We live in a very demanding and increasingly computerised world. In almost any area, consumers have a wide variety of choices, yet they demand shorter lead-times, higher quality and lower costs and if a business is unable to provide for the consumer’s requirements, the consumer will look elsewhere. With little to distinguish in manufacturing quality, the efficient use and management of supply chains becomes paramount. For a long time, the counterfeiting trade has been a thorn in the side of legitimate business. Seeking only to generate maximum profit with minimum effort, they use the reputation of a legitimate business to maximize sales. The counterfeiter’s task is made easier by the lack of control mechanisms along the supply chain. This leads to a situation where materials and finished products are being misappropriated in volume and counterfeit goods are able to enter the chain, often with help from within the targeted organisation. There is no mechanism for forcing individuals and organisations to accept responsibility, allowing for the passing blame. This dissertation will examine the nature of a system aimed at defeating attempts at theft, validating an item’s authenticity and positively identifying the origin and rightful owner of an item. This dissertation will not be explicitly developing the above system and will concentrate more on the underlying factors and providing a generic model on which to base an actual system. First we examine the impact of supply chains on our day-to-day lives, the concept and the related management paradigms. Next comes the counterfeiting trade and what motivates the counterfeiter. The examination is extended to cover the workings of the so-called “Grey Market” and some steps to combat the trade. In order to facilitate an implementation, various technologies are examined for their suitability. This covers diverse technologies from biometric authentication through the Internet and cryptographic technologies to the use of Radio Frequency Identifiers. Some specific devices are discussed and user attitudes towards these technologies are gauged. Based on these technologies a model is proposed allow a supply chain to be secured. A variety of concepts, such as packaging, unpacking and sealing, are introduced and explained. These concepts are combined with the various technologies for tracking items within the chain and for enforcing nonrepudiation. Based on the model, the actors within the system are identified along with the types of information each might expect, allowing generic datasets to be developed. With the model and technologies in place a tiered theoretical implementation is formed showing how each hardware device interacts with the model to form a solution. / Prof. M.S. Olivier
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:8852 |
| Date | 04 June 2008 |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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