Radio frequency identification technology in logistics: A review of the literature

Abstract

Radio frequency identification technology offers various potential benefits compared to the traditional systems of automatic identification, such as barcodes or manual data entry. Thanks to non-contact reading, no need for human intervention and real time information update, that technology increases the speed of identification, material, and information flow and plays an important role in various logistics activities. This is why, since its introduction, radio frequency identification has always been indicated by researchers and practitioners as the technology that will have changed the way of managing logistics and supply chain processes. By means of a systematic literature review on 95 selected papers, this study proposes an examination of radio frequency identification applications targeting the logistics field, with the purpose of categorizing the available knowledge, examining the state-of-the-art solutions and highlighting the key benefits of the technology within the logistics sector. As a result, the trends of the topics treated in studies targeting radio frequency identification in logistics are delineated. Suggestions for future research directions are provided.