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This unit focuses on types of company and company structure. Companies operate in a range of industries (electronics, IT, retail etc). Many companies, regardless of industry, undertake activities across the same areas (research and development, marketing, production, sales, customer services etc). There are different types of companies (UK) or corporations (US). Students will learn about different company types and structures through this unit.

Most large corporations are public limited or joint-stock companies, which means that shareholders can buy and sell parts of the company on the stock exchange.Many are multinationals with subsidiaries and assets in various different countries andd they generally engage in mergers with other companies and acquisitions in order to expand. However,large corporations are increasingly under threat from the growing number of dot.coms set up by entrepreneurs.