Technical resources

Drivers of change: global perspective

Faye Chua, February 2013. This report outlines the main findings of a survey recently conducted by ACCA and IMA across their membership on 100 drivers of change for the global accountancy profession. It presents the three critical drivers of change in the short, the medium and the long term for a variety of businesses. By identifying and exploring emerging trends, it can help accountants and business leaders prepare for an uncertain tomorrow.

Making capital markets work in emerging and frontier economies: case studies

This paper presents five case studies on the development of capital markets in emerging and frontier economies. These first-hand accounts reveal the crucial human, social and regulatory capital that capital markets rely on and demonstrate how much local regulators and operators around the world can learn from each other.

In search of innovative solutions: report of the discussions from the FEE roundtable series 'access to finance for SMEs'

FEE SMP Task Force. This document reflects the outcome of debates held in expert roundtables organised by FEE, the Federation of European Accountants.

Basel III and SMEs: getting the trade-off right

The provisions of Basel III, the global framework governing the regulation of bank capital, liquidity and leverage, will, for the coming years, determine the supply and cost of capital to businesses globally. The financial crisis presented policymakers with a choice between promoting business growth and safeguarding financial stability. This paper discusses how Basel III can be adapted to reflect the appropriate trade-off between the two.

The rise of capital markets in emerging and frontier economies

Capital markets promote economic development and growth by facilitating and diversifying firms’ access to finance. In order to do this they rely on institutions, including sound financial reporting and assurance, and these in turn depend on the accounting profession. This discussion paper considers how these relationships work and how policymakers can build on them.

CRD IV and small businesses: revisiting the evidence in Europe

CRD IV is one of the most important pieces of regulation ever to come out of the EU institutions and its implementation could determine the shape of the recovery from one of the most challenging times in the Union’s existence. Based on its analysis of the likely impact of CRD IV on lending to SMEs, this paper endorses UEAPME’s reaction to CRD IV and makes a set of ten recommendations for European policymakers in order to address the shortcomings of current proposals.

Framing the debate: Basel III and SMEs

The capital and liquidity provisions of Basel III are intended to shield the global financial system from a new financial crisis. Yet the extent to which they represent a good trade-off between financial stability and economic growth is still unclear. Policymakers still know little about the potential impact of Basel III on lending to SMEs, apart from the fact that it will be disproportionate. With the sector contributing half of the world's private-sector output, this uncertainty renders all existing impact assessments virtually irrelevant. In this discussion paper, ACCA considers how an impact assessment can be designed that would be 'about right' as opposed to very precisely wrong.

BHP guide to...business angels

Finance of £25,000 to £750,000 can be surprisingly difficult to obtain. Banks generally require security and many venture capital firms are not interested in financing these amounts.

BHP guide to...factoring and invoice

Factoring allows you to raise finance based on the value of your outstanding invoices. Growing businesses, in particular, often find that factoring is a more flexible source of working capital than overdrafts or loans.

BHP guide to...getting a grant for your business

Securing grant funding could really help your business develop and grow. But even experts can find it difficult to keep track of the hundreds of different grant schemes which keep appearing and then disappearing.

BHP guide to...financing equipment 

Hiring or leasing equipment is one way of making your working capital go further. Instead of paying out up front, you can spread your payments over a set period, and benefit from the use of the equipment in the meantime.

BHP guide to...overdrafts and bank loans

Overdrafts and loans are the most common form of external financing available to businesses. Used properly, they provide a simple and effective way of financing the growth of your business.