海尔网络供应链金融：疫情下的挑战与破局

Established in 2014 based on Ririshun, Haier's digital supply chain finance (SCF) platform used bank loans to finance its distributors, allowing them to place orders with Haier. But cooperation between the platform and banks did not go well since both parties took different approaches to risk management. The outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic in early 2020 put Haier’s supply chain under unprecedented pressure. It made the group fully aware of the importance of its digital SCF platform in relieving the financial pressure on its downstream SMEs, starting new business, and stabilizing its supply chain. Therefore, the group decided to introduce new policies to support the development of its digital SCF platform and step up efforts to grant loans to 1,800 distributors. This case focuses on the history of cooperation between Haier's digital SCF platform and the H Bank, the points of difference regarding their criteria for lending money and risk management, uncertainties brought on by Haier's new policies and both parties' responses to the prevalence of COVID-19. Students can put themselves in the shoes of Haier and the H bank, respectively: They can comment on Haier's new policies, offer suggestions for improvement (if any), and discuss how Haier's digital SCF platform can better cooperate with the H Bank to examine the distributors' eligibility for loans and keep risks under control after granting them loans. At the same time, they can discuss how to adjust existing criteria for lending money and design more effective risk management strategies since Haier introduced new policies. All in all, this case will help students understand key points in the design and implementation of SCF, and improve their ability to use theoretical knowledge and analytical frameworks to solve real-world management problems.