Final answer:
A) Ownership gives the power to influence financial and operating policy decisions in an entity, typically exercised by shareholders through a board of directors as part of corporate governance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The power to participate in the financial and operating policy decisions of an entity is most commonly associated with ownership, which is option A.
Ownership implies that those who own the company, such as the shareholders in a public company, have the right and power to influence those decisions.
In a public company, shareholders elect a board of directors to oversee and hire management to carry out the day-to-day operations.
This process is part of corporate governance, which includes the systems and practices through which a company is controlled and directed.