ABSTRACT
Ownership by an individual is the oldest and simplest form of ownership. A patent legally guarantees an individual the exclusive privilege of using a new process a given number of years; a copyright likewise excludes competition for a specified time. A trademark is a symbol, name, or other device which one puts upon goods to distinguish them from like goods of other persons. The proprietor of a large business sees his task grow more and more arduous with the growth of that business. The business comes to be divided into departments. In a general partnership every member is liable legally and morally for the acts of every other member. Conflicting opinions may work to the injury of the policy of the company. The firm is not well adapted to collecting large amounts of capital. Joint-stock associations are partnerships in which the capital is divided into shares which are owned by the partners.
