Technology Questions, Essay Example

1. (1) Become familiar with RFID technology and its potential uses in Harley-Davidson’s supply chain using the information presented in Chapter 5 and information you may obtain on the Internet through your favorite search engines, and your library. Please evaluate the advantages and disadvantages for Harley-Davidson of replacing its bar codes and scanner technology with RFID.

(2) Please compare and contrast the major issues that Wal-Mart and other large retailers faced when they tried to implement RFID in their supply chains with those that Harley-Davidson will likely face as it moves into RFID implementations with its suppliers and customers.

2. Based on EC book Chapter 6, in page 291 (RQ2), please identify a product that could be promoted using a social networking site such as Facebook. Please explain why your chosen product would be a good candidate for a social networking-based promotion strategy.

3. Based on EC book Chapter 6, in page 291 (RQ8), please answer the following question:

Some eBay users believe that the use of sniping software is unfair and that eBay should prohibit its use. Please present facts and logical arguments that would convince eBay to prohibit the use of sniping software.

(1). Please evaluate the advantages and disadvantages for Harley-Davidson, of replacing its bar codes and scanner technology with RFID.

RFID devices are tiny chips used in tracking of inventory through radio transmissions. These transmissions are powered by radio signals just like the cell phone. This is a new technology and is quite advanced compared to bar codes. Unlike barcodes, RFIDs can be scanned without having to be visible. Scanning can be done while they are in boxes, from far ranges and even over product materials (Schneider, 2010).

Harley Davidson can enjoy enormous benefits because of using RFID technology. These devices are able to track inventory in real time and much faster courtesy of its scanning capabilities. This assists in managing inventory by ensuring that items are stocked accordingly. In addition, it helps in improving the time spent in processing items in terms of maintaining accuracy and consistency (Schneider, 2010).

However, RFID has some drawbacks, since this technology is in the process of rising and gaining popularity, its implementation requires massive costs. This means that a company like Harley Davidson will not be able to afford the costs involved. Harley Davidson will not only face a challenge of supporting its own massive inventory, but it will also have to provide hundreds of its suppliers with scanners and RFIDs. Reliability is also another issue. This is because the capability of scanners depends on radio signals just as a cell phone stands losing signals, so this also applies to RFID. Additionally, it is costly to implement an extremely secure network (Reynolds, 2009).

(2) Please compare and contrast the key issues at Wal-Mart when they tried to implement RFID with those that Harley-Davidson will face, as it moves into implementing RFID.

Both Wal-Mart and Harley-Davidson face the problem of high implementation costs of the RFID technology. Research indicates that the technology requires the use of computer softwares in order to run the entire system effectively. This can cost a maximum of $200,000 dollars. There are also other costs arising from testing tags, cost of training employees on how to use the technology and the cost of data misinterpretations (Duncan, Haag, Cummings & McCubbrey, 2008).

In contrast, the new RFID technology is likely to generate ethical concerns for Harley-Davidson. Different groups advocating for consumers are concerned about the potential miss-use of data gathered by RFID tags (Schneider, 2010). Concerning privacy, these groups claim that Harley-Davidson will start using the collected data to profile customers through linking personal identifiers such as driver’s licenses with purchases. Furthermore, studies are warning that RFID has the capability to register customers’ spending, movement, habits, preferences, and productivity.

On the other hand, unlike Harley-Davidson, Wal-Mart is facing an issue of unproven infrastructure of the technology. This will make it difficult for suppliers to keep up with Wal-Mart’s demands to become ready for RFID. Failure by the suppliers to implement RFID in their business operations means that Wal-Mart will not be able to have a full view of its supply chain (Reynolds, 2009). If Wal-Mart is unable to obtain its information in real time across its entire supply chain, then the issues it is trying to solve will remain a problem. The company will still have problems of last-in-last-out products, first-in-first-out products, and Out-of-stock items.

(3) Based on EC book Chapter 6, in page 291 (RQ2), please identify a product that could be promoted using social networking sites like Facebook. Please explain why your chosen product would be a suitable candidate for a social networking-based promotion strategy.

Most e-commerce sites use social sites to make it easier for customers to buy their products. Flowers are being promoted using social networking sites such as Facebook. This product is the best candidate for the above social networking-based promotion strategy because different pictures can be posted on the Facebook store. This will allow customers to browse and directly make a purchase of the product through the site.

References

Duncan, P, Haag, S., Cummings, M. &  McCubbrey, D. (2008). Management Information Systems. California: McGraw-Hill Education.

Reynolds, G.  (2009). Information Technology for Managers. Michigan: Cengage Learning

Schneider, G. (2010). Electronic Commerce. New York: Cengage Learning