Financial management has evolved significantly, becoming a dynamic and strategic discipline crucial to the success of contemporary businesses. This evolution has been influenced by changing business requirements, technological progress, globalization, sustainability issues, and evolving regulations throughout history. If you want to understand how all that happened, this article provides a historical overview to enhance your understanding of these complexities.
Pre-20th Century
Before the 20th century, financial management was not a distinct field; instead, it was closely intertwined with economics, where capital was an integral part of economic analysis. During this period, financial considerations were seamlessly integrated into broader economic theories. Financial matters, such as capital allocation, investment decisions, and resource management, were considered inherent components of economic discussions, and individuals addressed financial issues within the larger context of economics. It wasn’t until the 20th century that financial management began to evolve into a specialized field, driven by the increasing complexity of financial transactions, the growth of businesses, and the need for more focused expertise.
1920s – 1930s
The 1920s marked the beginning of financial management as a recognized and distinct field. During this time frame, there was a notable transition towards prioritizing liquidity management and capital acquisition. One may consider Arthur Stone Dewing’s book, published in 1920, a major contribution in this field. Dewing’s work laid the foundation for scholarly exploration of financing strategies and liquidity management, including the efficient management of cash and the issuance of capital. The 1930s brought about significant economic challenges with the Great Depression. During this period of widespread price declines, business failures, and financial distress, financial management took on a new set of priorities. Companies were forced to prioritize solvency management and survival. This era saw a heightened emphasis on the balance between debt and equity financing as businesses struggled to weather the economic storm.
1950s – 1970s
During the period spanning from the 1950s to the 1970s, financial management underwent significant transformations. Financial managers began using objective criteria to allocate funds to specific assets within the company, all in pursuit of maximizing returns on investments. Portfolio management gained significance within financial management. Instead of assessing individual investment opportunities in isolation, financial professionals began adopting a portfolio-oriented approach.
This strategy involved selecting combinations of assets that could provide higher overall returns while maintaining a specific level of risk or offering reduced risk for a certain return. The 1970s marked another phase of evolution in financial management, characterized by the development of various financial models, including the CAPM, APT, and OPM. These models aimed to provide structured frameworks for selecting financial assets and making investment decisions based on careful considerations of risk and returns.
1980s
The 1980s marked a pivotal era in financial management with multifaceted advancements. Financial decision-making became more intricate as it extended its purview to consider both corporate and personal taxation, recognizing the profound impact of tax policies on financial strategies. Concepts such as financial signaling gained prominence, requiring financial managers to adeptly communicate a company’s financial health to stakeholders through metrics and performance indicators.
Meanwhile, the efficient market hypothesis challenged the notion of consistently outperforming the market, emphasizing passive investment strategies. The role of financial markets in asset pricing was reevaluated, acknowledging the influence of market dynamics and investor sentiment. Lastly, the 1980s saw a substantial surge in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity, making corporate finance a critical component of strategic planning as financial managers navigated the complexities of evaluating, due diligence, and risk assessment in M&A deals. These developments underscored the increasing complexity and interdisciplinary nature of financial management, shaping its current landscape.
Globalization Era (1960s – Till Date)
From the 1960s through the 2000s, financial management entered an era of global expansion, marked by the seamless flow of capital across borders. This shift demanded expertise in global financial management, investment strategies, and adept foreign exchange risk management as companies ventured into international markets. Fast-forwarding to the late 1990s and the 2000s, corporate governance emerged as a paramount concern, intensifying the focus on transparency, stringent financial disclosure practices, and unwavering commitment to regulatory norms within the field of financial management.
The advent of the 21st century heralded a new era in financial management, underscored by the integration of cutting-edge technology and robust cyberspace support. Accountants started using technology to keep records of financial transactions and depended heavily on tools such as Microsoft Excel for the most part. But with the advent of new technology and changing trends, finance professionals increasingly harnessed digital tools like cloud-based accounting software and different platforms to streamline operations, implement effective risk management strategies, and make astute financial decisions, seamlessly bridging the evolutionary journey of financial management to its present-day landscape.
Conclusion
To conclude, financial management has evolved significantly and become a crucial discipline for modern business. It has had some major milestones over the years, for instance, liquidity and solvency in the 20th century, portfolio management in the mid-20th century, and decision-making in the 1980s.
Author’s Bio:
Jenny Fries, a freelance writer, specializes in writing about technology, business, and health. She offers freelance blogging and content writing for SEO. When she’s not writing, Fries likes to travel, cook, and write vacation plans.
