The Business of Business

Public Corporations

Organizations and functions
outlined by a charter
  • Incorporation information
  • Charter is founding document

    • Governance through an elected body
    with major issues controlled by a special electorate.
  • Stockholder-elected board of directors
  • Appoints administrators (executives)
  • Recall movement

    • Private Companies

    Do not issue stock
    Public reporting limited
    Proprietary information

    Not-for-Profit Corporation or Foundation

    Public service
    Philantropic
    Pay no federal or state taxes (except for taxes)
    IRS Form 900 shows revenues and expenditures

    Records and documents

    Federal government sources
  • Securities and Exchange Commission
  • Federal Trade Commission
  • Internal Revenue Service
  • Antitrust Division, Department of Justice
  • Department of Labor
  • Food and Drug Administration
  • Federal Communications Commission
  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration
  • Environmental Protection Agency
  • Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
  • Consumer Product Safety Commission
    • State government sources
  • Secretary of State
  • Corporations
  • State Department of Revenue
  • State Department of Labor and Workforce Development
  • State Department of Commerce and Insurance (Workers' Compensation)
    • Other Sources
  • Trade press
    Editor & Publisher
    Broadcasting & Cable
  • Trade associations
    Newspaper Association of America
    National Association of Broadcasters

    • Resources

    Directories
  • Major directors
  • Officers
  • Executives
  • Basic operations and sales
  • Affiliates, divisions, and subsidiaries
    • State Documents
  • Copy of corporation charter
  • Other filing information
  • Ownership and financing of privately held firms
    • Corporations
  • Public relations operations
  • Charters
  • SEC registration statements
  • Annual reports
  • Organizational charts

    • Common Themes

    Performance
  • "Bottom line"
  • Strong markets
  • Profits
  • Productivity
  • Labor status
  • Stockholder satisfaction
    • Competition
  • Pressures
  • Regulation
  • Innovation and industry
  • Ruthlessness, price discrimination, and restraint of trade
    • Impact
  • Worker and product safety
  • Environmental concerns
  • Employment practices
  • Advertising claims
  • Stockholder security
  • Political and economic consequences