Rchard G.P.MCMAHN is a senor lecture in accountngand fincace at the flnders unversity of South Australia andthe papaer was written on a one-year sabbaatical leave as vsing fellow to the small business center at Durhaam University Business School, England. Recentdevelopment in microcomputer bassed expet system hold much prmise for support of decision making in situation where expert knowledge is essential, scarce and cotsly to obtain. More often than not, such circumstances prevail in small business, regardlesss of type and ge. Tthis aper explore the potential of knowledge-based or expert system for financal decision support in smallbusiness in tterms of the necessary conditions for theri cost-effective use, needs of small busines andtheir owner-manager which may be met, amenable application in the financial domain, advatage of expert system relataive t totehr forms offinaical decision support,, andfactors determining the acdeptability ofexpert support systems insmall business.
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