Preface xvenable readers to understand them. Almost all businesses have the making of a profit as
their major objective and I thought that it would be useful for readers to see what a balance
sheet and a profit and loss account actually look like.
The opening chapter of this book deals with the legal system and the settlement of legal
disputes. The part of this chapter which deals with the sources of English law should help
readers to understand the substantive law covered in later chapters. Four chapters on the
law of contract come next and these are followed by two chapters on closely related subjects,
agency and sale of goods. Two chapters on tort come next. The first of these deals with the
tort of negligence and with torts related to negligence. The next chapter deals with torts
which are not related to negligence. The following three chapters examine closely the law
relating to companies, partnerships and limited liability partnerships. Any business carried
on by two or more people must trade in one of these three ways. Two chapters on employ-
ment law come next. The first of these deals with the contract of employment and the rights
of a dismissed employee. The second deals with discrimination and health and safety.
Chapter 15 deals with trade descriptions and misleading price indications. The penultimate
chapter deals with credit and types of business property, and the final chapter covers the
resolution of business disputes.
Finally, I would like to thank Zöe Botterill at Pearson for her careful editing, which has
significantly improved the text. I would also like to thank my good friend Eddie Fox for the
company accounts which feature on the website.A01_MACI4097_03_SE_FM1.QXD 2/15/11 9:44 AM Page xv