Forms of Business Ownership

Review this overview of the various forms of business ownership, including advantages and disadvantages, to learn about some of the factors that go into deciding which form is best for any given situation. No hard and fast formula helps an entrepreneur pick the proper form. However, there are some important considerations, such as risk, taxes, transferability, and even image. After you read, complete the concept check questions about the different types of business structures: sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporations.

Corporations: Limiting Your Liability

Advantages of Corporations

The corporate structure allows companies to merge financial and human resources into enterprises with great potential for growth and profits:

  • Limited liability. A key advantage of corporations is that they are separate legal entities that exist apart from their owners. Owners’ (stockholders’) liability for the obligations of the firm is limited to the amount of the stock they own. If the corporation goes bankrupt, creditors can look only to the assets of the corporation for payment.
  • Ease of transferring ownership. Stockholders of public corporations can sell their shares at any time without affecting the status of the corporation.
  • Unlimited life. The life of a corporation is unlimited. Although corporate charters specify a life term, they also include rules for renewal. Because the corporation is an entity separate from its owners, the death or withdrawal of an owner does not affect its existence, unlike a sole proprietorship or partnership.
  • Tax deductions. Corporations are allowed certain tax deductions, such as operating expenses, which reduces their taxable income.
  • Ability to attract financing. Corporations can raise money by selling new shares of stock. Dividing ownership into smaller units makes it affordable to more investors, who can purchase one or several thousand shares. The large size and stability of corporations also helps them get bank financing. All these financial resources allow corporations to invest in facilities and human resources and expand beyond the scope of sole proprietorships or partnerships. It would be impossible for a sole proprietorship or partnership to make automobiles, provide nationwide telecommunications, or build oil or chemical refineries.

Exhibit 4.4 Organizational Structure of Corporations