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Microlesson · 5-min read

Capital Budgeting Process & Classification of Investment Decisions

# Capital Budgeting Process & Types of Investment Decisions

## The Six-Step Capital Budgeting Process

StepNameKey Activity
1PlanningIdentify potential opportunities; filter out poor ideas early
2EvaluationAssess cash inflows/outflows; verify project meets business goals
3SelectionChoose project(s) that maximise shareholder wealth, weighing returns, risks, and cost of capital
4ImplementationAcquire funds, purchase assets, begin execution
5ControlMonitor via capital expenditure reports, performance reports, and post-completion audits
6ReviewAnalyse overall success or failure of the project

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## Types of Capital Investment Decisions

### Based on Firm's Existence

TypePurposeAlso Called
ReplacementReplace assets whose economic life is overCost Reduction Decision
ModernisationUpgrade to technologically superior assetsCost Reduction Decision
ExpansionAdd capacity when existing capacity is insufficientRevenue Expansion Decision
DiversificationEnter new products/markets to reduce concentration riskRevenue Expansion Decision

### Based on Situation

TypeDescriptionDecision Rule
Mutually ExclusiveOnly one of several competing proposals can be acceptedAccept the best-ranked; acceptance automatically rejects others
Accept-RejectIndependent proposals that do not compete with each otherAccept if Return ≥ Required Rate; Reject if Return < Required Rate
ContingentOne investment requires another investment as a prerequisiteCannot evaluate in isolation

> Memorise: Replacement + Modernisation = Cost Reduction. Expansion + Diversification = Revenue Expansion.

Worked example

### Example 1

Tata Motors evaluates four proposals: (A) Replace its 10-year-old stamping press → Replacement decision; (B) Upgrade to a robotic assembly line → Modernisation decision; (C) Add a new SUV assembly line → Expansion decision; (D) Enter electric scooters → Diversification decision. Identifying the type is the first step before applying the correct evaluation technique.

### Example 2

A company has a budget of ₹5 crore and three proposals: ERP system (₹3 cr), Warehouse (₹2 cr), New factory in remote area (₹4 cr) + worker township (₹1 cr). ERP and Warehouse are independent → Accept-Reject decisions individually. Factory and township are linked → Contingent decision (must be evaluated together). If only one of ERP or Warehouse can be chosen → Mutually Exclusive decision.

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Treating mutually exclusive decisions as accept-reject — in mutually exclusive cases, all options may individually meet the required rate; you must also rank them and pick only the best one.
  • Confusing modernisation with expansion — modernisation improves efficiency of existing capacity, while expansion adds new capacity.
  • Stopping at Step 4 (Implementation) in the capital budgeting process — Control and Review are equally important steps that students frequently omit.
Reference:
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