ABSTRACT
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is revolutionizing stock management in the retail industry. Yet, in South Africa, there is a slow uptake in implementing the technology with organizations being unsure about the challenges and how to overcome them. In response, this study describes the challenges of implementing RFID in the South African retail industry. This qualitative, descriptive case study analysed semi-structured interview data and organisational documentation using thematic analysis. The challenges found were dominated by a lack of RFID expertise and struggling to justify the implementation. The findings of the study add to the theoretical knowledge and limited case studies of RFID implementations in Africa and are of benefit to retailers considering implementing the technology in South Africa.
- M. A. Khan. 2017. Investigation of Critical Factors that Perturb Business-IT Alignment in Organizations. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 8, 5.Google Scholar
- W. Grisdale, and L. F. Seymour. 2011. Business process management adoption: a case study of a South African supermarket retailer. In Proceedings of the South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists conference, 106--115. ACM. Google ScholarDigital Library
- S. Nainan, R. Parekh, and T. Shah. 2013. RFID Technology Based Attendance Management System. International Journal of Computer Science, 10, 1, 516--521.Google Scholar
- M. Bhattacharya, and Wamba, S. F. 2015. A Conceptual Framework of RFID Adoption in Retail Using TOE Framework. International Journal of Technology Diffusion, 6, 1, 1--32. Google ScholarDigital Library
- E. A. Beck. 2018. Measuring the Impact of RFID in Retailing: Keys Lessons from 10 Case Study Companies. Retrieved February 6, 2018, from https://ecr-shrink-group.com/page/rfid-lessons-from-ten-retailer-case-studiesGoogle Scholar
- Y. Z. Mehrjerdi. 2011. RFID: The big player in the libraries of the future. The Electronic Library, 29, 1, 36--51.Google ScholarCross Ref
- M. N. Smith. 2017. How inequality is wrecking SA's economy, and what we can do about it. Retrieved August 24, 2018, from https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/2017-10-16-alarming-statistics-how--sas-economy-suffers-from-inequalityGoogle Scholar
- FocusEconomics. 2018. South Africa Inflation Rate (CPI) - FocusEconomics. Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.focus-economics.com/country-indicator/south-africaGoogle Scholar
- M. A. Jones, D. C. Wyld, and J. W. Totten. 2005. The adoption of RFID technology in the retail supply chain. The Coastal Business Journal, 4, 1, 29--42.Google Scholar
- D. Suprina. 2005. Security Risk With RFID. RFID Journal, 1564/1/82 Retrieved April 19, 2018, from http://www.suprina.org/frames/Copy%20of%20Innovativ%2020070417/www.innovativ.com/downloads/articles/rfid_journal_security_risks_5_16_05.pdfGoogle Scholar
- S. L. Ting, A. H. C. Tsang, and Y. K. Tse. 2013. A Framework for the Implementation of RFID Systems. International Journal of Engineering Business Management, 5--9.Google Scholar
- Rocco DePietro, Edith Wiarda, and Mitchell Fleischer. 1990. The context for change: Organization, technology and environment. in Tornatzky, L. G. and Fleischer, M. (Eds.). The processes of technological innovation, Lexington Books: Lexington, MA., 151--175.Google Scholar
- Jeff Baker. 2012. The technology---organization---environment framework. Information systems theory. In: Dwivedi Y., Wade M., Schneberger S. (eds) Information Systems Theory. Integrated Series in Information Systems, vol 28. Springer, New York, NY, 231--245.Google Scholar
- R. Angeles. 2013. Using the Technology-Organization-Environment Framework and Zuboff's Concepts for Understanding Environmental Sustainability and RFID: Two Case Studies. International Journal of Social, Management, Economics and Business Engineering, 7, 11, 1607--1616.Google Scholar
- Sharma, and A. Citurs. 2005. Radio frquency identification (RFID) adoption drivers: A radical innovation adoption perspective. In AMCIS 2005 Proceedings, 1213--1218.Google Scholar
- Anthony K. Asare, Thomas G. Brashear-Alejandro, and Jun Kang. 2016. B2B technology adoption in customer driven supply chains. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 31, 1, 1--12.Google ScholarCross Ref
- S. Kumar, D.Heustis, and, J. M. Graham. 2015. The future of traceability within the US food industry supply chain: a business case. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 64, 1, 129--146.Google ScholarCross Ref
- M. Bhattacharya, C. H. Chu, and T. Mullen. 2007. RFID implementation in retail industry: Current status, issues, and challenges. In Proceedings of 38th Annual Meeting of the Decision Sciences Institute, Phoenix, AZ, 2171--2176.Google Scholar
- Brown, and J. Russell. 2007. Radio frequency identification technology: An exploratory study on adoption in the South African retail sector. International journal of information management, 27, 4, 250--265. Google ScholarDigital Library
- C. Metzger, F. Thiesse, S. Gershwin, and E. Fleisch. 2013. The impact of false-negative reads on the performance of RFID-based shelf inventory control policies. Computers & Operations Research, 40, 7, 1864--1873. Google ScholarDigital Library
- M. O'Brien, and S. M. Swartz. 2004. A Comparison of Implementation Issues and Strategies for Radio Frequency Identification Technologies between the US Military and Private Sector Organizations. Journal of Transportation Management, 10.Google Scholar
- R. Angeles. 2005. RFID Technologies: Supply Chain Applications and Implementation Issues. Information Systems Management, 22, 1, 51--65.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Rappold. 2003. The risks of RFID. Industrial Engineer, 35, 11, 37--39.Google Scholar
- J. Alleleyn, and R. M Dijkman. 2016. A simulation study on the impact of RFID technologies applied to in-store inventory management processes subject to shrinkage, delivery and transaction errors. Masters Thesis. Eindhoven University of Technology. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from Eindhoven University of Technology Digital Thesis.Google Scholar
- S. Hun Lim, and C. E. Koh. 2009. RFID implementation strategy: perceived risks and organizational fits. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 109, 8, 1017--1036.Google ScholarCross Ref
- S. Kim, and G. Garrison. 2010. Understanding users' behaviors regarding supply chain technology: Determinants impacting the adoption and implementation of RFID technology in South Korea. International Journal of Information Management, 30, 5, 388--398. Google ScholarDigital Library
- S. Li, D. Godon, and J. K. Visich. 2010. An exploratory study of RFID implementation in the supply chain. Management Research Review, 33, 10, 1005--1015.Google ScholarCross Ref
- P. Pattnayak. 2017. Implementation of Queuing Theory in Stock Level RFID based Retail Supply Chain. International Journal of Electronics, Electrical and Computational System, 6, 8, 343--352.Google Scholar
- S. F. Tzeng, W. H. Chen, and F. Y. Pai. 2008. Evaluating the business value of RFID: Evidence from five case studies. International Journal of Production Economics, 112, 2, 601--613.Google ScholarCross Ref
- K. Yusof, and M. Y. Saman. 2016. The adoption and implementation of RFID: A literature survey. Libres, 26, 1, 31--52.Google Scholar
- B. Kinsella. 2003. The Wal-Mart Factor. Industrial Engineer, 35, 11, 32--36.Google Scholar
- H. Smith, and B. Konsynski. 2003. Developments in practice x: Radio frequency identification (RFID) - an internet for physical objects. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 12, 301--311.Google Scholar
- C. Upfold, and H. Liu. 2010. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) adoption in the South African retail sector: an investigation of perceptions held by members of the retail sector regarding the adoption constraints. Electronic Journal Information Systems Evaluation, 13, 1, 87--96.Google Scholar
- Fescioglu-Unver, S. H. Choi, D. Sheen, and S. Kumara. 2015. RFID in production and service systems: Technology, applications and issues. Information Systems Frontiers, 17, 6, 1369--1380. Google ScholarDigital Library
- E. Han. 2015. New smart label, or chipless RFID tag, set to kill off the barcode. Retrieved April 19, 2018, from https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/new-smart-label-or-chipless-rfid-tag-set-to-kill-off-the-barcode-20150430-1mwk8i.htmlGoogle Scholar
- H. Jung, F. Chen, and B. Jeong. 2007. Trends in Supply Chain Design and Management: Technologies and Methodologies. Boston, MA: Springer.Google Scholar
- R. Peslak. 2005. An ethical exploration of privacy and radio frequency identification. Journal of Business Ethics, 59, 4, 327--345.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Loebbecke, and J. W. Palmer. 2006. RFID in the Fashion Industry: Kaufhof Department Stores AG and Gerry Weber International AG, Fashion Manufacturer. MIS Quarterly Executive, 5, 2, 69--79.Google Scholar
- L. F. Seymour, E. Lambert-Porter, and L. Willuweit. 2008. Towards a framework for RFID adoption into the container supply chain. Journal of Information Science and Technology, 5, 1, 31--46.Google Scholar
- T. L. Teo, C. Chan, and C. Parker. 2004. Factors affecting e-commerce adoption by SMEs: A meta-analysis. Australasian Conference on Information Systems, 54, 11 pages.Google Scholar
- B. D. Janz, M. G. Pitts, and R. F. Otondo. 2005. Information Systems and Health Care-II: Back to the Future with RFID: Lessons Learned - Some Old, Some New. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 15, 15, 132--148.Google ScholarCross Ref
- K. A. Patterson, C. M. Grimm, and T. M. Corsi. 2003. Adopting new technologies for supply chain management. Transportation Research, 39, 2, 95--121.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Z. Asif, and M. Mandviwalla. 2005. Integrating the Supply Chain with RFID: A Technical and Business Analysis. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 15, 393--427.Google ScholarCross Ref
- J. L. King, V.Gurbaxani, K. L. Kraemer, F. W. McFarlan, K. S. Raman, and C. S.Yap. 2013. Institutional factors in information technology innovation. Information systems research, 5, 2, 139--169. Google ScholarDigital Library
- X. Wu, and C. Subramaniam. 2009. New Understanding of RFID Adoption and Infusion in Retail Supply Chain. 42nd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 1--10. Google ScholarDigital Library
- C. Ranganathan, and, S. Jha. 2005. Adoption of RFID technology: An exploratory examination from supplier's perspective. In AMCIS 2005 Proceedings, 1012--1016.Google Scholar
- Wal-Mart. 2007. Wal-Mart Continues RFID Technology Expansion. Retrieved April 20, 2018, from https://corporate.walmart.com/_news_/news-archive/2007/05/01/wal-mart-continues-rfid-technology-expansionGoogle Scholar
- W. Maroun. 2012. Interpretive and critical research: Methodological blasphemy!. African Journal of Business Management, 6, 1, 1--6.Google Scholar
- V. Braun, and V.Clarke. 2012. Thematic analysis. APA Handbook of Research Methods in Psychology, Vol 2: Research Designs: Quantitative, Qualitative, Neuropsychological, and Biological, 2, 57--71.Google Scholar
- M. N. Marshall, 1996. Sampling for qualitative research. Family Practice, 13, 6, 522--525.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Benjamin Saunders, Julius Sim, Tom Kingstone, Shula Baker, Jackie Waterfield, Bernadette Bartlam, Heather Burroughs, and Clare Jinks. 2018. Saturation in qualitative research: exploring its conceptualization and operationalization. Quality & quantity 52, 4, 1893--1907.Google Scholar
- H. K. Klein, and M. D. Myers. 1999. A Set of Principles for Conducting and Evaluating Interpretive Field Studies in Information Systems. MIS Quarterly, 23, 1, 67--94. Google ScholarDigital Library
- M. Maloni, and F. DeWolf. 2006. Understanding radio frequency identification (RFID) and its impact on the supply chain, 1--44. Retrieved April, 30 2019 from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.89.4103&rep=rep1&type=pdfGoogle Scholar
- B. S. Vijayaraman, and B. A. Osyk. 2006. An empirical study of RFID implementation in the warehousing industry. International Journal of Logistics Management, 17, 1, 6--20.Google ScholarCross Ref
- B. Larsson, and O. Qviberg. 2004. Evaluation and justification of an RFID implementation. Master's thesis. Linköping University.Google Scholar
- G. Premkumar and M. Roberts, 1999. Adoption of new information technologies in rural small businesses. The International Journal of Management Science, 27, 4, 467--484.Google Scholar
- B. O. Sarpong. 2013. Radio Frequency Identification Technology Adoption: South African Retailers ' Perspective. Masters Thesis. University of the Witwatersrand. Retrieved April 7, 2018, from University of the Witwatersrand Digital Thesis.Google Scholar
Index Terms
- Radio Frequency Identification Implementation Challenges: A South African Case Study
Recommendations
Radio frequency identification technology: An exploratory study on adoption in the South African retail sector
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has recently gained widespread media coverage in South Africa. The purpose of this study was to conduct an exploratory investigation into RFID adoption in South African retail organisations, and to ...
Bibliometric analysis of bioeconomy research in South Africa
AbstractThis document provides an analysis of bioeconomy research in South Africa and it discusses sources of growth in the country’s bioeconomy literature in general. We performed bibliometric analysis as indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) for number of ...
Challenges to the Organisational Adoption of Big Data Analytics: A Case Study in the South African Telecommunications Industry
SAICSIT '15: Proceedings of the 2015 Annual Research Conference on South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information TechnologistsThe purpose of this interpretive study was to explore the challenges to the adoption of Big Data Analytics (BDA) in organisations. The Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) model was used to guide the study. Data was collected from a large ...
Comments