Selection of financing and selling modes in a green and capital‐constrained platform supply chain

Abstract

AbstractCurrently, manufacturers can collaborate with online platforms to better sell green products and also finance from platforms to relieve financial pressure. To cater to this trend, we establish a platform supply chain model by considering a manufacturer with capital constraints that invests in a green production program. Then, it can sell green products via the reselling or the agency channel on a platform and finance from a bank, the platform, or both. In this context, we examine the choices of financial strategies and selling channels from the perspectives of both parties, as well as the corresponding environmental benefit and social welfare. Our findings show that the manufacturer prefers bank financing in most cases when the bank's interest rate is smaller than that offered by the platform. However, in the reselling channel, the manufacturer may choose platform financing even if its interest rate is higher. The platform tends to provide the agency channel when the commission rate is within a reasonable range. It is possible to realize the highest environmental benefit and social welfare in specific regions where both parties agree on the financing and selling modes to maximize their profits. When the manufacturer has only partial access to bank financing, it can choose mixed financing. However, the manufacturer cannot always treat mixed financing as a complete replacement of bank financing.