Working capital and profitability a study of automobile industry

The significant policy shift which the economy of India had undergone during the 1990s commonly known as LPG or Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization had influenced the overall economic growth of the country.

The primary objective of this model was to make the economy of India the fastest developing economy in the global market with capabilities that help it match with the biggest economies of the world. The chain of reforms and changes that took place with regards to business, manufacturing and financial services industry resulted in lifting the economy of the country to a more proficient level. One of the major contributors to this growth was the automobile manufacturing sector.

The LPG policy was designed to make the Indian economy, progressive, market oriented and integrate with the emerging global economy. This lead to advanced technology and precise research and development activity which helped the Indian automobile industry to make significant growth in the last decades. After LPG began a number of foreign firms commenced joint ventures with existing Indian automobile companies and enhanced the variety of options of automobiles available to the consumers. One of the major aspects which lead to this growth proficiency and profitability is the "working capital". Fixed and working capital is necessary financial requirements of any industry to run through their relative share and the importance varies according to the nature of the industry. Implementing effective working capital helps to improve the earnings of the firm. Ratio analysis and management of individual components of working capital are the two main aspects of working capital management. Working capital management involves the relationship between short-term assets and short-term liabilities of the firm. The goal of working capital management is to ensure that the firm is able to continue its operations and that it has sufficient ability to satisfy maturing short-term debt. The working capital management involves the managing of inventories, accounts receivable and payable and cash. Considering the role and importance of working capital in the success of the companies, this project aims to study the relation between working capital and profitability of automobile industry in India.