Many European companies are working hard to solve their "captive cash" problem, improve their cash-to-cash cycle, and manage their financial and supply chain risk across complex markets and supplier agreements. But the two primary approaches they take - supply chain finance and working capital reduction - result in very different supply chain outcomes.
While large businesses have resumed international trade at levels seen before the financial crisis, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have not fared as well. For these firms - the backbone of economies everywhere - growth is impeded by the limited availability of bank loans to finance trade.