ABSTRACT
This chapter is a comprehensive analysis of the main sources of business’ financing. The environment of a modern business becomes more and more complex. Looking at the features of the contemporary business environment the conclusions were made about the priorities of the efficient enterprise operation and the specific of financial decisions taken in it. An insight into the basic principles of the enterprise life cycle conception is provided. Thus, the chapter provides a framework for substantive research presented in the subsequent chapters. In this chapter, we try to find answers to the following questions: Which are the main characteristics of the contemporary business environment, which are the main sources of business’ capital, and which are factors affecting the availability and choice of funding sources for small- and medium-sized enterprises in different phases of their life.
