The uneven distribution of power in a supply chain is the norm. To move beyond simple supply to a value chain, or further to a demand chain, the decision making power needs to be distributed more evenly through the chain via collaborative mechanisms.
The ultimate collaborative mechanism is transparency of information, which puts decision making at the point where it adds most value to the operator at that point in the chain, as well as maximising the value to the whole chain, particularly to the end consumer. It removes the pricing power that accumulates with information at points of arbitrage in a chain.
