As the industrial revolution grew, new business practices developed. Before, most businesses were owned by a sole proprietor (single owner), or a small partnership. But ways of doing business changed dramatically during industrialization, when corporation were formed. Corporations were formed to raise capital for expansion. They did this by selling stock in form of shares to investors. Corporations basically are a business with many shareholders. The share holders receive dividends when the company makes profit, and can only lose what they have put in.