Alternative Financing of Small and Medium Businesses: Experience of Foreign Countries

Abstract

Small and medium enterprises play an important role in modern national economies. However, many of these enterprises experience difficulties in attracting the necessary investments for operation and further development. Personal finances are usually not enough to solve all problems, especially in crisis conditions. Bank loans are not available for most small and medium businesses because of small fixed assets, poor credit history, and incomplete reporting. As foreign experience shows, alternative forms and methods of obtaining the necessary funds can be an effective way to increase the financing of such enterprises. This review article examines the experience gained in recent years in using alternative financing. This experience is relevant for the current domestic entrepreneurship. Factoring, order financing, warehouse receipts, leasing, trade credit, and crowdfunding proved to be the main alternative financing tools. For each of these financial instruments, the article gives brief characteristics, advantages and disadvantages, requirements for regulatory support, and related types of activities. The research results can help entrepreneurs who have difficulties in financing their production and sale, especially beginners. The results obtained can be used by government authorities to form a policy to improve access of business structures to working capital and investment in Russia and its regions.