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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.

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.

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