Vol: 1, Issue: 2 2011

Page: 21-26

The Capital Structure Decision of Small-Medium Sized Private Firms: An International Comparison

Monica Sehgal, Dr. Ramesh Agarwal

International Financial Reporting Standard for Small- and Medium-Sized Entities IFRS for SMEs is a modification and simplification of full IFRS aimed at meeting the needs of private company financial reporting users and easing the financial reporting burden on private companies through a cost-benefit approach. IFRS for SMEs is a self-contained global accounting and financial reporting standard applicable to the general-purpose financial statements of, and other financial reporting by, entities that in many countries are known as small- and medium-sized entities. Full IFRS and IFRS for SMEs are promulgated by the International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB"). Capital is an important and critical resource for all companies. The capital resources can be divided into two main categories, namely equity and debt. Equity arises when companies sell some of its ownership rights to gain funds for operation and investing activities. Debt is a contractual agreement, whereby companies borrow an amount of money and repay it with interest within a stipulated time frame.