This book has been written with the intention of contributing to the understanding, and to the rational application by business, of the financial facilities currently being offered in Australia. It is a readable guide to sources of finance, including debt, equity and Government assistance, with an emphasis on a practical rather than theoretical approach to the subject.

The sequence of Parts and Chapters takes a business progressively through financial development from business concept to maturity stage. The primary objective is to provide a basis for managerial decision making.

In recent years the Australian financial system has undergone major changes. Successive Australian Governments have introduced many policy initiatives to invigorate Australian business activity and to create a more competitive atmosphere in the financial sector. This has certainly occurred, at least in terms of greater competition between the financial institutions.

Australian business now has available a broader range of financial services than ever before. The challenge is to stimulate commercial and industrial activity and this is largely the responsibility of the business community itself rather than the Government of the day.