A partnership is a type of business structure where two or more individuals or entities share ownership, profits, and losses. Partnerships can be formed for various purposes, including for-profit businesses, professional practices, and non-profit organizations. Here's how a partnership works in a business context:

1. Partnership agreement: Partnerships are typically governed by a partnership agreement that outlines the terms and conditions of the partnership, such as the partners' contributions, profit sharing, decision-making, and dissolution. The agreement can be drafted by the partners themselves or with the help of a legal professional.

2. Contributions: Each partner contributes capital, labour, or other resources to the partnership in exchange for a ownership percentage Contributions can include cash, property, equipment, intellectual property, or expertise.

3. Profit sharing: Partnerships distribute profits and losses among the partners based on their ownership percentage, as outlined in the partnership agreement. Depending on the structure, Partners can receive a guaranteed payment or salary, and the remaining profits are divided among the partners according to their ownership percentage.

4. Decision-making: Partnerships can be managed by all partners or a designated managing partner, as outlined in the partnership agreement. Partners have equal voting rights, and major decisions such as adding or removing partners, changing the partnership structure, or dissolving the partnership require unanimous consent.

5. Liability: Depending on the type of partnership, the partners may have limited or unlimited liability. There are three different types general, limited and limited liability partnerships LLP. General will mean all partners have unlimited liability, limited means any limited partners do have limited liabilities but no control over the business, LLP partners liability is limited to the amount of capital contributed.

6. Taxation: Partnerships are ‘pass-through’ entities for tax purposes, meaning the partnership itself does not pay income tax. Instead, the profits and losses are passed through to the partners, who report the income on their individual tax returns.

These are the basic components of how a partnership works in a business context. It's important for partners to have a clear understanding of their roles, responsibilities, and obligations, and to have a comprehensive partnership agreement in place to ensure the partnership runs smoothly and effectively.