RFID as enabler for the boundless real-time organisation: empirical insights from Germany

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is currently considered a hot topic in the IT arena. It is described as a major enabling technology for automated contactless wireless data collection, and as an enabler for the real-time enterprise, a future vision for enterprise information systems. Little is known, however, about the perceived strategic importance of RFID among IT decision makers, current RFID usage and areas of application, or companies’ intentions to invest in RFID. In this paper we intend to fill this gap. We convey a quantitative survey among CIOs in Germany across various industries. We present empirical insights on CIOs’ perceptions of the strategic importance of RFID, its relevance compared to other IT topics, and their RFID visions for the future of their company.