Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is one of the hottest emerging technologies today. RFID has become an important IT tool in Supply Chain Management (SCM). Supply Chain Management encompasses strategic processes such as demand planning, forecasting, sourcing, production scheduling, inventory and transportation. Business houses the world over, are increasingly employing Information Technology involving RFID to improve their operations and create a competitive advantage. RFID enabled SCM systems coordinate and integrate the flow of goods, information and finances from supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer. RFID enabled supply chain will provide real-time visibility to the movement of shipments, asset tracking, and reduce product dispatch errors. Supply Chain visibility implies that data on inward-moving inventory, work-in-progress, outbound products, logistics, warehousing and all other activities are available in real-time to the members in the supply chain.

As a result Supply Chain Management using RFID results in reduction of labour costs, reduction in cost due to product shrinkage due to theft, enhanced inventory turnover, reduction in inventory write offs, reduction of out- of - stock situation and improved product availability, decreased shipment errors, thus resulting in significant cost savings, and also aid in launching of new products faster into the market. Many organizations in India are now considering the RFID enabled supply chain for competitive advantage and some companies like  Pantaloon, Maruti Udyog and Madura Garments have already implemented.

The aim of the Workshop is to give an overview of RFID technology, the principles and key issues in Supply Chain Management and the use of RFID technology in various aspects of supply chain/ warehouse management and the Retail Sector.