What Does Capital Mean In Business?

Capital serves as a fundamental concept in the oeuvre of business. It serves as a lifeline of business that constantly provides fuel to economic activity and ensures growth. It may have various forms, but it is the very foundation on which a business stands and operates.

For any aspiring entrepreneur, it is essential to secure a deep understanding of the concept of capital. Here is a detailed explanation that will help one to understand the concept, forms, and significance of capital in business.

What Is Capital In The Context Of Business?

In the context of business, capital refers to the financial as well as non-financial assets and resources that are used by a business organization for funding its operations, as well as various investments.

Capital is also essential for the potential growth of the business. Business capital may be in the form of cash, equipment, or machinery, among many others.

After learning capital meaning in business, it is essential to gain knowledge about the various forms of capital, each of which serves a specific purpose in business; let’s look at these forms:

Financial Capital:

This is one of the most common forms that is referred to as money and involves funds in a bank account, cash in hand, and other forms of liquid assets of a company.

Physical Capital:

This involves all the tangible assets like real estate, machinery, and equipment that are used by businesses for producing goods and services.

Working Capital:

Working capital can be understood as the difference between the current liabilities of a company and its current assets. This helps in measuring the ability of the company to meet its financial obligation and manage daily business operations.

Venture Capital:

This is a specialized financial capital that is provided by investors to early-stage companies or startups in exchange for the ownership of equities.

Human Capital:

Human capital is the set of knowledge, expertise, and skills of the workforce of a company. This is an intangible form of capital but is essential for efficiency and productivity.

Intellectual Capital:

These assets include all the intangible assets a business possesses, like trademarks, proprietary technology, copyrights, and patents.

Conclusion

A thorough understanding and management of these different forms of capital is crucial for the sustenance and smooth running of business.