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PurposeRadio frequency identification (RFID) is an important technology for many aspects of business including supply chain management (SCM). The global implications of RFID necessitate cross‐national studies of the technology. The purpose of this paper is to conjecture that the way RFID is perceived and implemented and the extent to which RFID impacts business performance will vary from country to country. Using data collected from firms located in the USA and South Korea, the two countries' views regarding the intrinsic attributes, the perceived benefits and risks, and the strategic impact on business performance of implementing RFID are compared.Design/methodology/approachThe authors developed a research instrument to assess the perception of the importance of RFID, the benefits and risks of RFID, and the perceived impact of RFID on business performance. The authors used the instrument to survey executives and managers in the USA and South Korea.FindingsThe paper did not find any discernable difference between the two countries in terms of the perception of the importance of RFID, the benefits and risks of RFID, and the perceived impact of RFID on business performance. This shared perception of RFID may be viewed a sign of readiness of the technology to become a global business tool.Research limitations/implicationsThe varying sampling and data collection processes between the two countries may have introduced unintended bias to the study. The paper's scope may not have addressed all of the technical, organizational, cultural, and political issues that may have influenced the outcome.Practical implicationsThe findings of the study provide empirical evidence that RFID has become a comprehensive business tool to assist more seamless global SCM.Originality/valueThis unique comparative study is a useful contribution for both academicians and practitioners to gain a better understanding of how RFID technology is perceived by firms in different countries. The paper also helps companies improve their RFID strategies in the global market by recognizing different perceptions and approaches to implementing RFID.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how organizations perceive the impact of radio frequency identification (RFID) on business performance in relation to the perceived technology‐organization fit and the perceived risk of the technology.Design/methodology/approachA survey is conducted with professionals involved in RFID implementation initiatives in their organizations. The survey results in usable responses from 350 firms. The survey instrument consists of questions for demographics, organizational fit factors, risk factors, and expected performance measures.FindingsThe results suggest that management of organizational fit factors in connection with perceived risk levels has a significant effect on the perceived impact of RFID on business performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe sampling process is not completely scientific and random. As a result, some findings may not be applicable to the general population. Another limitation of the paper is that most research constructs and variables measure perceptions and expectations of respondents rather than objective, factual data.Practical implicationsThis paper identifies several organizational factors that the company must assess prior to implementing RFID to ensure that the technology is properly aligned with its business. This paper should also help managers better understand various risk issues associated with RFID.Originality/valueFew studies have systematically looked into these organizational and risk factors for successful RFID implementation. This empirical study should make a significant contribution for the research and practitioner communities by systematically and empirically investigate organizational and risk factors for adopting RFID and their impact on business performance.

PurposeThe internet has become a ubiquitous technology for business and it possesses the potential to make the concept of value chain into a more attainable reality. The purpose of this paper is to conjecture that the way the internet is utilized and the extent to which the internet impacts business performance vary from country to country. The paper aims to compare two countries regarding the pattern of internet utilization, the impact of the internet on organizational performance, and the readiness for the internet from the value chain perspective.Design/methodology/approachA survey study was conducted with CIOs and IS directors in the USA and South Korea. A research instrument was developed by adopting and revising two existing instruments on IT value chain and on business internet practices.FindingsThe findings suggest that the two countries are more similar in the way they utilize the internet than anticipated despite discernable differences observed in some areas of internet utilization. The study also provides an empirical evidence for the connection between the organization's readiness for the internet and the impact of the internet on organizational performance.Research limitations/implicationsVarying sampling and data collection processes between the two countries may have introduced unintended bias to the study.Practical implicationsThe findings of the study provide empirical evidence that the internet has become a truly global business tool that makes the concept of value chain an achievable reality.Originality/valueThis comparative study makes a unique contribution for both academicians and practitioners to gain a better understanding how the internet is adopted and utilized in different countries and to chart a course to capitalize on the technology from a value chain perspective.

PurposeThis study explores the relevance of the value chain concept in internet‐driven business and assesses the extent to which businesses utilize the internet from a value chain perspective. It attempts to answer the following three questions: is the value chain concept relevant and applicable to the internet as a means of understanding the internet? To what extent do organizations utilize the internet according to a value chain perspective? Does the business use of the internet change over time?Design/methodology/approachTo answer these questions, a longitudinal survey study was conducted over a two‐year period. The first study collected data from 110 firms on the way they utilize the internet. Two years later, a similar survey was conducted with 70 firms using the same instrument used in the first study.FindingsThe study provided empirical support for the use of the value chain concept as a viable taxonomy for assessing the level of adoption of the internet. The study also provided a time‐lapsed glimpse of how organizations evolve in adopting the internet.Research limitations/implicationsOne of the shortcomings of the study is in the sampling process, although various measures were taken to ensure that the data represent a wide range of organizations, so that the findings can be reasonably generalizable.Practical implicationsThe most important practical contribution of the study is that it provides practitioners with a tool to systematically plan and deploy an ever‐increasing array of internet applications. The internet value chain model should provide organizations with a strategic and macro perspective to evaluate and manage various internet applications.Originality/valueAn important contribution of this study is that it empirically observed the evolution of the internet practices in business according to the value chain framework. There has been plenty of anecdotal evidence of changes in the way business utilizes the internet, but no study has empirically assessed these changes systematically based on a theoretical framework. The study provides a valuable theoretical framework for researchers to continuously accumulate knowledge on the use of the internet in business.

E‐commerce offers speed, convenience, and often cost‐effectiveness for today’s busy shoppers, but many e‐commerce sites are still too hard to use. The problem with e‐commerce sites is that the controls and organization are different for each site. This research investigates how an individual’s perceptions of key beliefs surrounding the use of the e‐commerce site with the standard user interface would influence the individual’s decision to accept these e‐commerce sites for online shopping purposes. This study applies the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) identifying components of usefulness and ease of use that predict user attitude toward the usage of the standard user interface. The research uses a Web‐based survey and employs TAM with path analysis to identify features of the standard user interface that might contribute to its usefulness and ease of use. It thus provides insights into the usefulness and ease of e‐commerce sites for developers, practitioners as well as researchers.