the sources of finance

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Critically elucidate the sources of finance. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of them?

Introduction

All businesses need finance to fund business activity. This includes Starting up a business, e.g. pay for premises, new equipment; run the business, e.g. having enough cash to pay staff wages and suppliers on time or expand the business, e.g. having funds to pay for a new branch. Whatever the purpose, choosing the right source of financing for each distinctive situation can be puzzling. The source of finance for each business varies according to the type, i.e. external or internal or by the time factor, i.e. short term, medium term and long term.

Type:

External sources of finance come from outside the business

Internal sources of finance come from within the business

Time:

Short-term: refers to the current tax year

Medium-term: refers to the time period of more than twelve months but less than five years

Long-term: refers to any period after the next five years

Short-Term Medium-Term Long-Term

Internal Sources Personal savings

Selling Assets

Reducing Stock Retained Profits

Deferred Payments Selling Assets

Retained Profit

External Sources Bank Overdraft

Trade Credit

Bank Loans

Credit Cards

Debt Factoring

Government Grants/subsidies Leasing

Hire purchase

Roll Over Credit

Sponsorships

Bank Loans

Mortgages

Bank Loans

Issue of shares

Debentures

INTERNAL SOURCES OF FINANCE

The internal sources of finance, usually short term, include:

o Personal Savings

Personal savings is probably the easiest source of finance, it is the owners own savings that can be used to finance the business. It has the advantage of being quickly available and bears no interest. But it can als...

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...eve its goals. And while this type of loan requires less maintenance, it is harder for new businesses to get this type of financing.

Short term financing offers the highest flexibility for small businesses and quicker access to cash, when most needed. For medium to large-businesses whose focus is on future growth, Long-term loans are more suitable.

Conclusion

Finances are part and parcel of our daily life and routine, and deeply rooted in our economic system. Small financial requirements entail short-term finance; medium financial requirements entail medium-term finance whilst large financial requirements entail long-term finance. Finance is the life blood of an organization. All organisation be it profit or non-profit making depend on this critical resource. All it comes round to is to make the right choices at the right time when a need for finance arises.

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