Global supply chain efficiency has punctuated a need for global standards to prevent costly false starts, confusion and overlapping systems.
: data access and security (which enables one computer to know which information it is authorized to share with another); basic data content (the numbering of products, services and locations); and basic information flow (the content and sequence of information in business messages). A fourth group has been established to make recommendations on the overall process of managing changes to standards.
It is believed that only in standardization can the Internet realize its full potential as a commercial tool. Otherwise is would be like a world of telephones unable to talk to each other, said industry experts, calling for standards in data access and security.
GCI is a multinational industry group of suppliers, distributors and trade associations. The group's objective is to build an inter-business process that will endorse a set of recommended standards enabling technologies with worldwide application.
Member companies and eight associations represented on the Executive Board have agreed to a letter of support for the development of the Global Commerce Internet Protocol. Joining this group are the four major Exchanges presently active in the consumer goods industry: Transora, the WorldWide Retail Exchange, GlobalNetXchange, and CPGmarket.com.
Draft standards for the Global Commerce Internet Protocol are available. Following a period of trials, draft recommendations will be published as standards by the international standards bodies, EAN International and UCC, with the endorsement of the Global Commerce Initiative.
