OWNERSHIP LIABILITY: The extent to which the owners of a business are liable for the debts of the company. The two basic liability alternatives are unlimited liability, which has no restrictions on ownership liability, and limited liability, which does have restrictions. Ownership liability is one characteristic separating legal business organizations. Proprietorships and partnerships have unlimited liability. Corporations have limited liability.

     See also | unlimited liability | limited liability | proprietorship | partnership | corporation | enterprise | legal business organizations | business | debt | proprietorship | partnership | corporation | wealth | asset | bank | value | production | incentive | bankruptcy | business | firm | company | production | production cost | supply | entrepreneurship | microeconomics | private sector | institution | business sector | business objectives | profit maximization | natural selection | plant | factory | industry | business cycle | political views | corporate profits | second estate | free enterprise | ownership and control | short-run production analysis |