Key Characteristics of Capital:
1. Physical:
- Tangible assets that can be physically seen and touched
- Examples: buildings, equipment, machinery, infrastructure
2. Monetary:
- Financial resources that can be used to acquire or improve capital assets
- Examples: cash, stocks, bonds, loans
3. Human:
- Skills, knowledge, and experience possessed by individuals
- Examples: education, research and development (R&D), training
4. Intellectual:
- Intangible assets that provide value, such as patents, trademarks, copyrights
- Examples: software, designs, inventions
5. Natural:
- Resources provided by nature that can be used for production
- Examples: land, minerals, water, forests
6. Intangible:
- Assets that have no physical form but confer value to a business
- Examples: goodwill, brand reputation, customer relationships
7. Fixed:
- Assets that cannot be easily converted into cash
- Examples: buildings, machinery, infrastructure
8. Working:
- Assets that can be easily converted into cash
- Examples: inventory, accounts receivable, short-term investments
9. Long-Term:
- Assets that are expected to benefit a company for more than one year
- Examples: buildings, equipment, intellectual property
10. Short-Term:
- Assets that are expected to benefit a company for less than one year
- Examples: inventory, accounts receivable, short-term investments
11. Returns on Capital:
- Capital generally generates a return, such as profits, rental income, or interest
- The return on capital is a key factor in investment decisions
12. Depreciation and Amortization:
- Capital assets may lose value over time (depreciate) or be consumed (amortized)
- This process reduces the book value of capital assets and affects financial statements