RFID technology becomes academic

Indiana University`s Kelley School of Business in Bloomington, IN, is introducing radio frequency identification technology into its curriculum, thanks to a $150,000 grant from The P&G Fund, which manages charitable contributions on behalf of Procter & Gamble Co.

“RFID, the radio frequency reading of physical smart tags imbedded with silicon chips, is increasingly being used by companies where Kelley School graduates regularly make an impact,” the school said in announcing the program. “Retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart are requiring their suppliers to use the technology, as do an increasing number of companies in healthcare and financial services, and even the U.S. Department of Defense. It will replace the Universal Product Code as a smarter technology.”

The Kelley School operates the MBA Supply Chain Management Academy, which last year built the first working RFID model at a U.S. business school.

"With changes in RFID technologies, businesses are abuzz with its potential, and it is vital that our graduates leave our program ready to play a leading role at corporations that have always looked to Kelley for such understanding," Dan Smith, interim dean of the Kelley School, said.

The Kelley School cites a study released on March 16 by the Computing Technology Industry Association, a global IT trade organization that develops certification processes for the IT industry, that reports that the current supply of professionals skilled in RFID is too low to meet demand. It found that 80% of those surveyed said there are insufficient numbers of professionals skilled in the technology.