The Corporation

Today’s culture is increasingly influenced—even dominated—by business; The Corporation provides readers with a basic understanding of how a corporation works and how it contributes to the wealth of its shareholders, employees, communities, and nations in which it is active. Part I addresses how and why the corporation developed historically (in legal, political, economic, and social context) and how it become the most dominant business form in the U.S. Part II covers the laws and regulations that influence the corporation’s daily operations and compares it with other business entities (such as partnerships) in the U.S. and around the world. Part III explores issues related to ethical conduct and accountability, and considers the future of the corporation in an era of economic anxiety. Featuring many company examples, illustrations, charts, a glossary, timeline, and listings of resources and references, The Corporation is an essential introduction to business and its role in society.

Today’s culture is increasingly influenced—even dominated—by business, and the corporation is the quintessential enterprise, representing everything that is popularly considered both good and evil about business. The Corporation provides readers with a basic understanding of how a corporation works, generating wealth for its shareholders, employees, communities, and the nations in which it is active.

The first part addresses the importance of the corporation in the United States—how and why this business form developed historically (in legal, political, economic, and social context), how it became the country’s most dominant business form, and its vital role in the economy today, including its contributions to Gross Domestic Product and employment. The next section focuses on the nature of a corporation as a business entity, including the process of incorporating, laws and regulations that influence its daily operations, and a comparison with other business entities (such as partnerships) in the U.S. and around the world. The final chapters explore issues related to ethical conduct and accountability—governance, auditing and financial reporting, business-government relations, social responsibility, and compensation of directors and executives—and considers the future of the corporation in an era of economic anxiety. Featuring many company examples, illustrations, charts, a glossary, timeline, and listings of resources and references, The Corporation is an essential introduction to business and its role in society.