Improving data quality and supply chain performance with RFID : evidence from the retail industry

The retail industry ranks among the leaders when it comes to supply chain management and the use of inventory and demand data. Industry initiatives such as Efficient Consumer Response advocate close collaboration between manufacturers and retailers. Companies rely heavily on enabling technologies to support business processes: electronic data interchange (EDI) messages are used to transfer point-of-sale (POS) data, orders, and dispatch advices; bar codes allow companies to identify items, cases, and pallets in the supply chain and in the store; and global data synchronization initiatives are aimed at ensuring consistent product master data between trading partners. The grocery supply chain is driven to an ever-greater extent by information, and due to the increasing focus on inventory reduction and frequent, just-in-time deliveries, there is little margin for error. As a consequence, the importance of data quality is growing