26 mins, 2002        [password required] Key Topics Types Of Business Limited Liability Public Sector Organisations are everywhere. Millions of people get their living from them. But why are there so many different kinds? Dave Nellist takes us on a light-hearted tour of the basic types of organisations and explains how they work. TYPES OF BUSINESS: Within the private sector, Dave explains the principles behind different types of business including sole proprietorships, partnerships, private and public limited companies, as well as franchises and co-operatives. Examples range from the giant Arcadia retail chain to the tiny Brixton Cycles. PROS & CONS: Case study examples illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of each type of organisation. Sole traders are easy to set up - but they're also the most likely to go bust. In a private limited company, the owners are protected from their firm's debts. In a public limited company shares are bought and sold on the stock exchange - so it's got access to much greater sums of capital than other businesses. PUBLIC SECTOR: The film also covers the public sector, in the shape of central and municipal government. Over 20% of the working population are employed here. As well as public and private sectors, there's the voluntary sector, too - for example, charities which depend on donations and people who work unpaid.