Management for small businesses calls for proper training. With this realization in mind, there are many business management schools and colleges that have been set up all around the United States. A close analysis in the entrepreneurship world shows the majority of the ventures in the market are small and medium sized enterprises. Most of them have survived on the strength of proper knowledge of management.Training on management requires to capture the sociological, psychological, management and economic factors. Learners need to be encouraged to be broad minded if the enterprises they are to set up are to survive competition and constantly changing market trends. The notion that highly paying jobs are only available in big corporations should be scraped off from the mind of up coming and potential business people. In any case, the economy of America is greatly dependent on the upcoming small and medium enterprises. The government has even gone out of the way to boost these ventures.Management courses should explore the nature of small enterprises, their scope or boundary, the skills they require as well as technology and the knowledge required therein. Management of finances should form the core of these courses. Research shows that many small enterprises are driven out of operation due to poor balance between inflows and out flows.Other management skills that need to be taught in colleges include accounting and book-keeping, time management, human resource management which is also key in handling the personnel employed in these enterprises. Project management, retail management, data management, office management among others should also be emphasized.
Small Business Management Tips
Success Factors in a Global Network Marketing Business
Success FactorsHow to Discover the Love, Innovation and the Entrepreneurial Fitness Required in a Global Network Marketing BusinessForwardTo everyone that is doubtful of hope – this is for you!Let’s begin. A few short weeks ago, unbeknownst to me, I had the privilege of meeting someone on an airplane bound for Adelaide, Australia; who would lead me onto an exciting path of discovery. We momentarily chatted at the back of the aeroplane on my way back from Nadi, Fiji; in a chance meeting in which I would say ‘yes’, I would like to hear more about the business model that had established her recent financial freedom and success (more to come on this encounter with an interview in the later chapters).Eager to progress my knowledge, I spent the next 4 weeks researching the industry, the organisation, the people behind it and the sequences and processes to their wealth. The learning curve was exponential – and this is my reflection. At this point in time, I was coincidentally completing my final MBA capstone research project in Adelaide, so I took the opportunity to research her discussion with me in depth and convey the message across to my followers from an Australian scholarly point of view. I had no idea about the industry, albeit little rumours here and there to complement my somewhat biased and disappointing initial online research. I found nothing positive but like an underworld that nobody truly knew about – it intrigued me because I felt that something was right.The bastion for wealth had its scent in the air. This could be its last refuge – I thought. I had to form an immediate action drill to advance a pincer movement onto this burgeoning interest. It was now or never. I wasn’t sure if it was the timing or the opportunity – the right thing to do though was to jump first and ask questions later. This is the later part of that quick equation that transpired in my entrepreneurial mind. This educative curiosity from an Australian scholarly perspective is now alive in the words that you will feel and as we go through the journey together; towards health, wealth, a great life with grand relationships and most importantly learning about the chances to glow youthfully throughout the adventure. This enlightenment was my beginning into a new and evolving industry. A new road was carved and you may feel the moments morph around your own personal experiences or fantasies. I dived immediately into the books and into the school library; the search for the golden nugget had begun. Line by line, word for word, dissecting the information and honouring the objections with gratitude. My hope is that this communicated knowledge helps novice beginners similar to myself, take that intriguing next step towards calculated risk taking, growth and most importantly, self-discovery through the facts.I hope that you gain some business value in my research and that this value inspires you to create your own decisions when the time comes for you to approach your own destiny!In Gratitude and Thanks.David.Chapter 1Introduction to Network MarketingNetwork marketing, multi-level marketing, direct sales, referral marketing, pyramid selling etc, the names are endless. For the purpose of simplification we will adhere to this business model simply as network marketing for ease of navigation, and understanding throughout the book. All of these names; simply exemplifies a unique marketing strategy for the sale of products or services where the revenue of the network company is derived from a non-salaried workforce selling the company’s products or services. Pretty simple system – just made complicated to confuse the novice beginner like myself.1.1 History – How Did It Start?By accident to be honest. This is how the story goes and it all starts with an ingenuous idea conceptualised in 1930 by a man called Carl Rehnborg. Carl was an American businessman who lived in China between 1917 to 1927. Carl observed the benefits of using supplements in a diet that could be beneficial to a human beings health. According to Amway publications, Carl’s study became the ‘ample opportunity to observe at close range the effects of an inadequate diet’. With the knowledge he attained in the nutritional literature, he then started to envision a dietary supplement that would assist proper body functioning in any sort of diet. Carl then decided to go back to America to start his own company out of his learnings in China. He founded his company called The California Vitamin Company. In 1939, he renamed the company to Nutrilite. Carl utilised his friends to sell the vitamins but things initially looked disappointing. The vitamins were piling up on the shelves, unused and forgotten. It was heartbreaking for Carl. Until an idea lit up in his mind, to develop a kind of selling by informing people about the product. He shared the vitamins to more of his friends, to the friends of his friends and so on. You can see where this is going right? Alas – network marketing was born!The business model grew further when Jay Van Andel and Rich DeVos became the distributors of Carl’s products. The three noticed a phenomenal increase in sales. KABOOM… !! Network marketing was unleashed into the world. They later set up a competing company (because competition is good in a capitalistic economy) called Amway and they also bought a controlling interest in Nutrilite in 1972. In 1994, Amway took over full ownership and is one of the largest network marketing companies in the world today.1.2 How Do They Get Paid?As the business world innovates and disrupts, network marketing compensation plans evolve to attract new recruits and customers. It is a very simple strategy for expansion to capitalise on the available market share. It is different for every network marketing company just as there are different salaries for different corporations. However the most common is the commission based on the two revenue streams. The first stream of compensation can be paid out from commissions of product sales. The second stream of compensation can be paid out from commissions based on recruiting similar minded distributors. The amount of compensation varies between network marketing companies. I would have to study every single company in the world to understand this – alternatively I can study the success stories because success always leaves hints – in the results.Chapter 2Demographic ExamplesLet’s look at some quick examples of the people who have seen the opportunity and taken the leap. Here we witness the amazing stories of different individuals who have tasted the recent fruit of success in network marketing – becoming phenomenally wealthy.2.1 TeacherSarah Robbins always dreamed to become a teacher. So she became one. She thought she could now have all that she wanted with a limitless appetite for continuous personal growth and development. However, the economy stumped in the US of A, challenging her thoughts on the economy.She had heard of the Rodan & Fields products. She then decided to join so she could earn an extra income and expand her personal development at the same time. Unexpectedly, with her initial goal to earn just a bit of extra income, she earned more than she thought, even more as a teacher. Her career in network marketing grew and she decided to focus on it rather than her teaching career. She was earning six figures at a very young age. She joined the millionaires club and becoming the first distributor to be inducted into the Rodan & Fields Hall of Fame. Sarah continues to educate people on the benefits of network marketing and benefits of its wealth through her unique educational style.2.2 WriterEric Worre, an ordinary writer spent 30 years working in network marketing once he saw the light. He spent most of his 30 years as a distributor and eventually became the president of his own networking company – The People’s Network. He then decided to retire as a distributor and continued his journey in network marketing as a coach and helped network marketing novices, organizing sales presentations. He then wrote ‘Go Pro – 7 Steps to Becoming a Network Marketing Professional’ in 2013, to reach and educate more network marketing aspirants. It has sold more than 1.5 million copies and has been on six best-sellers lists on Amazon.2.3 Single MotherDonna Johnson is an example of a network marketing miracle. A single mum who did not have anything before she started in network marketing. No college degree – just an ordinary swimming coach in a little American town. With her determination to succeed, she now earns more than $1 million per year and is the leader in one of the top network marketing companies, Arbonne. She is now one of the biggest earners in network marketing and has a bed and breakfast business in Jamaica amongst other entrepreneurial ventures.2.4 Government WorkerRebecca Simon is a modest mother who was brought up in one of Adelaide’s toughest suburbs. She recollects how she would travel to work every day and sit at an uninspiring desk job, knowing deep down inside that she was capable of more. Today she is building her own resort on an exotic south pacific Island – just three years after she started in network marketing. More on Rebecca’s inspirational story later on in the book.Chapter 3The Feminine Revolution40 years ago, when the empowerment of women took off, many loved their new found independence and the opportunity to dress in a suit and drive off to a esteemed corner office. Things have changed a lot since the 70s and 80s, today she is just as happy to pull on comfortable yoga pants and skip the travel to the office altogether. Instead of tolerating negative office stigma and glass ceilings, modern women are heading towards the unique opportunity to be their own CEO, have control with no limits on their annual income. Some other reasons why network marketing industry is proving to be amazing for the ladies are:Drum roll…
3.1 Work – Life BalanceBeing burnt out today is no longer the exception, it is the norm. People have to put up with inflation, rising food prices, cost of living, raise families and commute sometimes for hours to get to, and back from work. The amount of work to be taken home is also increasing, teachers working to plan their workloads weeks in advance and project managers working extended hours to launch projects on time. You have heard it before and again, the balance has gone out of whack but some refuse to accept the truth.3.2 EnvironmentMost career women have worked in team environments and enjoy the collaborative and interpersonal communication that goes with it. It is no surprise that the network marketing industry has exactly that and for most women joining the industry, it is this support and collaboration that they miss the most from a usual 9am to 5pm, sit in the corner and do your work routine.3.3 Choice to ChooseNetwork marketing gives women the freedom to choose who they would like to work with as business partners. They choose who they recruit, who they work with and who they would rather not. This choice to choose is empowering and exciting at the same time for women in the industry.3.4 Global Empire at Your FingertipsYou drive around cities and towns nowadays and still see the for lease sign up again at the shop that closed around the corner. You wonder why some businesses prefer the old way of doing businesses in a time where digital disruption is taking stores online. The brilliance of network marketing is that apart from an initial modest start-up fee, there are no overheads, no garages for stock keeping, accountants, legal advisers, etc, you get the idea. The brilliance with network marketing is that most if not all the work can be done from your mobile phone or laptop computer. Your store is online!3.5 Cool Rewards and IncentivesThere are hardly any places left in the world where a large corporation hosts large global events that also reward women for trips, cars, gifts, holidays etc, all whilst developing women business capabilities and personal development. Name a lady who doesn’t like to be pampered from time to time with absolute luxury?3.6 Glass CeilingWith 82 percent of the network marketing industry made up of women, more and more are rising to the top, claiming multi-six- and seven-figure annual incomes. The world is your oyster in this industry for women and those that grasp the opportunity are confirmed with a gift, and if utilised, become extremely wealthy. No glass ceiling in the industry. Effort equals reward!3.7 Freedom of TimeLet’s face it, we all need more freedom, money and time. Where else can you get that? In the industry business partners are told to work at least 2 hours per day to grow their businesses. That’s an average of 8 hours from Monday to Friday. If done correctly this is all one needs to sustain a healthy and wealthy lifestyle from passive income brought in by the industry. Freedom has the allure to pull and no one will ever say no to an opportunity to get more!And, finally, perhaps the most important reason of all…
3.8 AuthenticityThe network marketing business model thrives on the values of femininity such as nurturing support, collaboration, and authenticity – all of which are inherently feminine traits that are easily transferrable into the business model. The more women show up as their natural caring selves, the more successful they become in developing long term substantial relationships in growing their teams and customer base.Chapter 4The Meek Shall Inherit the EarthThe worlds middle class is becoming much larger, the worlds education system is being made more accessible and demographics from the poorest suburbs on the planet have made that extraordinary leap from third world country struggle – to developed world multi-millionaire. Let’s have a look at some examples.4.1 The Gift of AdversityStudies and research have proven time and time again that those from minority, ethnic or migrant backgrounds go that extra mile to achieve their goals in life; if given a small and fair chance to give an opportunity a ago. With that attitude and hunger in network marketing, most if not all, go on to become extraordinary wealthy, becoming multi-millionaires and leaders. There is just something magical, mystical, unknown and empowering about enduring as an underdog from one of those aforementioned backgrounds. Turning adversity and challenges on its head can be the source of generational wealth for years and years to come. Let’s research an example of a network marketing company that is capturing this driven demographic.4.2 KyaniKyani is a global network marketing giant who has successfully positioned itself for global dominance in developing countries to assist the worlds growing middle class. A new starter but safely past the initial 10 year start up survival phase, and rapidly expanding into some 60 plus different countries over the short space of time, Kyani doesn’t limit its sales in developed economies but has strategically given interest to the worlds developing nations such as Honduras, Guatemala, Kazakhstan and Slovakia to name a few. You only have to grab a copy of Kyanis annual network marketing magazine to see proof of the overflow of the minority demographics from countries such as Korea, Turkey, Hungary and the Philippines who are being inducted into the 7 figure salary clubs. Most had disadvantaged starts in life and were from the ordinary occupations such as soldiers, hairdressers and tradesman.Let’s look at some life examples.4.3 Les BrownAfrican American global inspirational speaker, Les Brown didn’t have the best start in life. In fact it was horrible. However, he turned that pain around and become an inspirational example of hope for the world. Les Brown often refers to another historic global icon Ralph Waldo Emerson in his speeches who coined today’s existence as the ‘age of self-reliance’. Les Brown champions unorthodox underdog mental motivation and entrepreneurship – qualities that are found in those that are from minority, migrant and ethnic backgrounds.4.4 Robert KiyosakiFrom a military and Japanese Hawaiian background – Robert Kiyosaki, the award winning Rich Dad, Poor Dad writer; has proven that network marketing success and wealth is not reserved for any demographic. Success can be achieved by anyone, and from any background.Chapter 5Global Icons in Network MarketingNow, let’s look at some well-known global figures who have aligned their businesses with the network marketing industry.5.1 Warren BuffettThe man needs no introduction as a philanthropist and investor and usually sits in the top 3 of the richest people on the planet. He is valued at nearly 70 billion USD and owns Berkshire Hathaway. Berkshire Hathaway owns three network marketing companies, Kirby, World Book and the Pampered Chef. To this day Warren Buffett calls purchasing these network marketing companies – the best purchase he has ever made!5.2 Richard BransonA man that also requires no introduction. One small branch of the Virgin Group that often goes unmentioned is Vie at Home, a network marketing company formerly known as Virgin Vie. Vie at Home made over $60 million of profit in its – first year maiden of existence! Ouch!5.3 Donald TrumpYes, no political affiliations here but when asked on the David Letterman show: What would you do if you lost everything and had to start over from scratch? Trump replied – “I would find a good network marketing company and get to work”.5.4 Bill ClintonIn 1997, Bill Clinton endorsed network marketing in his remarks to the Direct Selling Association. President Clinton stated that ‘You strengthen our country and our economy not just by striving for your own success but by offering opportunity to others… Your industry gives people the chance, after all, to make the most of their own lives and to me that’s the heart of the American dream’.5.5 Jim RohnOne of the worlds pioneers in personal development and network marketing. Today remains one of the founding fathers of the personal and professional development movement and mentored motivational leaders like Tony Robbins. Jim Rohn found the light and opportunity within the network marketing industry and within 6 years – turned his fortunes around to become extraordinarily wealthy, by the age of 32.Chapter 6SummaryWith our brief history and introduction lesson complete, we will go from a beginner to more advanced network marketing challengers and the strategies that will equip the beginner early in the journey. We will unearth deep scholarly research to help structure your leadership for both, the local and the rising global markets.This Australian scholarly research will include vital business concepts that have been proven to increase the chances of success by leveraging both digital and offline mediums. As a bonus and later on in the book; the author personally will outline how his global and MBA experience has helped him in the industry.I sincerely hope that this book adds insurmountable value to your life, those around you and most importantly, your bright future.Thank You.AboutDavd was born in Fiji. At 20 years of age he enlisted into the British Army at Stoke on Trent in England. He served all over the world for a decade as an engineer and team leader. Some of his postings included Germany, Bosnia Herzegovina, Cyprus, Australia and Afghanistan. He moved into civilian life in Australia on May 22, 2012 and rose quickly through the civilian and public service leadership ranks. He graduates in November, 2018 with an MBA degree from Torrens University Australia and lives in Adelaide.
Finance, Credit, Investments – Economical Categories
Scientific works in the theories of finances and credit, according to the specification of the research object, are characterized to be many-sided and many-leveled.
The definition of totality of the economical relations formed in the process of formation, distribution and usage of finances, as money sources is widely spread. For example, in “the general theory of finances” there are two definitions of finances:
1) “…Finances reflect economical relations, formation of the funds of money sources, in the process of distribution and redistribution of national receipts according to the distribution and usage”. This definition is given relatively to the conditions of Capitalism, when cash-commodity relations gain universal character;
2) “Finances represent the formation of centralized ad decentralized money sources, economical relations relatively with the distribution and usage, which serve for fulfillment of the state functions and obligations and also provision of the conditions of the widened further production”. This definition is brought without showing the environment of its action. We share partly such explanation of finances and think expedient to make some specification.
First, finances overcome the bounds of distribution and redistribution service of the national income, though it is a basic foundation of finances. Also, formation and usage of the depreciation fund which is the part of financial domain, belongs not to the distribution and redistribution of the national income (of newly formed value during a year), but to the distribution of already developed value.
This latest first appears to be a part of value of main industrial funds, later it is moved to the cost price of a ready product (that is to the value too) and after its realization, and it is set the depression fund. Its source is taken into account before hand as a depression kind in the consistence of the ready products cost price.
Second, main goal of finances is much wider then “fulfillment of the state functions and obligations and provision of conditions for the widened further production”. Finances exist on the state level and also on the manufactures and branches’ level too, and in such conditions, when the most part of the manufactures are not state.
V. M. Rodionova has a different position about this subject: “real formation of the financial resources begins on the stage of distribution, when the value is realized and concrete economical forms of the realized value are separated from the consistence of the profit”. V. M. Rodionova makes an accent of finances, as distributing relations, when D. S. Moliakov underlines industrial foundation of finances. Though both of them give quite substantiate discussion of finances, as a system of formation, distribution and usage of the funds of money sources, that comes out of the following definition of the finances: “financial cash relations, which forms in the process of distribution and redistribution of the partial value of the national wealth and total social product, is related with the subjects of the economy and formation and usage of the state cash incomes and savings in the widened further production, in the material stimulation of the workers for satisfaction of the society social and other requests”.
In the manuals of the political economy we meet with the following definitions of finances:
“Finances of the socialistic state represent economical (cash) relations, with the help of which, in the way of planned distribution of the incomes and savings the funds of money sources of the state and socialistic manufactures are formed for guaranteeing the growth of the production, rising the material and cultural level of the people and for satisfying other general society requests”.
“The system of creation and usage of necessary funds of cash resources for guarantying socialistic widened further production represent exactly the finances of the socialistic society. And the totality of economical relations arisen between state, manufactures and organizations, branches, regions and separate citizen according to the movement of cash funds make financial relations”.
As we’ve seen, definitions of finances made by financiers and political economists do not differ greatly.
In every discussed position there are:
1) expression of essence and phenomenon in the definition of finances;
2) the definition of finances, as the system of the creation and usage of funds of cash sources on the level of phenomenon.
3) Distribution of finances as social product and the value of national income, definition of the distributions planned character, main goals of the economy and economical relations, for servicing of which it is used.
If refuse the preposition “socialistic” in the definition of finances, we may say, that it still keeps actuality. We meet with such traditional definitions of finances, without an adjective “socialistic”, in the modern economical literature. We may give such an elucidation: “finances represent cash resources of production and usage, also cash relations appeared in the process of distributing values of formed economical product and national wealth for formation and further production of the cash incomes and savings of the economical subjects and state, rewarding of the workers and satisfaction of the social requests”. in this elucidation of finances like D. S. Moliakov and V. M. Rodionov’s definitions, following the traditional inheritance, we meet with the widening of the financial foundation. They concern “distribution and redistribution of the value of created economical product, also the partial distribution of the value of national wealth”. This latest is very actual, relatively to the process of privatization and the transition to privacy and is periodically used in practice in different countries, for example, Great Britain and France.
“Finances – are cash sources, financial resources, their creation and movement, distribution and redistribution, usage, also economical relations, which are conditioned by intercalculations between the economical subjects, movement of cash sources, money circulation and usage”.
“Finances are the system of economical relations, which are connected with firm creation, distribution and usage of financial resources”.
We meet with absolutely innovational definitions of finances in Z. Body and R. Merton’s basis manuals. “Finance – it is the science about how the people lead spending `the deficit cash resources and incomes in the definite period of time. The financial decisions are characterized by the expenses and incomes which are 1) separated in time, and 2) as a rule, it is impossible to take them into account beforehand neither by those who get decisions nor any other person” . “Financial theory consists of numbers of the conceptions… which learns systematically the subjects of distribution of the cash resources relatively to the time factor; it also considers quantitative models, with the help of which the estimation, putting into practice and realization of the alternative variants of every financial decisions take place” .
These basic conceptions and quantitative models are used at every level of getting financial decisions, but in the latest definition of finances, we meet with the following doctrine of the financial foundation: main function of the finances is in the satisfaction of the people’s requests; the subjects of economical activities of any kind (firms, also state organs of every level) are directed towards fulfilling this basic function.
For the goals of our monograph, it is important to compare well-known definitions about finances, credit and investment, to decide how and how much it is possible to integrate the finances, investments and credit into the one total part.
Some researcher thing that credit is the consisting part of finances, if it is discussed from the position of essence and category. The other, more numerous group proves, that an economical category of credit exists parallel to the economical category of finances, by which it underlines impossibility of the credit’s existence in the consistence of finances.
N. K. Kuchukova underlined the independence of the category of credit and notes that it is only its “characteristic feature the turned movement of the value, which is not related with transmission of the loan opportunities together with the owners’ rights”.
N. D. Barkovski replies that functioning of money created an economical basis for apportioning finances and credit as an independent category and gave rise to the credit and financial relations. He noticed the Gnoseological roots of science in money and credit, as the science about finances has business with the research of such economical relations, which lean upon cash flow and credit.
Let’s discuss the most spread definitions of credit. in the modern publications credit appeared to be “luckier”, then finances. For example, we meet with the following definition of credit in the finance-economical dictionary: “credit is the loan in the form of cash and commodity with the conditions of returning, usually, by paying percent. Credit represents a form of movement of the loan capital and expresses economical relations between the creditor and borrower”.
This is the traditional definition of credit. In the earlier dictionary of the economy we read: “credit is the system of economical relations, which is formed while the transmission of cash and material means into the temporal usage, as a rule under the conditions of returning and paying percent”.
In the manual of the political economy published under reduction of V. A. Medvedev the following definition is given: “credit, as an economical category, expresses the created relations between the society, labour collective and workers during formation and usage of the loan funds, under the terms of paying present and returning, during transmission of sources for the temporal usage and accumulation”.
Credit is discussed in the following way in the earlier education-methodological manuals of political economy: “credit is the system of money relations, which is created in the process of using and mobilization of temporarily free cash means of the state budget, unions, manufactures, organizations and population. Credit has an objective character. It is used for providing widened further production of the state and other needs. Credit differs from finances by the returning character, while financing of manufactures and organizations by the state is fulfilled without this condition”.
We meet with the following definition if “the course of economy”: “credit is an economical category, which represents relations, while the separate industrial organizations or persons transmit money means to each-other for temporal usage under the conditions of returning. Creation of credit is conditioned by a historical process of fulfilling the economical and money relations, the form of which is the money relation”.
Following scientists give slightly different definitions of credit:
“Credit – is a loan in the form of money or commodity, which is given to the borrower by a creditor under the conditions of returning and paying the percentage rate by the borrower”.
Credit is giving the temporally free money sources or commodity as a debt for the defined terms by the price of fixed percentage. Thus, a credit is the loan in the form of money or commodity. In the process of this loan’s movement, a definite relations are formed between a creditor (the loan is given by a juridical of physical person, who gives certain cash as a debt) and the debtor.
Combining every definition named above, we come to an idea, that credit is giving money capital of commodity as a debt, for certain terms and material provision under the price of firm percentage rate. It expresses definite economical relations between the participants of the process of capital formation. Necessity of the credit relations is conditioned, from one side, by gathering solid quantity of temporarily free money sources, and from the second side, existence of requests of them.
Though, at the same time we must distinguish two resembling concepts: loan and credit. Loan is characterized by:
o Here, the discussion may touch upon transmission of money and also things form one side (loaner) to another (borrower): a)under the owning of the borrower and, at the same time, b) under the conditions of returning same amount or same quantity and quality of the things;
o The loaning of money may bear no interest;
o Any person may take part in it.
With the difference with loan, credit, which is somehow a private occasion of the loan, represents:
o One side (loaner) gives to the second one (borrower) only money, and _ for temporal usage;
o It may not bear no interest (if the assignment doesn’t foresee something);
o In it creditor is not any person, but a credit organization (at the first place, banks).
So, a credit is the bank credit. To our mind, it is not correct to use “credit” and “loan” as the synonyms.
Banking crediting is the union of relations between bank (as a creditor) and its borrower. These relations touch upon:
a) Giving a certain amount of money to the borrower for definite purpose (though, we meet with the so-called free credits, aims and objects of crediting are not appointed in the assignment);
b) Its opportune returning;
c) Getting percentage rate from the borrower for using the sources under his/her disposal.
The essential foundation of the credit essence and its important element is existence of trust between the two sides (in Latin “credo”, from which comes the word “credit”, means “trust”).
From the position of circulation of money forms (in the abstraction, historical process of formation economical relations and social budget and banking systems expressed by them) comparing different definitions of finances and credit, the paradox conclusion appears: credit is the private occasion of finances. And truly, from the position of movement of the money forms, finances represent the process of formation and usage of the funds of cash means. Very often such movements are fulfilled without returning, but sometimes, it is possible to give loans from the budget for the investment projects of other needs. Also, when a manufacture or corporations use their cash funds and we mean the finances of industrial subject, such usage may be realized as inside the manufacture or corporation (there is no subject about returning or not returning of the usage), so gratis under conditions of returning. This latest is called commercial form because of transmitting the sources to others, but even in this occasion, it is the element of financial system of the manufacture and corporation.
From the point of cash means movement, main character of credit is the process of formation and usage of the funds of cash means under the conditions of returning and, as a rule, taking the value-percentage. If gating the credit value doesn’t take place (even in the exceptional occasions), according to the movement form, credit becomes a private occasion of finances, as from the net financial funds (consequently from the state budget) the loans which bear no interests may be used. If gating credit value takes place, by the appearance form, credit is discussed to be financial modification.
From the historical point of view, finances (especially in the sort of the state budget) and credit (beginning with usury, later commercial and banking) were developing differently for considering credit to be the part of finances. Though, from the genetic-historical point of view, previous loaners, before giving loan, needed gathering the permanent capital not returning, that is the net financial foundation. The banks analogously needed concentration of the important own capital for influxing the consumers’ means and for getting higher percentage rate under the conditions of returning. Herewith, exactly on the financial basis, in the sort of financial fund (which later partially becomes loan fund) part of the bank capital appears to be the reservation (insurance) part of the fund, which by nature is financial and not loan. So notwithstanding the essential distinctions between finances and credit form the genetic-historical point of view, credit appears to be formed from finances and represent their modification.
From the essential position of expressing economical relations of finances and credit, we meet with cardinal distinctions between these two categories. Which mostly expressed by the distinction of the movement forms notwithstanding they are returnable or not. Finances express relations in the aspects of distribution and redistribution of social product and part of the national wealth. Credit expresses distribution of the appropriate value only in the section of percentage given for loan, while according to the loan itself, a only a temporal distribution of money sources takes place.
Herewith, there is a lot of common between the finances and credit as from the essential point of view, so according to the form of movement. At the same time, there is a significant distinction between finances and credit as in the essence, so in the form too. According to this, there must be a kind of generally economical category, which will consider finances and credit as a total unity, and in the bounds of this category itself, the separation of the specific essence of the finances and credit would take place.
Funding of the cash means is common to the researched economical categories. It takes place in any separate system of finances and credit, which have been touched upon during the analyses of defining finances and credit. Word combination “funding of the cash sources (fund formation)” reflects and defines exactly essence and form of economical category of more general character, those of finances and credit categories. Though in the in economical texts and practice, it is very uncomfortable to use a termini, which consists of three words. Also, “unloading” with an information hardens greatly its influxing into the circulation even in the conditions of its strict substantiation and thoroughness.
In the discussing context we consider:
1) wide and narrow understanding of economical category of the finances;
2) discussing finances in narrow understanding under general traditional meaning;
3) discussing finances, as funding of the cash means, in wide understanding, which concerns finances – in narrow meaning and credit – in complete meaning.
Termini “funding” and its equivalent “fund formation” are used by us as the purposeful structuring of cash means, which is based on two poles – accumulation of money sources (gathering) and its usage for definite purpose in the way of financing and crediting.
We have established a new termini – “finance-investment sphere” (FIS). Analyses about interrelation of finances and credit made by us give us an opportunity of proving, that in the given termini, the word “financial” is used with the meaning of funding cash sources, its purposeful structuring. In this process we consider at the same time financial, credit and investments’ economical categories.
Let’s sum up middle results of discussing new concept – “finance-investment sphere” and discuss its investment consisting parts.
The concept “investments” was brought into the native economical science from the West. In the Soviet economical science they for a long time used in the place “investments” the termini “capital placement”, which expressed the usage of the industrial factors in the sphere of real industrial activities during realization of capital projects. From one glance, this termini in its concept is identical to the “investments”, consequently it is possible to use them as synonyms. Though the termini “investments” and “investing” have the advantage towards the termini “capital placement” from linguistic and philological points of view, because they are expressed with one word. This is not only economical and comfortable in the process of working with the termini “investment” itself, but also it gives an opportunity of termini formation. More concretely: “investment process”, “investment domain”, “finance-investment sphere” – all these termini are much more acceptable.
Changing native economical termini with foreign ones is purposeful, if it really matters (by keeping parallel usage of the native termini for the inheritance). Though we must not change native economical termini into foreign ones all together, when by ordinal traditional language easy to explain private and narrow concrete processes and elements get their own termini. The “movement” of these termini is approved in the narrow professional bounds, but their “spitting out” into the economical science may turn economical language into the tangled slang.
Let’s discuss termini – “investment” and “capital placement’s” usage in the economical literature.
Investments are placement of funds into the main and circulation capital for the purpose of getting profit. “Investments in material assets – are the placements of funds into the mobile and real estate (land, buildings, furniture and so on). Investments in financial assets are the placements of funds into the securities bank accounts and other financial instruments”.
We don’t meet with the termini “investments” in the earlier economical dictionary, but we meet the combined termini “investment policy” – the union of the industrial decisions, which guarantee main directions of the capital investments, the activities of their concentration in the determinant suburbs, on which the reaching of planned rates of development of the society production is depended, balancing and effectiveness, getting more and more production and profit of the national income for every lost Ruble”. For today, in the most actual definitions, the capital investments are bounded only by financial means, when not only financial, but also the investment of natural, material-technical and informational resources takes place. Labour resources take an actual place in the investment process. They themselves fulfill this or that investment process.
A positive side of the discussed definitions is that they connect investment policy and capital placements (investments):
- economical development according to the key directions to the concentration;
- providing high rates of economical growth;
- raising an economical effectiveness, which is expressed:
a) by growing the throw off of the production and national income for every lost Ruble;
b) by fulfilling the branch structure of the investments;
c) by improving their technological structure;
d) by optimization of their further production structure.
Compared with such definition of the investments (capital placement) the definition of investments in the dictionary attaching the “Economics” seems to be unimproved: “investments – the expenses of gathering production and industrial means and increasing material reserve”. In this definition current expenses (production expenses) are mixed with the investment (capital) expense. Also, not the investment expenses but (though the investments are followed by the appropriate expenses) exactly advancing. It differs from the expenses by that the means (means) are put by returning the advanced values, also, under the conditions of growth, to which the concept-advanced capital is corresponding. the advancing may be realized in the money, natural-material and informational forms.
Except the termini “investments”, there are two more termini related with the investment. They are shown below.
“Human capital investment” – any activity provided for rising the workers labour productivity (in the way of growing their qualification and developing their abilities); at the expenses of improving the workers’ education, health and raising the mobility of the working forces”. It is very useful to use the mentioned termini, though it needs one correction: the human capital investments do not concern only workers, but also the servants, representatives of every kind of labour.
“Investment commodity, capital goods – a capital.”
In the official manuals of political economy of the reformation time the capital investments are discussed as “expenses for creating new main funds and widening, reconstruction and renewing the active ones”. In this definition the investments (capital placements) during separation of the forms (types) of further production of the main funds are bounded only by main funds (without increases of the circulation funds and insurance reserves):
a) creating new ones;
b) widening;
c) reconstruction;
d) renewing.
Also, the concept of the industrial gathering appears, at the expenses of widening of basic, circulation funds and also insurance reserves takes place”.
You’ll meet below the definitions of investments from “the course of economy”: the investments are called “placements of fund into the basic capital (basic means of production), reserves, also other economical objects and processes, which request long-termed influxing of material and cash means. “According to the division of capital into physical and money forms, the investments too must be divided into material and cash investments”.
They apportion investment commodity, to which belong industrial and nonindustrial building objects, vehicles purposed for changing or widened technical park and the furniture, increasing reserves and others.
“They call the total investments of production an investment product, which is directed towards keeping and increasing the basic capital (basic means) and reserve. Total investments consist of two parts. One of them is called the depreciation; it represents important investment resources for compensation of renewal till the level of before industrial usage, wearing out and repairing of the basic means. Second consisting part of the total investments is represented by net investments – capital investments for the purpose of increasing basic means”. Depreciation is not a compensation resource of wearing the basic funds out, but it is the purposeful financial source of such resources.
Human capital investment is “a specific kind of investments, mostly in education and health protection”.
“Real investments are the investments in the economical branches and also, they are kinds of economical activities, which provide influxing the increases of real capital, that is increasing material values of the industrial means”. We can agree with such definition with one specification that material and nonmaterial values too belong to the real capital (wealth), consequently science-researching experimental-construction results, various information, education of he workers and others. Such service as organization of the excitable games, also the service of redistribution social wealth from one private person to another (except charity).
“Financial investments represent placement of funds into the shares, obligations, promissory notes, other securities and instruments. Such investments, of course, do not give increases of the real material capital, but they help getting profit, consequently at the expenses of changing the course of the securities in the time of speculation, or distinguishing the course in different places of sell and purchasing”. We share wholly such definition, hence it follows that financial investments (if it is not followed by real investments as a result) do not increase real material wealth and real nonmaterial wealth. According to this context, the expression below is very important: “we must distinguish financial investments, which represent placement of the funds in the ways of selling and purchasing the securities for the purpose of getting profit and financial investments, which become cash and real, moved to real physical capital.”
In the “economical course” quoted before long and short-termed investments are separated. Recognizing the existence of the bounds between them, the authors ascribe short-termed investments to “one month or more” investments. If we get such conditioned criteria, that we can call the investments which overcome the terms of some months, long-termed ones, which is very doubtful and we don’t agree with it. A long-termed character of the fund placement is a significant feature of the investments (short-term doesn’t combine with the concept of investments). Principally, it would be better to point out quick compensative, middle termed compensative and long-termed compensative investments:
- less then 6 months – quick compensative;
- from 6 months up to the year and a half – middle termed compensative;
- more then the year and a half – long termed compensative.
We stopped at the definition of the investments in the capital work “economical course” for the special purpose, as, in it the author tried to discuss the concept of investments systemically and quite completely, herewith the book is published just now.
We’ll return to the discussion the definition economical category of “investments” in different publications in the following chapter. The definitions given here are quite enough for having a notion of the level of lighting up the given category in the economical literature.
What conclusions may be made according the definition of the mentioned economical category in the published works, except the made notions and specifications?
There is quite deeply, concretely and thoroughly defined the concept of “investments”, different definitions in the economical literature; but mostly in every works about the investments discussed by us until now, there is not opened the essence of investments as an economical category. In every monograph , even if it has a title investment, as an economical category , there is given only the definition, concept of investments. But, as the Academician Vasil Chantladze explains, “a concept is a discussion, which proves something about the distinguishing feature of the researched object. A concept out of much essential characteristic features represents only one, and essential in it is only – definition”.
But the categories are much wider; it is “a key, the most fundamental concept of every science”. Economical categories theoretically represent real, objectively existed productive relations. A category is the defining of occasions of existed characters, connections, relations of the objective world. Generally, any educational process is fulfilled by the categories, which give opportunities for dividing the processes and occasions semantically, for expressing the definitions of a subject and realize their specific peculiarities and economical relations of a material world.
Our goal is exactly to substantiate investments – as an economical category and also, as a financial category in the narrow understanding.
Here we apply for another manual thesis made by the academician Vasil Chantladze: “every financial relation is an economical one and every financial category is and economical one, but not every economical relation and economical category is financial relation and financial category”.
In the process of defining the investments, it is important to take in mind the sides of resources, expenses and incomes, because investment, from one side, is the result of the manufacture’s activity, and, from another one, – a part of income, which, in this case, is not used for usage.
Another occasion: it is advisable to discuss investments in two aspects: as a category of reserve and flow, which will reflect exactly the connection between “placement of funds” and “investments”.