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Partnerships

A partnership is an unincorporated enterprise owned by two or more individuals. A partnership agreement, oral or written, expresses the rights and obligations of each partner. For example, one partner may have the financial resources to start the business while the other partner may possess the management skills to operate the firm. There are three types of partnerships: general partnerships, limited partnerships, and joint ventures. The most common form is the general partnership, often used by lawyers, doctors, dentists, and chartered accountants. Partnerships, like sole proprietorships, are easy to start up. Registration details vary by province, but usually entail obtaining a license and registering the company name. Partners' interests can be protected by formulation of an "Agreement of Partnership". This agreement specifies all the details of the partnership.

Complementary management skills are a major advantage of partnerships. Consequently partnerships are stronger entity and can attract new employees more easily than proprietorships.

The stronger entity also makes it easier for partnerships to raise additional capital. Lenders are often more willing to advance money to partnerships because all of the partners are subject to unlimited financial liability.

The major disadvantage of partnerships is that partners, like sole proprietors, are legally liable for all debts of the firm. In partnerships, the unlimited liability is both joint and personal. Partners are also legally responsible for actions of other partners. Partnerships are not as easy to dissolve as sole proprietorships.

Limited companies

Limited companies, unlike proprietorships or partnerships, are created by law and are separate from the people who own and manage them. Limited companies are also referred to as corporations. In limited companies, ownership is represented by shares of stock. The owners, at an annual meeting, elect a board of directors which has the responsibility of appointing company officers and setting the enterprise's objectives.

Limited companies are the least risky from an owner's point of view. Corporations can raise larger amounts of capital than proprietorships or partnerships through the addition of new investors or through better borrowing power. Limited companies do not end with the death of owners.

It is more expensive and complicated to establish corporations than proprietorships or partnerships. A charter, which requires the services of a lawyer, must be obtained through provincial governments or the federal government. In addition to legal costs, a firm is charged incorporation fees for its charter by the authorizing government.

Limited companies are subject to federal and provincial income taxes. Dividends to shareholders are also taxed on an individual basis.

With diverse ownerships, corporations do not enjoy the secrecy that proprietorships and partnerships have. A company must send each shareholder an annual report detailing the financial condition of the firm.



 

IV. Answer these questions using the active vocabulary of the text.

 

1. What are the three traditional forms of business?

2. What is a sole proprietorship?

3. What is the owner of the company legally liable for?

4. How do any proprietors try to protect themselves?

5. Why may a sole proprietorship have difficulty in obtaining capital?

6. What is a partnership?

7. What are three types of partnerships?

8. What is a major advantage of partnership?

9. Are all of the partners subject to unlimited financial liabilities?

10. What is a major disadvantage of partnership?

11. How are limited companies created?

12. Who is represented by shares of stock in limited companies?

13. Do limited companies end with the death of owners?

14. Is it more expensive and complicated to establish corporations? Why?

15. What must a company send each shareholder?

 

V. Read the text again and decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F).

 

1. The financial condition of the firm is the same as the financial condition of the owner.

2. The sole proprietor mustn’t pay debts from his or her own pockets.

3. A sole proprietorship doesn’t have any difficulty in obtaining capital.

4. A partnership is an unincorporated enterprise owned by two or more individuals.

5. There are three types of partnerships: general partnerships, limited partnerships and joint venture.

6. Complementary management skills are a minor advantage of partnerships.

7. In partnerships the limited liabilities are both joint and personal.

8. Limited companies are not created by law and are not separate from the people who own and manage them.

9. Limited companies end with the death of owners.

10. Limited companies are subject to federal and provincial income taxes.

 

VI. Choose the correct variant to finish the sentence.

 

1. The financial condition of the firm………. .

a) is the same as the financial condition of the owner.

b) is better than the financial condition of the owner.

c) depends on the financial condition of the shareholder.

2. Some proprietors try to protect themselves…… .

a) lending assets such as their houses and automobiles to their relatives.

b) selling assets such as their houses and automobiles to their spouses.

c) pledging the assets to their relatives.

3. A partnership is an unincorporated enterprise owned……… .

a) by two or more firms.

b) by the members of the government.

c) by two or more individuals.

4. In limited companies, ownership is represented by…….. .

a) shares of stock.

b) assets.

c) investors.

5. All of the partners are…….. .

a) subject to limited financial liability.

b) subject to unlimited financial liability.

c) subject to unlimited juridical liability.

6. Limited companies are subject to …….. .

a) shareholders’ income taxes.

b) federal and provincial income taxes.

c) foreign investors income taxes.

 

VII. Make an outline of the text consisting of 5-8 sentences.

 

VIII. Retell the text according to its outline.



Date: 2014-12-21; view: 2162


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