RFID Implementation Issues in China: Shanghai Port Case Study

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), which is an automated identification technology, has received widespread attention due to its adoption by Wal-Mart and its top 100 suppliers. As the cost of this new technology falls, it is being implemented by a variety of industries around the world, to take advantage of its improvements in supply chain efficiency and visibility. This paper briefly introduces a number of RFID trials that have been conducted in China. In particular, a case involving an RFID application in Shanghai Port container vehicle management is discussed in detail, to demonstrate the critical implementation issues facing Chinese adopters in terms of the use of RFID technology.