Beyond bar codes: RFID-Radio Frequency Identification new opportunities for Alaska business.

• Position: Knowledge-based economy: what is it and what it means for Alaska

(The concept of an Executive Forum stemmed from the UAA College of Business and Public Policy Business Policy Advisory Council. The quarterly events bring together leaders from business and academia in discussions of topics of contemporary interest and in which the university can offer its input to business leaders on such policy matters and at the same time provides business an opportunity to inform professors on points of importance to them.

Last year, forum topics examined ethics in business, developing entrepreneurs and economic development in rural Alaska. This year, the Executive Forums will focus on the knowledge-based economy.)

* Vern McCorkle: This Executive Forum explores Radio Frequency Identification's role in Alaska's knowledge economy. RFID had its origins before WWII when it was tried in the trucking industry. The system was designed in California, and did not function well in the snow and cold. College of Business and Public Policy (CBPP) faculty and business collaborators are testing new RFID adaptations for practical uses to make economic transactions quicker, more accurate and more visible along the route from producer to customer.

* Thomas R. Case: We usually think of Alaska as a resource-based economy. But really, it is knowledge, expertise and application of technology that allows Alaska's resources to be produced economically in a globally competitive market. Knowledge and technology applied to a supply chain forms a critical cutting-edge capability to support basic resource development. This will be increasingly important as we seek ways to enhance the value and accessibility of our resources.

What is RFID?

The passive RFID tag is a very small processing chip. The REID tag can be glued inside the connection of a metallic ink, or connected to a metallic copper platform, both serving as an antenna. This small piece of technology codes pieces of information much more effectively than does the traditional bar code for product identification. The information is accessed by the application of radio frequency energy from a reader. When a battery is attached to a RFID chip, it is called an active tag. It can talk to your computer 200 to 1,000 times a second, nonstop, seven days a week. Active and passive RFID gives you new ways to look at the business process with better information. It provides real-time and near real-time visibility of your supply chain.

Why Are We Looking at RFID Now?

The U.S. Department of Defense and...