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Business Activities Overview

Jul 24, 2025

Overview

This lecture explains the main types of activities in a business organization, focusing on the inflow and outflow of economic resources and classifying activities into operating, investing, and financing types.

Flow of Economic Resources

  • Business organizations experience inflow (resources received) and outflow (resources given) of economic resources.
  • Inflows occur when resources (e.g., cash from customers) enter the organization.
  • Outflows occur when resources (e.g., cash to suppliers) leave the organization.
  • Every transaction involves an exchange, such as paying cash for office supplies (outflow) and receiving supplies (inflow).

Types of Business Activities

  • Activities are categorized as operating, investing, or financing.
  • Operating activities involve day-to-day resources used to produce goods/services, including purchasing supplies, manufacturing, and selling.
  • Operating activities examples: buying office supplies, marketing, selling, and distribution.
  • Investing activities involve the use of long-term resources, such as purchasing property or equipment.
  • Financing activities are related to obtaining capital, such as borrowing from a bank or receiving investments from owners.

Key Terms & Definitions

  • Inflow — Entry of economic resources (e.g., cash, supplies) into the business.
  • Outflow — Exit of economic resources (e.g., cash paid to suppliers) from the business.
  • Operating Activities — Transactions related to the core business operations and day-to-day processes.
  • Investing Activities — Transactions involving the acquisition or disposal of long-term assets.
  • Financing Activities — Transactions involved in obtaining or repaying capital, such as loans or owner investments.

Action Items / Next Steps

  • Review the three types of business activities: operating, investing, and financing.
  • Read more about investing activities and examples of long-term assets.