NEED AND SCOPE OF CORPORATE RESTRUCTURING :
Corporate Restructuring is concerned with arranging the business activities of the corporate as a whole so as to achieve certain predetermined objectives at corporate level. Such objectives include the following:
– orderly redirection of the firm’s activities;
– deploying surplus cash from one business to finance profitable growth in another;
– exploiting inter-dependence among present or prospective businesses within the corporate portfolio;
– risk reduction; and
– development of core competencies.
When we say corporate level it may mean a single company engaged in single activity or an enterprise engaged in multi activities. It could also mean a group having many companies engaged in related or unrelated activities. When such enterprises consider an exercise for restructuring their activities they have to take a wholesome view of the entire activities so as to introduce a scheme of restructuring at all levels. However such a scheme could be introduced and implemented in a phased manner. Corporate Restructuring also aims at improving the competitive position of an individual business and maximizing it’s contribution to corporate objectives. It also aims at exploiting the strategic assets accumulated by a business i.e. natural monopolies, goodwill, exclusivity through licensing etc. to enhance the competitive advantages. Thus restructuring would help bringing an edge over competitors.
The scope of Corporate Restructuring encompasses enhancing economy (cost reduction) and improving efficiency (profitability). When a company wants to grow or survive in a competitive environment, it needs to restructure itself and focus on its competitive advantage. The survival and growth of companies in this environment depends on their ability to pool all their resources and put them to optimum use. A larger company, resulting from merger of smaller ones, can achieve economies of scale. If the size is bigger, it enjoys a higher corporate status. The status allows it to leverage the same to its own advantage by being able to raise larger funds at lower costs. Reducing the cost of capital translates into profits. Availability of funds allows the enterprise to grow in all levels and thereby become more and more competitive.