Knowledge-based RFID enabled Web Service architecture for supply chain management

Abstract

RFID tags are increasingly being incorporated throughout the supply chain in many industries. In the meantime, its potential benefits for business adopters have been debated extensively over the past several years. We consider the challenges associated with developing an integrated system tailored for RFIDenabled supply chain management including inaccuracies in reading rate, sampling problem and security issue. We then develop enhanced coordination mechanisms through fine-grained RFID item-level information both inter- and intra-organizations to appropriately address some of these challenges. We propose and illustrate a knowledge-based Web Service architecture by developing a working prototype based on the idiosyncrasies of RFID applications. Through simulation and analysis, we find that a knowledge- based Web service system for RFID applications is able to sustain a more coherent and productive service than traditional integrated systems for supply chain management.