Ribstein on The Rise of the Uncorporation

Larry E. Ribstein, University of Illinois College of Law has posted the Introduction of his forthcoming book, THE RISE OF THE UNCORPORATION (Oxford University Press, 2009). Here's the abstract:

The analysis of business associations largely has been limited to corporations. Yet unincorporated firms, including general and limited partnerships and limited liability companies, comprise about a third of the firms in the US, and even larger percentages elsewhere in the world. The Rise of the Uncorporation covers the history, law, and finance of unincorporated firms. These “uncorporations” are now the dominant business form for non-publicly-traded firms. Moreover, through private equity, hedge funds, and publicly traded partnerships, uncorporations have emerged as a significant force in the governance of a wide range of large firms. The Rise of the Uncorporation is the first general theoretical and practical overview of the alternatives to incorporation. The book seeks to bring uncorporations into popular and academic debates that have previously focused only on corporations. This book also covers the ancillary concepts connected with the evolution of these uncorporations, and analyzes likely future trends in business organization.