Final answer:
Sources of cash inflow for a small firm include an owner's investment, cash sales, and the sale of fixed assets, but not bank dividends, as they represent a return on investment rather than revenue from operations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sources of cash inflow for a small firm typically include the initial funds provided by the business owner, which may come from personal savings or through securing loans using collateral. In the growth stage, small businesses might seek additional financial capital by way of bank loans, issuing bonds, or issuing stock. However, not all sources of funds are categorized as cash inflow for operational business; for example, receiving bank dividends would not be considered a source of cash inflow for a small firm because dividends are a return on investment from shares owned in a company, not a revenue generated from the firm's core business activities.