Description:

Substantially revised, clarified and updated, the fourth edition of Guide to Business Law offers a clear and practical introduction to the basic principles of commercial law. Guide to Business Law 4e gives students the tools to understand and deal with questions and issues typically arising in the commercial world, such as

• What constitutes a valid contact, how it terminates, and what would happen in the event of how it terminates, and what would happen in the event of breach
• The particular details about agreements of sale, lease, insurance, and other specific contracts, and their effect on everyday business transactions.
• The various forms of companies and business enterprises, their differences and respective advantages, and which form might be most suited to a particular enterprise.

• Language and approach is simplified, concise and accessible: clear, accessible language to ensure students readily grasp concepts.
• Case law boxes to further enunciate legal principles and how these have been interpreted by the courts.
• Offers a choice of assessment questions: For self-testing or class use: essay, paragraph, and problem types.
• Examples to provide stronger application and a practical focus

• New chapters on constitutional law, corporate governance and black economic empowerment.
• Up-to-date content on company law, incorporating the new provisions of the Companies Act 71 of 2008.
• Reorganised structure to convey concepts in the most accessible and logical way
• New ‘Practically Speaking’ feature, which provides tips to enable students to apply complex legal principles.

Content:

Part A The SA legal system
1. The concept of law
2. Sources and origins of law
3. Court structure and jurisdiction
4. Officers of the court and the law, and the development of law
5. Litigation, arbitration and mediation
6. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996

Part B Basic principles of contract
7. Formation of a valid contract
8. Lawfulness of contract
9. Capacity to contract
10. Serious intention to contract
11. Communication – offer and acceptance of contract
12. Certainty of terms of contract
13. Reality of consent
14. Possibility of performance
15. Common contractual provisions and third parties to a contract
16. Termination of contract and remedies

Part C Specific business contracts
17. Contract of sale
18. Credit agreements
19. Contract of lease and occupancy
20. Contract of employment
21. Labour legislation
22. Contract of agency
23. Contract of insurance

Part D Business organization
24. Sole proprietorship, partnership and joint venture
25. Close corporations, trusts and co-operatives
26. Companies
27. Corporate governance and insider trading
28. Black Economic Empowerment (BEE)

Part E Aspects of business law
29. Insolvency
30. Negotiable instruments and other forms of payment
31. Real and personal securities
32. Consumer protection
33. Intellectual property
34. Delict