scholarly journals The impacts of supply chain finance initiatives on firm risk: evidence from service providers listed in the US

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo K.S. Lam ◽  
Yuanzhu Zhan

PurposeThis study empirically investigates how supply chain finance (SCF) initiatives together with different firm capabilities and resources (i.e. information technology (IT) capability, operational slack and political connections) affect the financial risk of service providers.Design/methodology/approachThis study collects secondary longitudinal data to test for a direct impact of SCF initiatives on service providers' financial risk. It further investigates the moderating effects of the service provider's IT capability, operational slack and political connections. Additional tests and analytical strategies are performed to ensure the robustness of the results.FindingsThe findings indicate that SCF initiatives help service providers mitigate financial risk. The risk reduction is greater for service providers with higher IT capability, operational slack and political connections, but the last factor applies only to multinational corporations, not domestic companies.Research limitations/implicationsThe data used in this research is limited to SCF service providers publicly listed in the United States, which may restrict the generalisability of the findings. Nonetheless, the research urges scholars to focus more on the financial risk implications of SCF in different market contexts.Practical implicationsThis study encourages service providers to embrace the power of SCF initiatives for mitigating financial risk and allows them to evaluate their SCF investments in light of different firm capabilities and resources.Originality/valueThis is the first study investigating the impacts of SCF initiatives and various firm capabilities and resources on service providers' financial risk. The empirical findings provide important implications for future research and practices.


Author(s):  
Viktor Hugo Elliot ◽  
Christiaan De Goeij ◽  
Luca Mattia Gelsomino ◽  
Johan Woxenius

PurposeLogistics service providers (LSPs) have unique resources and capabilities that position them to deliver supply chain finance (SCF) solutions. The study aims to discuss and illustrate the necessary resources and process of value creation and capture of LSPs, potentially offering SCF solutions.Design/methodology/approachRelying on a theoretical framework, combining a resource-based view (RBV) with the literature on SCF, the authors apply an abductive case study methodology, including 11 interviews with representatives from four LSPs.FindingsThe main findings are as follow: (1) although an LSP has sufficient resources for value-added SCF solutions, it may not capture enough value to motivate realising them; (2) an LSP considering offering SCF should account for the interaction between its resources and cargo transit times, risk and regulatory restrictions and (3) future studies should distinguish between financing the logistics services and the moved products.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors contribute to the growing field of SCF research by analysing motives and barriers for LSPs to offer SCF service to their customers. Because none of our case companies decided to move beyond experimentation further research is needed on the resources and capabilities needed for LSPs to successfully venture into SCF.Practical implicationsThe study provides LSPs with clear indications of the difficulties involved when contemplating a move into SCF solutions and discusses the potential value of offering such services.Originality/valueDespite evidence of LSPs engaging in SCF in various industries, academic contributions do not go beyond operational conditions or quantification of benefits. The authors add evidence on how LSPs are currently evaluating the prominence of adding SCF to their value offerings, including a new perspective on resources, value generation and capture mechanisms.



2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christiaan de Goeij ◽  
Luca Mattia Gelsomino ◽  
Federico Caniato ◽  
Antonella Maria Moretto ◽  
Michiel Steeman

PurposeReverse factoring (RF) is one of the most prevalent supply chain finance (SCF) solutions. This study challenges the view that suppliers accept financially attractive reverse factoring offers (RFOs) and reject financially unattractive ones. Specifically, it focuses on small and medium enterprise (SME) suppliers and how transaction cost economics (TCE) factors affect their decision.Design/methodology/approachThe authors study eight cases of RFOs, interviewing suppliers, buyers and financial service providers (FSPs) and using several sources of private and publicly available secondary data.FindingsIn five out of eight RFOs, suppliers either accepted unattractive offers or rejected attractive ones. Bounded rationality and opportunism seem to explain such misalignment, while asset specificity and frequency play a minor role in decisions.Research limitations/implicationsThe study shows the need for further investigation linking analytical assessment of SCF benefits with qualitative factors.Practical implicationsSME suppliers cannot assume an RFO will benefit them. They must critically evaluate their buyers' offers, ideally with self-awareness towards how the abovementioned factors might affect their decisions. For buyers and banks, this study gives clear insights on how to approach SME suppliers to avoid rejection of financially attractive RFOs.Originality/valueThis contribution analyses financial attractiveness of RFOs in conjunction with qualitative factors, including rejected RFOs and without assuming that RFOs are financially attractive for suppliers. This is original and relevant for both research and practice, since it extends the understanding of the supplier response to RFOs, thanks to the consideration of TCE factors.



2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Martin ◽  
Erik Hofmann

Purpose The purpose of this paper is the analysis of reasons to involve financial service providers (FSPs) in the integrated management of supply chain flows through supply chain finance (SCF) practices. In addition, service requirements are derived for FSPs in order to respond to company needs related to SCF practices. Design/methodology/approach The selected methodology represents a multi-method approach. First, a survey with 62 companies from Switzerland and ten expert interviews were applied to analyze company needs. Second, the study was complemented with a review of gray press, online offers and 11 expert interviews on the service offer of FSPs for managing supply chain flows. Findings The results derive company needs for an integrated management of supply chain flows. The company needs are matched with available service offer of FSPs. Based on this match quality gaps are identified and service requirements are derived. The results describe initial measures to close the quality gaps. Research limitations/implications This research primarily focuses on financial flows related to the working capital of companies thereby neglecting fixed assets. Practical implications The results provide companies with a structured process to analyze the value added of FSPs. FSPs can use the results to better match their service offer with company needs. Originality/value This research contributes to research on SCF by developing a structured process for analyzing the company needs for SCF practices as well as the value added of FSPs in offering these practices.



2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kostas Selviaridis ◽  
Andreas Norrman

Purpose – The performance of service supply chains in terms of service levels and cost efficiency depends not only on the effort of service providers but also on the inputs of sub-contractors and the customer. In this sense, performance-based contracting (PBC) entails increased financial risk for providers. Allocating and managing risk through contractual relationships along the service supply chain is a critical issue, and yet there is scant empirical evidence regarding what factors influence, and how, provider willingness to bear PBC-induced risk. This paper aims to address this gap. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on agency theory and two cases of logistics service supply chains, in the food retail and automotive industries respectively, to identify key influencing factors. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 30 managers of providers and sub-contractors and review of 35 documents, notably contracts and target letters. Findings – Four influencing factors were found: performance attributability within the service supply chain; relational governance in service supply chain relationships; provider risk and reward balancing; and provider ability to transfer risk to sub-contractors. The propositions developed address how these factors influence provider willingness to bear PBC-induced risk. Research limitations/implications – The factors identified are external to the provider mindset and refer to the management of contractual relationships and service delivery interactions along the service supply chain. The paper contributes to agency theory by stressing the risk allocation implications of bi-directional principal-agent relations in service supply chains. Practical implications – The study suggests ways in which providers can increase their capacity to bear and manage financial risk related to PBC design. Originality/value – The paper identifies factors that influence provider willingness to bear financial risk induced by PBC in service supply chains.



2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua Song ◽  
Mengyin Li ◽  
Kangkang Yu

PurposeThis study examines the role of financial service providers (FSPs) in assessing the supply chain credit of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and how they help SMEs obtain supply chain finance (SCF) through an established digital platform using big data analytics (BDA).Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted data mining analysis on the archival data of China's FSPs in the mobile production industry from 2015 to 2018, using neural networks in the first stage and multiple regression in the second stage.FindingsThe findings suggest that digital platforms sponsored by FSPs have a discriminative effect based on implicit BDA on identifying the quality and potential risks of borrowers. The results also show that tailored information utilised by FSPs has a supportive effect based on explicit BDA in helping SMEs obtain financing.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the emergent research on BDA in supply chain management by extending the contextual research on information signalling and platform theory in SCF. Furthermore, it examines the distinctive financing decision models of FSPs and provides a solution that addresses the information deficiency and overload of both lenders and borrowers and plays a certain reference role in alleviating the financing problems of SMEs.



Significance Follow-on action from Washington and responses from foreign actors will shape the US government’s adversarial policy towards China in semiconductors and other strategic technologies. Impacts The Biden administration will likely conclude that broad-based diversion of the semiconductor supply chain away from China is not feasible. The United States will rely on export controls and political pressure to prevent diffusion to China of cutting-edge chip technologies. The United States will focus on persuading foreign semiconductor leaders to help develop US capabilities, thereby staying ahead of China. Washington will focus on less direct approaches to strategic technology competition with China, notably technical standards-setting. Industry leaders in the semiconductor supply chain worldwide will continue expanding business in China in less politically sensitive areas.



2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Falasca ◽  
Scott Dellana ◽  
William J. Rowe ◽  
John F. Kros

PurposeThis study develops and tests a model exploring the relationship between supply chain (SC) counterfeit risk management and performance in the healthcare supply chain (HCSC).Design/methodology/approachIn the proposed theoretical model, HCSC counterfeit risk management is characterized by HCSC counterfeit risk orientation (HCRO), HCSC counterfeit risk mitigation (HCRM) and HCSC risk management integration (HRMI), while performance is represented by healthcare logistics performance (HLP) and healthcare organization overall performance (HOP). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and survey data from 55 HCSC managers are used to test the research hypotheses.FindingsHCRO has a significant positive effect on HCRM, while HCRM has a positive impact on HRMI. With respect to HLP, HCRM has a nonsignificant effect, while HRMI has a significant impact, thus confirming the important mediating role of HRMI. Finally, HLP has a significant positive effect on the overall performance of healthcare organizations.Research limitations/implicationsAll study participants were from the United States, limiting the generalizability of the study findings to different countries or regions. The sample size employed in the study did not allow the authors to distinguish among the different types of healthcare organizations.Originality/valueThis study delineates between a healthcare organization's philosophy toward counterfeiting risks vs actions taken to eliminate or reduce the impact of counterfeiting on the HCSC. By offering firm-level guidance for managers, this study informs healthcare organizations about addressing the challenge of counterfeiting in the HCSC.



2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Jia Liu ◽  
Shiyong Li ◽  
Xiaoxia Zhu

In recent years, internet development provides new channels and opportunities for small- and middle-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) financing. Supply chain finance is a hot topic in theoretical and practical circles. Financial institutions transform materialized capital flows into online data under big data scenario, which provides networked, precise, and computerized financial services for SMEs in the supply chain. By drawing on the risk management theory in economics and the distributed hydrological model in hydrology, this paper presents a supply chain financial risk prediction method under big data. First, we build a “hydrological database” used for the risk analysis of supply chain financing under big data. Second, we construct the risk identification models of “water circle model,” “surface runoff model,” and “underground runoff model” and carry on the risk prediction from the overall level (water circle). Finally, we launch the supply chain financial risk analysis from breadth level (surface runoff) and depth level (underground runoff); moreover, we integrate the analysis results and make financial decisions. The results can enrich the research on risk management of supply chain finance and provide feasible and effective risk prediction methods and suggestions for financial institutions.



2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 611-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua Song ◽  
Kangkang Yu ◽  
Samir Ranjan Chatterjee ◽  
Jingzi Jia

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the linkages between strategic interaction and relationship value, with a variety of co-creating value strategies as conceptual mediators. Design/methodology/approach This study reports on a field survey conducted in the Chinese manufacturing industry. A total of 180 questionnaires were sent to customers of service providers, and 120 valid responses were received, representing a response rate of 66.7 per cent. The data were then analyzed by using a number of statistical tools. Findings The results suggest that strategic interaction leads to a positive effect on the relationship value without any regard to the size of the customer. However, the mediating effect of product-based service is more significant for large-size customers, whereas the mediating effect of integrated managerial service is more significant for medium- and small-size customers. Originality/value This study explores how value might be created in a business-to-business context in a service supply chain from a relationship marketing perspective. It distinguishes product-based service and integrated managerial service as co-creating value strategies and further clarifies the different mechanisms underlying their relationships with strategic interaction between service supplier and customer. In particular, this study suggests that although strategic interaction may yield superior relationship value, the size of the customers will determine what kind of co-creating strategies would be preferred.



2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ik-Whan Kwon ◽  
Sung-Ho Kim

Purpose This paper aims to explore avenue where suppliers and manufacturers are aligned with health-care providers to improve supply chain visibility. Supply chain finance is explored to link suppliers/manufacturers with health-care providers. Design/methodology/approach Existing literature on supply chain visibility in health care forms a basis to achieve the study purpose. Alignment calls also for financial health where supply chain partners’ working capital is readily available to execute joint supply chain plan. Findings There is a disjoint in supply chain alliance between suppliers/manufacturers and providers where providers are unable to trace the origin of supplies. Quality care suffers and cost of care rises as providers search for supplies on an emergency basis. This paper provides a framework where solution can be formulated. Research limitations/implications Suppliers/manufactures form a direct strategic alliance with providers where product visibility enables health-care providers with a better patient management with lower cost of supplies. Inventory management and logistics cost will be lowered as better planning/forecasting is in place. This paper does not call for testing any hypothesis. Perhaps, next move along this line will be to investigate financial health of supply chain partners based on supplier relationship management practices. Originality/value This paper proposes health-care supply chain as an alternative solution to achieve the following twin purposes: controlling the cost while improving quality of care through supply chain finance. As far as we know, this study is the first attempt to achieve the goals.



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