Radio frequency identification technology: Applications, technical challenges and strategies

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the technology behind RFID systems, identify the applications of RFID in various industries, and discuss the technical challenges of RFID implementation and the corresponding strategies to overcome those challenges. Design/methodology/approach: Comprehensive literature review and integration of the findings from literature. Findings: Technical challenges of RFID implementation include tag cost, standards, tag and reader selection, data management, systems integration and security. The corresponding solution is suggested for each challenge. Research limitations/implications: A survey type research is needed to validate the results. Practical implications: This research offers useful technical guidance for companies which plan to implement RFID and we expect it to provide the motivation for much future research in this area. Originality/value: As the infancy of RFID applications, few researches have existed to address the technical issues of RFID implementation. Our research filled this gap. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.