Частное предпринимательство

Это самый простой способ начать бизнес. Вы работаете не по найму и полностью отвечаете за все аспекты управления вашим бизнесом. Владелец бизнеса несет единоличную ответственность за его успех или провал.

Хотя эта форма малого бизнеса имеет свои преимущества, есть и определенные недостатки. Прежде всего, один человек не всегда в состоянии вложить столько капитала, сколько может инвестировать товарищество или корпорация. Если отдельные владельцы имеют возможность вкладывать крупные суммы денег, они подвергаются большому риску потерять их, поскольку они несут личную ответственность за все долги своего предприятия. Такая ответственность называется неограниченной.

Партнерство

Двое или более человек, начиная бизнес, могут учредить товарищество. Все партнеры несут ответственность за долги партнерства, все прибыли и убытки распределяются между ними.

Партнеры заключают соглашение, которое включает общую политику, распределение прибыли, финансовые обязательства и период времени, в течение которого товарищество является действительным.

Совместное предприятие

Чтобы выйти на международную арену большая фирма может создать совместное предприятие с компанией в другой стране. В данном случае в интересах двух компаний объединить свои ресурсы для разработки, производства и продажи изделий. Обе фирмы получают прибыль в результате этой договоренности. Они также разделяют ответственность. Одна из фирм обеспечивает необходимые средства и ноу-хау для производства товаров. В обмен она получает возможность закрепиться на зарубежном рынке. Другая фирма получает финансовую помощь и техническое содействие. И она берет на себя ответственность за общение с властями и организацию продаж на местном рынке.

Business Types of Ownership (Part 2)

Basic Vocabulary

competitive - конкурентоспособный

a share - акция

to share - делить

a share holder – акционер

to dissolve – прекращать

limited liability company – компания с ограниченной ответственностью

joint-stock company – акционерная компания

stock exchange – фондовая биржа

taxes- налоги

to insure - гарантировать

advertising - реклама

to provide – обеспечивать

debt - долг

Reading

Corporations

As business became more competitive, new and more complex corporate combinations appear. Single ownerships and the partnerships have finance weaknesses and that is the reason why the corporation came into existence. The owners of a corporation are its shareholders. The shareholders elect a board of directors to oversee the major policies and decisions. The corporation has a life of its own and does not dissolve when ownership changes.

Advantages of a Corporation:

- shareholders have limited liability for the corporation's debts or judgments against the corporations;

- corporations can raise additional funds through the sale of stock;

- a corporation may deduct the cost of benefits it provides to officers and employees.

Disadvantages of a Corporation:

- the process of incorporation requires more time and money than other forms of organization;

- corporations are monitored by federal, state and some local agencies, and as a result may have more paperwork to comply with regulations;

- incorporating may result in higher overall taxes. Dividends paid to shareholders are not deductible from business income; thus it can be taxed twice.

Limited liability company

Most of such companies are joint-stock companies owned by shareholders. Limited liability companies are divided into public and private ones.

Only public companies can sell their shares to the general public at the stock exchange. A company continues to exist despite changes in its owners. The profits are distributed to the members as dividends on their shareholding. The day-to-day management of the company is carried out by a board of directors.

Private limited companies may not offer shares to the public. Private limited companies are often local family businesses. A private company can be formed with a minimum of two people becoming its shareholders. They must appoint a director and a company secretary. If the company goes out of business, the responsibility of each shareholder is limited to the amount that they have contributed; they have limited liability. Such a company has Ltd (Limited) after its name.

Franchising

Franchising is a form of business in which a product or service may be provided by people or firms who have obtained a license from the originators or owners of that product or service.

A franchise agreement is drawn up in which the rights of the two parties are set down. The parties to the agreement are:

a) a franchisor — usually the person or firm who develops a new product or service under license

b) a franchisee — the person or firm who buys the license granting the right to provide the product or service.

The franchisee is provided with a total package for marketing the product, including the product's name and logo, any patented processes, accounting procedures, marketing strategy and training services. The franchisee has to raise capital to pay the franchise fee, find suitable premises, equip them according to the franchisor's house-style, buy or lease equipment, and market the product to the standard specified by the franchisor. The franchisee is not employed by the franchising company, but has to establish and operate his own business. The fees are to be paid to the franchisor throughout the term of the franchise, usually as a royalty, for example a fixed percentage (typically 10%) of weekly takings.

Advantages

Franchising provides the opportunity of developing business without having large capital sums. For the franchisee it:

a) enables people to go into business with limited risk and outlay;

b) insures that the product or service has been thoroughly tested and marketed before the franchise has been approved;

c) provides a well-known brand name and image, and large-scale advertising back-up;

d) requires less capital than other forms of business start-up.

Practice

1. Explain the following word combinations and give their Russian equivalents:

to offer shares

board of directors

to pay the franchise fee

to distribute profits

to raise additional funds

to obtain a license

a fixed percentage

limited risk and outlay

large-scale advertising back-up

2. Answer the questions:

1. Who are the owners of a corporation?

2. Who oversees the major policies and decisions of corporation?

3. What are disadvantages of corporation?

4. What’s the difference between public and private companies?

5. What is franchising and what are its advantages?