Integration of the gas market of Ukraine into the EU gas market: issues of managing the worcking capital of joint stock companies

Abstract

The gas industry of Ukraine is a significant component of the fuel and energy complex of the country. Being a party to the Treaty establishing the Energy Community, and also in the framework of the signed association agreement with the EU, the natural gas market is undergoing significant transformations. Such transformations are directly related to each of the market participants and primarily gas distribution companies, which provide gas transportation of the gas supply company to consumers with the maintenance of this process. The effectiveness of the Ukrainian gas market integration into the EU gas market depends on a number of organizational and economic issues. In addition, the political and social components should be taken into account. Resolving this issue is impossible without a clear vision of the economic component, which is a kind of basis for ensuring the integration of the domestic gas market. Joint stock companies – gas distribution companies – have to operate in accordance with the goingconcern concept, efficiently, providing consumers with gas. Activity on a base of going concern concept is impossible without meeting with certain requirements, namely the availability of working capital and profitable work. The first one, on the whole, guarantees potential solvency, the second one – is evidence of efficient work. In other words, one of the most important indicators of the management system, which is oriented on the process of providing consumers with gas in the euro integration conditions, is a certain increase in the absolute rate of working capital. In addition, the necessity of the introduction of the relative indicator system of working capital in comparison with sales, assets, equity, cash flows, and others into the current management practice is justified in the investigation. This gives an opportunity to use a number of indicators: working capital turnover, working capital per currency unit of sales on accrual and cash basis. The system of absolute and relative indicators of working capital is considered as a basic component of providing key performance indicators (KPIs). Monitoring of these indicators for compliance with a certain level is the key to the success of the integration process of the Ukrainian gas market into the EU market.