Julien

I have just finished my Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Queens University of Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. I did my one year research paper on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). After graduation in December 05 I made the decision to devote my free time to further my research on RFID and current and upcoming applications.

As a junior consultant in change management with Capgemini Ernst & Young (2004), I came across RFID a number of times. What I found most interesting about this technology was the diversity among industries involved. Furthermore, I found the race for development of such a cutting-edge technology and implementation of it to be thrilling.

The first time I encountered RFID, I was working on several projects with a major French retailer, Cora. I realized that RFID was something crucial in the future of inventory management for retailers. Not only did it greatly enhance the range of SCM (supply chain management) efficiency and speed, it did so on a much more holistic scale than previous modes, such as enterprise resource planning. After more research and discussion with people familiar with the retail industry, it was clear that retailers were excited about the development and potential outcomes of RFID.

I began to notice diversity among industries during my second encounter at Kronenbourg (French brewery, famous for its 1664). There, RFID was researched in an attempt to track beer kegs along the supply chain to all the way to the end of the channel of distribution. This was deemed impossible by current standards of bar codes.

Lastly, Capgemini organized a huge show in Paris showing countless applications of the technology. After researching the event the message was clear: the technology was finally ready and was about to go live! It was at this point that RFID appealed to me the most, because prior to this, the technology was somewhat secretive due to its competitive nature and the general lack of understanding. People were beginning to become aware of the significant impact that RFID would have on the supply chain and the massive change management which would occur as a result.

Without consulting firms, however, it is obvious that painless implementation of such a technology is virtually implausible. A company that has limited knowledge of RFID applications needs to rely on accurate and timely sources of information in order to make a cost-effective and informed decision. The weight of importance of consulting firms becomes a key factor in selecting the best RFID solution to solve the challenge at hand. For me, it marries my enthusiasm for such an inventive technology with my passion for change management. My decision to orientate my career toward the implementation of this technology and the change management it involves has broadened my knowledge of the current and upcoming RFID industry.

I met some very passionate people like Meredith Powers from Powers International (http://www.powersintlinc.com/, tracking devices for trailers and containers) who helped me shape my focus on the technology. Thanks to her advice and a lot of reading, I made up my mind and chose to set up this website that focuses on the three hot areas today in RFID: DOD mandate, Wal-Mart mandate and C-TPAT mandate (smart containers). It’s quite a task, but at the same time I truly believe it will help me share my new passion with others and also bring some awareness about RFID, which is one of the difficulties that companies interested in implementing it encounter.