems by providing a tool information sharing across the supply chain (Talla and Valverde 2012; and Valverde and Talla, 2012).

Supply Chain Management Journal, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Department of Defense (DOD), Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Implementation, Supply Chain, Comparison of Three Case Studies.