Supply Chain Finance

While the goods and flows of information within the chain are becoming increasingly integrated and optimized, the flow of finance is still often fragmented. The credit crunch has exposed the structural weaknesses. The cost of finance escalates, while suppliers, especially SMEs and suppliers in emerging economies, experience problems in acquiring credit. New models have to considerably increase the access to finance or reduce the need for finance through breaking open the potential within the supply chain instead of dependency on external creditors.