The working capital management based on vendor relationship – “icing on the cake” or “timely help”

Purpose - Under the guidance of Professor Wang Zhuquan’s channel-based working capital management concept, this paper, using a sample of A-listed companies from 2007 to 2013, aims to explore the possibility of measuring vendor relationships from the supply chain (channel) perspective for the first time, making universal testing for working capital management based on vendor relationships. Through systematically answering the question of who is the biggest beneficiary of working capital management based on vendor relationships and to discuss whether suppliers are more willing to provide “timely help” to weak enterprises or to exert an “icing on the cake” effect on strong enterprises, this paper provides a systematic explanation of the causes and economic consequences of working capital management based on vendor relationships. Design/methodology/approach - The authors constructed three models to test the hypotheses of this study. Model (1) explores the cause of working capital management based on vendor relationship from three angles: market position, industry competition degree and property right. Models (2) and (3) examine the economic consequences of working capital management based on vendor relationship from the two aspects of alleviating financing constraints and improving enterprises’ sustained growth capability. Findings - Working capital management based on vendor relationships has a more significant “timely help” effect on weak companies, which was proved by the inclination of companies with lower market positions, higher industrial competition and private ownerships to adopt working capital management based on vendor relationships. From the perspective of economic consequences, while China’s listed companies benefit generally from working capital management based on vendor relationships, the weak enterprises are the biggest beneficiaries. Based on vendor relationships, the weak enterprises can relieve financing constraints and improve continuous growth capacity. It provides further evidence that suppliers could provide “timely help” to weak enterprises. Originality/value - The results of this study find that the competition between supply chains replaces the competition among enterprises, and suppliers are more willing to provide “timely help” to weak enterprises rather than to exert an “icing on the cake” effect on strong enterprises. In addition, the working capital management based on vendor relationships facilitates the cooperation of enterprises and suppliers and improves the overall efficiency of the supply chain.