Nov 07, 2021At RFID Journal, educating readers about radio frequency identification and related technologies is our primary focus. Until 2016, we'd published a print magazine that has since been archived on our website, and we've been fully digital ever since. For many people, though, print is still the preferred medium (the massive bookshelf in my home office would attest to that fact), and while many books discussing RFID are years old at this point, one of them has recently been updated with new information—and it's worth checking out.
RFID for the Supply Chain and Operations Professional, written by Pamela Zelbst and Victor Sower, was first published in 2012 by Business Expert Press. The second edition appeared in 2016 (see our writeup by Beth Bacheldor), and the third edition has recently been announced. The e-version of that latest edition is now available, with a hardcover release expected to follow in the coming weeks. As noted at the publisher's website, the book discusses current applications and specific examples of RFID's usage in various industries. The authors' intent is to provide a sufficient discussion of RFID to enable readers with no prior knowledge to gain a basic understanding of the technology.
The book explores how to combine RFID with other technologies, including Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, global positioning systems (GPS) and robotics, while providing an overview of what's involved in undertaking an implementation. The purpose is to help readers understand RFID's capability and thereby increase their customer responsiveness. In this edition, the writers have updated their discussion and examples to reflect the technology's rapid growth in recent years, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both authors are highly knowledgeable when it comes to technology and innovation. Zelbst is a professor of supply chain management at Sam Houston State University's College of Business Administration. In addition to teaching, she serves as the director for the Center for Innovation & Technology and the Sower Business Technology Laboratory. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in business, an MBA degree from Sam Houston State University, and a Ph.D. degree in supply chain management from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Zelbst's coauthor, Sower, is a distinguished professor emeritus of operations management at Sam Houston State University, as well as a cofounder and the president emeritus of Sower & Associates. He served on active duty with the U.S. Army and worked in a variety of manufacturing positions before entering the academic world. Sower earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Virginia Tech, an MBA degree from Auburn University, and a Ph.D. degree in operations management from the University of North Texas.
"The quality and effectiveness of decisions made within an organization and its supply chain depend on the accuracy and timeliness of the information on which they are based," the authors explain in the book. With the near-real-time data RFID can provide, companies can improve their decision making in terms of asset tracking and inventory management, and this book explains how. "Organizations that appropriately incorporate RFID into their operations and information-management systems have increased their agility, effectiveness and efficiency," they write, "resulting in organizational growth and increased profitability." This is something RFID Journal has long maintained, both in our articles and at our events.
RFID for the Supply Chain and Operations Professional explains how businesses that deploy RFID appropriately can become more agile and thus respond to customers' needs more effectively and efficiently. As the authors explain, companies that integrate RFID into their existing processes can leverage the technology to gain a competitive advantage. With that in mind, the book discusses the basics and essentials of RFID, as well as how to deploy and employ the technology, why RFID is not a solution waiting for a problem, the technology's role in the IoT, and more.
Those new to any technology can find themselves overwhelmed by all there is to learn, and this is where the book proves valuable, as it provides a basic knowledge of RFID's technical aspects, while helping users understand the technology's capabilities and how it can solve their particular problems. What's more, the writers outline how RFID facilitates better communication with suppliers, manufacturers, consultants, systems integrators and other supply chain members, which is vital for success.
Current applications and future possibilities are also explored, and the book features six business cases involving organizations that have developed innovative applications for RFID, showing how those firms advanced "from idea to implemented process and the effect the new process had on organizational performance." In addition, the authors have added a new essay by Hanns-Christian L. Hanebeck, the chief operating officer at GT Supply Chain, addressing the value of RFID technologies.
Zelbst and Sower know their stuff when it comes to technology and how it relates to operations and supply chains. In fact, they've contributed articles to RFID Journal in the past (see RFID and Environmental Sustainability: An Unlikely Partnership and U.S. Manufacturers Report Greater RFID Usage), so I feel confident recommending their work to those seeking to know more about RFID. If you're new to the technology, this updated edition of RFID for the Supply Chain and Operations Professional could prove useful to you and your organization. Click here for more information.
Rich Handley has been the managing editor of RFID Journal since 2005. Outside the RFID world, Rich has authored, edited or contributed to numerous books about pop culture. You can contact Rich via email.
