According to American law, the category of small and medium-sized businesses includes economic entities that employ no more than 500 people. All small and medium-sized enterprises in the United States are divided into 3 categories:
- 1) Microenterprises - firms with up to 20 employees;
- 2) Small enterprises - from 20 to 100 people;
- 3) Medium enterprises - from 100 to 499 people.
In addition, we can separately distinguish those enterprises that use hired labor and those where the owner of the company does without hiring hired personnel.
Small and medium-sized businesses in the United States began their development back in the era of the Great Depression, so its level remains consistently high. Currently in the United States there are about 7 million enterprises with fewer than 500 employees, of which 6 million enterprises employ less than 20 people. In addition, there are 18.3 million individual non-agricultural enterprises.
About 600 thousand small enterprises are registered in the country every year and about 500 thousand are liquidated. However, this does not terrify anyone, since the owners of small and medium-sized enterprises react very sensitively and flexibly to the dynamics of demand. Realizing that things will go better in another area or in another place, they close down their old business and open a new one. In this sense, Americans are very adaptive and know how to quickly adapt. Even if their business simply failed, they do not lose enthusiasm and consider the end of the old business to be the beginning of a new one. It seems that the sources of vitality of all American business are rooted in this psychological phenomenon [ 1 ].
Small and medium-sized businesses in the United States operate in various fields: in production, in trade, in the financial sector, in the field social services, as well as in the field of innovation. The number of small businesses in the United States is growing steadily. So, during the period from 1980 to 2006, their number increased from 13 to 26 million units, that is, 2 times. Today in the United States, two-thirds of jobs are created by structures and companies belonging to the categories of small and medium-sized businesses.
The contribution of small and medium-sized businesses to the development of science and the development of new products: the bulk of discoveries and inventions in the United States falls on the share of small and medium-sized specialized firms. The development of the production of airplanes, helicopters, air conditioners, personal computers and many other types of products began in small and medium-sized enterprises.
No less important is governmental support small and medium-sized businesses in the USA.
The principle and philosophy of supporting small and medium-sized businesses in a country that is traditionally considered a “stronghold of capitalism” did not appear today, not yesterday, or even in 1953, when the Small Business Administration was officially created in the United States, but was formed much earlier - - during the Great Depression and World War II [ 2 ].
Federal programs, which are just beginning to be developed in some countries, in the United States date back as far as 1932. At this time, after the Great Depression, the government began to subsidize small and medium-sized enterprises that had suffered as a result of the war. At that time, it was small businesses that provided job creation in the United States, emphasizing its important social significance.
In 1942, the Small Business Law was adopted. In 1953, the US created Federal agency-- The Small Business Administration (SBA) in the United States, which to this day advocates and protects the interests of small businesses at the government level. This organization is entrusted with the responsibility to provide financial and consulting support to entrepreneurs, assist in obtaining government orders and in concluding contracts with large enterprises. Moreover, AMB branches are located in all largest cities Thus, the policy to support small and medium-sized businesses applies to all states. The main objectives of the AMB are:
- · assistance in obtaining a loan and providing guarantees for business loans;
- · direct subsidizing and lending to small and medium-sized businesses from our own budget.
- · technical and information support for business;
- · the most important task of the federal government is to maintain and develop a competitive environment, which, through the mechanism of reducing production costs, encourages manufacturers to switch to the use of more efficient technologies.
A special place is occupied by the program of financial assistance to small businesses in case of emergency circumstances ( natural Disasters, social unrest, terrorist attacks) and a program of government rental guarantees and insurance for construction contracts carried out by small businesses.
Small businesses in the United States are subject to special tax incentives, such as the “first year bonus,” when tax is paid on half of the taxable amount rather than the entire amount. Decrease in absolute and relative sizes federal taxes promotes the development of small business, stimulating the creation of small enterprises, strengthening their position in the American economy, and therefore increasing the number of new jobs.
There is also a special government program to promote small businesses owned by national minorities (based on the Equal Opportunities Act and the Public Works Act). economic development). By 2007, over 3 million small businesses were owned by members of ethnic minorities.
Government support for small and medium-sized businesses is also provided in the context of the global financial crisis. For example, in September 2010, US President Barack Obama signed a law to support small and medium-sized businesses. This project laws provide for an increase in funding for local banks to intensify the process of business lending, as well as a decrease interest rates on loans for small and medium-sized businesses and private entrepreneurs. The bill also provides for the expansion of the practice of providing tax credits and partial exemption of certain groups of entrepreneurs from income taxes.
As can be seen from what is written above, government support for small and medium-sized enterprises in the United States is very limited. high level. And she, in turn, creates favorable climate for the development of small and medium-sized businesses in the country.
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………3
Small business development in the USA………………………………………………………4
Economic relations of entrepreneurs…………………………………..8
3. The procedure for determining the profitability of an enterprise………………………11
4. Task…………………………………………………………………………………..13
Conclusions and suggestions………………………………………………………...16
List of references……………………………………………………………..17
1. Development of small businesses in the USA
Small business in the US is a huge space, 60% of all jobs. This includes enterprises of various types - from fast food chains, cafes and restaurants, to high-tech small firms. In the United States, small business is represented by a significant number of small and medium-sized enterprises with no more than 20 employees. A significant part of such enterprises have an annual turnover of up to $3 million.
Small business in the United States began its development back in the era of the Great Depression, so its level remains consistently high. Federal programs, which are just beginning to be developed in some countries, in the United States date back to 1932. At this time, after the Great Depression, the state began to subsidize small businesses that suffered as a result of the war. At that time, it was small businesses that provided job creation in the United States, emphasizing their important social significance
In 1953, a federal agency was created in the United States - the US Small Business Administration, which to this day defends and protects the interests of small businesses at the government level. Moreover, branches of this organization are located in all major cities, thus, the policy of supporting small businesses applies to all states, and not just to the main economic centers of the United States. The main tasks of the Small Business Administration and its affiliates:
assistance in obtaining a business loan;
technical and information support for small businesses in the USA;
providing guarantees for business loans;
direct subsidies and lending to small businesses from our own budget.
In the United States, there is a very clearly developed system of criteria by which small businesses are defined. These criteria depend on the type of activity of the small enterprise and the industry in which it operates. In some areas, the determining factor is the number of people working at the enterprise, in others – turnover and profit.
In addition to the Federal Agency, a special Lawyer Department has been created to comply with legal legislation regarding small businesses, which defends the interests of business in court and Congress. The US authorities assign small businesses one of the main roles in their concept of economic development. In the reports of US government ministers, the same idea constantly creeps in that small business is an important lever for improving the health of the entire economy as a whole.
Already here the differences in the development of small businesses in the United States are clearly visible. In our country, the state has only now begun to pay attention to small businesses, and small businesses were forced at one time to develop independently, survive, evade paying taxes, etc. While in the United States, small business has long been a priority area of the economy at the state level. The US experience in creating various small business programs is very valuable, and all the programs actually work, and specific mechanisms for their implementation are provided.
Let us characterize the forms of small business in the United States. Among the organizational and legal forms of small businesses, sole proprietorships have become widespread in the United States. Here the entrepreneur's liability is unlimited. A lawsuit may be brought against all of his property. Individual enterprises operate mainly in the areas of retail and small wholesale trade and services.
The registration procedure for such enterprises is extremely simple. In essence, no formalities for registering a sole proprietorship are required. The only official document is the tax return. Financial records are not required; they are required primarily for tax purposes. However, some activities require state licenses.
This is quite widespread in the USA. organizational form small business as a partnership - an analogue of the Russian partnership.
A general partnership, or simply a partnership, operates on the basis of the Partnership Law and an agreement between the partners. The Uniform Partnership Act was adopted back in 1914 and is in effect in 44 states (out of 50). Partners have equal rights to the management and property of the partnership, unless otherwise specified in an agreement between them. As in sole proprietorships, partnership entrepreneurs have unlimited liability for the partnership's obligations. Responsibility is joint and several.
A partnership in the United States does not pay taxes, since taxes are paid on the income of the entrepreneurs included in the partnership. make stained glass The partners, however, prepare tax returns. Each partner is sent a special K1 form, establishing his share in the profits and losses of the partnership. It is submitted to the tax authorities along with the declaration of individual income.
Another organizational and legal form of partnership is a limited liability partnership. There are two categories of participating partners: with full and limited liability. Limited partners are liable for the obligations of the partnership only to the extent of their contribution. Such partnerships bring together highly qualified specialists to carry out professional activities in the field of legal and financial services, medicine, etc. They usually organize small and medium-sized enterprises.
Partnerships are governed by the Uniform Limited Partnership Act, passed in 1916 and in effect in 47 states, and the Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act of 1978. To form a partnership, you need at least one general and one limited partner. The formation of partnerships requires the completion of certain official formalities: the partners must submit to the state secretariat a signed certificate containing information about the nature of the partnership, its members, capital structure, etc. From a tax point of view, the position of limited partnerships is similar to general partnerships.
The most common and universal form of business in the United States is a corporation. An American corporation conducts its activities in accordance with the charter (i.e., bowling club articles of association) and internal regulations (bylaws). The presence of these documents distinguishes an American corporation from Russian joint-stock companies, where one charter is sufficient. At the same time, the regulations are an internal document of the corporation; they do not need to be approved anywhere.
The federal tax system provides tax breaks for small corporations, exempting them from income taxes. According to the Small Business Administration (SBA) in the United States, in 2008 there were 22.1 million enterprises in the country, the so-called “business units,” including corporations, partnerships and sole proprietorships. A sole proprietorship is owned personally by one legal entity. In 2008, there were 16.0 million sole proprietorships in the United States, or 72.4% of all business structures, corporations numbered 4.5 million, or 20.4%, and partnership firms were even smaller - 1.6 million, or 7 ,1%.
IN last years In the United States, limited liability companies (LLC) are becoming increasingly popular. This is a hybrid, or combined, legal structure that combines the features of both a corporation (limited property liability of participants) and a partnership (LLC income is taxed in the same way as partnership income, i.e. only as the income of its participants). This is their main advantage over corporations, which, as you know, also pay income tax. Thus, an LLC is quite acceptable for tax planning, and for a business where important role plays image, a corporation is better suited.
Family business in the United States is a developed form of small business. There are no statistics on the state of family businesses in Russia. tombstones Monumenty.ru At the same time, it is known that such a business openly or covertly exists in agriculture (farming), in retail trade, in industry and other sectors of the economy. As a rule, this is a small or, less commonly, medium-sized business.
Every city has a department that is responsible for the development of small businesses. It is known that small businesses in the United States provide the majority of the gross national product and create the bulk of jobs.
Since 1953, the Small Business Administration (SBA), founded by the US Congress, has been operating to provide financial support to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in the United States. The SBA's annual budget is $15 billion, 72% of which goes to guaranteeing loans. The scope of guarantees depends on the purpose, term and amount of the loan. For amounts not exceeding $750 thousand, the guarantee is 75% of the loan, for amounts less than $100 thousand - 80%. The terms of loans for replenishing working capital are up to 10 years, for investments in fixed capital - up to 25 years.
Small business development could not be more relevant now for US financial policy, as it has the potential to solve the unemployment problem. During the crisis period, a significant number of layoffs affected small enterprises - now these workers can again have the opportunity to find a job. The normal functioning of small businesses should also ensure the restoration of banks' confidence in borrowers.
2. Economic relations of entrepreneurs
Individual entrepreneurs are individuals, registered in in the prescribed manner and those carrying out entrepreneurial activities without forming a legal entity (PBOYUL), as well as private notaries, lawyers who have established law offices (clause 2 of article 11 Tax Code RF).
In the process of financial and economic activity, entrepreneurs have economic relations that reflect mutual obligations related to the receipt or sale of material assets, the performance of work or the provision of services to each other, settlements with the budget for taxes, with banks for loans, social security and insurance authorities for deductions, as well as with other legal entities and individuals for settlements arising from the norms established by law or the terms of agreements on mutual services.
The following types of economic relations between entrepreneurs can be distinguished:
With suppliers of inventory items;
With buyers and customers;
With personnel working for an individual entrepreneur;
With the budget - regarding the payment of taxes and fees to budgets of various levels;
With extra-budgetary funds - regarding the payment of taxes and fees to extra-budgetary funds;
With financial structures – regarding obtaining credits and loans;
With local, regional and federal authorities (regarding obtaining a license, concluding lease agreements, receiving financial assistance, subsidies, concluding an agreement to receive government orders, etc.)
Relations with buyers and suppliers are built on a contractual basis. The general methodology for accounting for calculations is associated with obligations arising mainly from supply and contract agreements. The supply agreement is one of the most used contracts in business activities. It is aimed at the paid transfer of ownership (other property rights) to goods from the seller (supplier) to the buyer. This agreement is one of the main types of purchase and sale agreement.