External decision makers: stockholders and creditors
Types of Business entities:
Sole proprietorship
Partnership:
A partnership is an unincorporated business owned by two or more persons known as partners. The agreements between the owners are specified in a partnership contract. This contract deals with matters such as division of income each reporting period and distribution of resources of the business on termination of its operations. A partnership is not legally separate from its owners. Legally, each partner in a general partnership is responsible for the debts of the business (each general partner has unlimited liability). The partnership, however, is a separate business entity to be accounted for separately from its several owners
A corporation is a business incorporated under the laws of a particular state. The owners are called stockholders or shareholders. Ownership is represented by shares of capital stock that usually can be bought and sold freely. When the organizers file an approved application for incorporation, the state issues a charter. This charter gives the corporation the right to operate as a separate legal entity, separate and apart from its owners. The stockholders enjoy limited liability. Stockholders are liable for the corporation’s debts only to the extent of their investments. The corporate charter specifies the types and amounts of stock that can be issued. Most states require a minimum of two or three stockholders and a minimum amount of resources to be contributed at the time of organization. The stockholders elect a governing board of directors, which in turn employs managers and exercises general supervision of the corporation. Accounting also views the corporation as a separate business entity that must be accounted for separately from its owners. Limited liability companies (LLCs) and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) have many characteristics similar to corporations.