Working Capital Management
In the chapters on ‘Planning an SSI Unit’ and ‘ Business Plan’, a discussion was made on the fixed capital and the working capital. Every business,needs investment to procure fixed assets, which remain in use for a longer period. Money invested in these assets is called ‘Long term Funds’ or ‘Fixed Capital’. Business also needs funds for short-term purposes to finance current operations. Investment in short term assets like cash, inventories, debtors etc., is called ‘Short-term Funds’ or ‘Working Capital’. The ‘Working Capital’ can be categorised, as funds needed for carrying out day-to-day operations of the business smoothly. The management of the working capital is equally impor-tant as the management of long-term financial investment. Every running business needs working capital. Even a business which is fully equipped with all types of fixed assets required is bound to collapse without (i) adequate supply of raw materials for processing; (ii) cash to pay for wages, power and other costs; (iii) creating a stock of finished goods to feed the market demand regularly; and, (iv) the ability to grant credit to its customers. All these require working capital. Working capital is thus like the lifeblood of a business. The business will not be able to carry on day-to-day activities without the availability of adequate working capital. The diagram shown on the next page clarifies it: Working capital cycle involves conversions and rotation of various con-stituents/components of the working capital. Initially ‘cash’ is converted into raw materials.
Subsequently, with the usage of fixed assets resulting in value additions, the raw materials get converted into work in process and then into finished goods.
When sold on credit, the finished goods assume the form of debtors who give the business cash on due date. Thus ‘cash’ assumes its original