Beyond Operational Efficiency In Retail: Rfid'S Tactical And Strategic Implications

This paper looks at current trends in retail adoption of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags as well as related technologies. The potential for data gathering on both the supply side (merchandise) and demand side (customers) in retail environments is tremendous, promising new applications for big data and business analytics. This potential is reviewed in terms of knowledge and other intangible assets, specifically considering the difference between data, information, and knowledge that are tracked and monitored vs. the range of intangibles that might be subjected to deeper analysis and insight. Using empirical data on current use of knowledge and intelligence in various retail sectors, we can identify types of retailers such as drugs, clothing, grocery, and discounters who might see operational efficiency improvements from monitoring big data. In addition, our data helps us identify those retailers (grocery, restaurants, electronics, and discounters) who might benefit from analysis aimed at strategic and tactical insights.