ABSTRACT
The long-term viability of any public organization is heavily dependent on that organization's effective use of working capital. Working capital provides operations managers with financial resources to meet short-term obligations, generate interest income through short-term investments, take advantage of discounts and other limited-term procurement opportunities, and address many other day-to-day concerns. Moreover, sound working capital management practices can free up cash during tough fiscal times, thus mitigating the need for costly short-term borrowing. Working capital management is therefore one of the central concerns facing public financial managers. This entry examines working capital from both an accounting and a financial managerial perspective.
