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Chapter 2: Types of BusinessesForms of Business Ownership

Forms of business ownership and types of businesses describe how they are organized and run. The four main forms of business ownership are listed below.

Sole ProprietorshipsA sole proprietorship is a business owned by one person who is known as the proprietor. The proprietor has a wide range of responsibilities including arranging displays and selling to customers to name a few. Funds to run the business usually come from the owner’s savings, friends, family, or from a bank loan. If the business prospers, the owner receives all of the profits. If the business does poorly, the owner is responsible for its losses. This is called unlimited liability.

A franchise is a combination, or hybrid, of the four forms of ownership.

• sole proprietorship• corporation

• partnership• co-operatives

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Chapter 2: Types of BusinessesForms of Business Ownership

PartnershipsA partnership refers to a type of business in which two or moreindividuals share the costs and responsibilities of owning andoperating it.

The terms of the partnership are recorded in the partnershipagreement. The most common form of partnership is a generalpartnership. When two individuals form a limited partnership, thepartners are only responsible for the funds they both invested in the initial business. This is called limited liability.

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Chapter 2: Types of BusinessesForms of Business Ownership

CorporationsA corporation is a business granted legal status with rights, privileges, andliabilities that are distinct from those of the people who work for the business.Corporations can be small such as a one-person business or large such asA multinational that conducts business in several different countries.

Small portions of corporate ownership that are owned publicly are calledstocks or shares. Individuals who own shares of a corporation are called shareholders and become owners of the business. Shareholders havelimited liability. A board of directors runs a corporation that is owned by shareholders.

A publicly traded corporation that makes a profit may pay out dividends to shareholders.

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Chapter 2: Types of BusinessesForms of Business Ownership

Types of Corporations

Co-operativesA co-operative is owned by the workers or members who buy the products or use the services that the business offers. This type ofbusiness is motivated by service and not profit. Adaptations of thisbusiness model include consumer, retail, and worker co-operatives.

• private corporations• Crown corporations

• public corporations•municipal corporations

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Chapter 2: Types of BusinessesForms of Business Ownership

FranchisesThe franchiser licenses the rights to its name, operating procedure, designs, and business expertise to another business called the franchisee.

A franchise agreement can provide the franchisee with• a ready made, fully operational business• brand recognition that is appealing to consumers

Requirements before a franchise is awarded may include• paying the franchise fee• agreeing to pay a monthly percentage fee as well as any national

or local advertising costs• purchasing all supplies centrally from the franchiser• participating in franchiser standards training

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Chapter 2: Types of BusinessesGoing into Business

Eight Questions to Ask Before Going into Business1. Why Start Your Own Business?

People who desire to be the boss and take responsibility for making decisions often decide to run their own business. Theybelieve it is the best way for them to achieve financial independence, to allow them to use their skills and knowledge, and to be creative.

2. What Different Types of Businesses Are There? service business retail businessnot-for-profit organization manufacturing business

3. What Are Your Skills and Interests?Different ideas, skills, and knowledge can be used to start a new business. Two popular ones are home-based or Web-based businesses.

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Chapter 2: Types of BusinessesGoing into Business

i. Should Your Business Be Home-based?Technology has changed how SOHO (“small office, home-based”) businesses operate. Computers, scanners, and Internet access are a few of the tools that home office businesses use today to be successful.

ii. Should Your Business be Web-based?E-commerce (“electronic commerce”) is a marketplace where consumers and sellers meet without face-to-face contact. In the “real world,” products are tangible. Products and services are sold to us by personal contact with the sellers. In cyberspace or online, we do not interact with products or come face-to-face with the sellers. Our experience with services is limited or non-existent. Consumers are often reluctant to purchase online due to unreliable or dishonest businesses and privacy issues.

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Chapter 2: Types of BusinessesGoing into Business

4. Where Can You Find Information About a Business?Businesses require accurate and current information to make good decisions. Important resources to find information include

5. What Are the Start-up Costs?Capital resources to run a business are available throughdebt financing referred to as borrowing money to run the business. Using your savings or investor savings called equity financing is an alternative way to fund a business.

librariestrade associations

the Internetexisting businessesfederal and provincial

governments (i.e., Strategis and Statistics Canada are two helpful government sites or agencies.)

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Chapter 2: Types of BusinessesGoing into Business

6. What Level of Risk Can You Expect?Even with research and planning, business can be risky. Risks or threats beyond and within the owner’s control can put the business in financial difficulty.

7. What Steps Are Involved in Running This Business?Some types of businesses, such as manufacturing, are complex. A complex business requires many people with different skills to successfully start and operate it.

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Chapter 2: Types of BusinessesGoing into Business

8. What Resources Will You Need?

Forecasting is determining the resources the business requires and how much financing it needs to obtain them.

Revenue is the amount of money gained from the sale of products or services.

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Chapter 2: Types of BusinessesInternational Business Structures

A number of different business structures allow businesses to expand into international markets.

Joint VenturesA joint venture can match the skills and expertise of two different individuals or businesses to generate more benefits for both parties.

International FranchisesAn international franchise is a way to achieve an international presence by buying the rights to a chain operation from the franchiser.

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Chapter 2: Types of BusinessesForms of Business Ownership

Strategic Alliances

Strategic alliances occur when two or more businesses agree to commit particular resources to achieve a common set of objectives. Alliance partners remain separate and entirely independent of each other.

Mergers

Mergers happen when two or more companies join together: one of the businesses usually wants to purchase a controlling interest in the other company, or both business have combined interests.

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Chapter 2: Types of BusinessesForms of Business Ownership

OffshoringOffshoring relocates some of a company’s operations to anothercountry. Usually this happens to take advantage of lower labour costs, to be closer to large and emerging buyer markets, and to have access to skilled workforces.

Multinational CorporationsA business enterprise that conducts business in another country orseveral different countries is a multinational corporation. Amultinational corporation offers different benefits to the country it investsin. Some positive benefits include new jobs and training for people.Negative consequences could be less pay and more financial instability for citizens of that country.