Many businesses, both large and small, face the problem of market friction, which is essentially the difference between profits and losses in the firm. Market friction occurs when firms try to operate within a system where their activities produce limited returns while other firms try to take advantage of the relatively higher returns produced by the system. Since profits and losses are part of the business cycle, it is common for a firm to try to minimize its potential losses while maximizing its potential gains. The two competing strategies can cause firm turnover, lower gross and net profit margins, and lower credit ratings.
One way that firms attempt to reduce these losses and maximize their potential gains is through the use of venture capital. Venture capital is money provided by a third party with the intention of using it to generate a return for the firm through some form of tangible creation or new activity. A typical venture capital deal consists of equity capital and/or debt capital. Venture capitalists use the equity and/or debt capital to create new firms and new markets for the firm.
Another common method of firm investments is through the use of human capital. Human capital refers to those individuals who contribute to the firm through their knowledge, skills, and talents. Firm owners, managers, and employees are all examples of human capital. While human capital is particularly important to firms with limited or no experience in business, it can also be important for newer firms that are developing their skills through formal job training.
When conducting the analysis for a firm investment plan, managers, owners, and employees should also be interested in the firm investment programs and strategies that result in the maximum expected value. Frequently firms will measure their performance against benchmark investments, as well as against the performance of other similar firms. If a firm’s investment program does not consistently meet or exceed the benchmark, it may not be as effective as desired. In this scenario, the firm should attempt to modify the investment plan in some way to at least match the level of performance against the benchmark investment. A company also has the option of tradingoffs among investments to determine which investment is most efficient.
Finally, the government intervention may also come in the form of a fiscal policy crisis period. If a major crash occurs, the government will step in with funds to help the economy recover. The package will often include tax relief and bailouts. Because the government intervention is almost always good for firms of all sizes and across many industries, it has actually been an effective method of firm investments over the past several decades. However, just like in all types of crises, the impact on firms varies across time, space, and industry.
So how do government interventions affect firm investments? They usually have a positive effect on firms’ investments through increased government spending and stimulus money, but the long-term impact is hard to quantify. On the one hand, increased government spending and stimulus money improves market prices for goods and services, making them more affordable for firms. On the other hand, increased government spending and stimulus money also increases market competition and consequently reduces firms’ incentives to increase productivity and make more profit. This means that over time, the positive effect of a government intervention like this is diminished as firms react against it by cutting costs, reducing capacity, or exiting the market altogether.
