• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.61-118
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• 2008

The purpose of this research is to construct research framework for international franchising based on existing literature and to identify research components in the framework. Franchise can be defined as management styles that allow franchisee use various management assets of franchisor in order to make or sell product or service. It can be divided into product distribution franchise that is designed to sell products and business format franchise that is designed for running it as business whatever its form is. International franchising can be defined as a way of internationalization of franchisor to foreign country by providing its business format or package to franchisee of host country. International franchising is growing fast for last four decades but academic research on this is quite limited. Especially in Korea, research about international franchising is carried out on by case study format with single case or empirical study format with survey based on domestic franchise theory. Therefore, this paper tries to review existing literature on international franchising research, providing research framework, and then stimulating new research on this field. International franchising research components include motives and environmental factors for decision of expanding to international franchising, entrance modes and development plan for international franchising, contracts and management strategy of international franchising, and various performance measures from different perspectives. First, motives of international franchising are fee collection from franchisee. Also it provides easier way to expanding to foreign country. The other motives including increase total sales volume, occupying better strategic position, getting quality resources, and improving efficiency. Environmental factors that facilitating international franchising encompasses economic condition, trend, and legal or political factors in host and/or home countries. In addition, control power and risk management capability of franchisor plays critical role in successful franchising contract. Final decision to enter foreign country via franchising is determined by numerous factors like history, size, growth, competitiveness, management system, bonding capability, industry characteristics of franchisor. After deciding to enter into foreign country, franchisor needs to set entrance modes of international franchising. Within contractual mode, there are master franchising and area developing franchising, licensing, direct franchising, and joint venture. Theories about entrance mode selection contain concepts of efficiency, knowledge-based approach, competence-based approach, agent theory, and governance cost. The next step after entrance decision is operation strategy. Operation strategy starts with selecting a target city and a target country for franchising. In order to finding, screening targets, franchisor needs to collect information about candidates. Critical information includes brand patent, commercial laws, regulations, market conditions, country risk, and industry analysis. After selecting a target city in target country, franchisor needs to select franchisee, in other word, partner. The first important criteria for selecting partners are financial credibility and capability, possession of real estate. And cultural similarity and knowledge about franchisor and/or home country are also recognized as critical criteria. The most important element in operating strategy is legal document between franchisor and franchisee with home and host countries. Terms and conditions in legal documents give objective information about characteristics of franchising agreement for academic research. Legal documents have definitions of terminology, territory and exclusivity, agreement of term, initial fee, continuing fees, clearing currency, and rights about sub-franchising. Also, legal documents could have terms about softer elements like training program and operation manual. And harder elements like law competent court and terms of expiration. Next element in operating strategy is about product and service. Especially for business format franchising, product/service deliverable, benefit communicators, system identifiers (architectural features), and format facilitators are listed for product/service strategic elements. Another important decision on product/service is standardization vs. customization. The rationale behind standardization is cost reduction, efficiency, consistency, image congruence, brand awareness, and competitiveness on price. Also standardization enables large scale R&D and innovative change in management style. Another element in operating strategy is control management. The simple way to control franchise contract is relying on legal terms, contractual control system. There are other control systems, administrative control system and ethical control system. Contractual control system is a coercive source of power, but franchisor usually doesn't want to use legal power since it doesn't help to build up positive relationship. Instead, self-regulation is widely used. Administrative control system uses control mechanism from ordinary work relationship. Its main component is supporting activities to franchisee and communication method. For example, franchisor provides advertising, training, manual, and delivery, then franchisee follows franchisor's direction. Another component is building franchisor's brand power. The last research element is performance factor of international franchising. Performance elements can be divided into franchisor's performance and franchisee's performance. The conceptual performance measures of franchisor are simple but not easy to obtain objectively. They are profit, sale, cost, experience, and brand power. The performance measures of franchisee are mostly about benefits of host country. They contain small business development, promotion of employment, introduction of new business model, and level up technology status. There are indirect benefits, like increase of tax, refinement of corporate citizenship, regional economic clustering, and improvement of international balance. In addition to those, host country gets socio-cultural change other than economic effects. It includes demographic change, social trend, customer value change, social communication, and social globalization. Sometimes it is called as westernization or McDonaldization of society. In addition, the paper reviews on theories that have been frequently applied to international franchising research, such as agent theory, resource-based view, transaction cost theory, organizational learning theory, and international expansion theories. Resource based theory is used in strategic decision based on resources, like decision about entrance and cooperation depending on resources of franchisee and franchisor. Transaction cost theory can be applied in determination of mutual trust or satisfaction of franchising players. Agent theory tries to explain strategic decision for reducing problem caused by utilizing agent, for example research on control system in franchising agreements. Organizational Learning theory is relatively new in franchising research. It assumes organization tries to maximize performance and learning of organization. In addition, Internalization theory advocates strategic decision of direct investment for removing inefficiency of market transaction and is applied in research on terms of contract. And oligopolistic competition theory is used to explain various entry modes for international expansion. Competency theory support strategic decision of utilizing key competitive advantage. Furthermore, research methodologies including qualitative and quantitative methodologies are suggested for more rigorous international franchising research. Quantitative research needs more real data other than survey data which is usually respondent's judgment. In order to verify theory more rigorously, research based on real data is essential. However, real quantitative data is quite hard to get. The qualitative research other than single case study is also highly recommended. Since international franchising has limited number of applications, scientific research based on grounded theory and ethnography study can be used. Scientific case study is differentiated with single case study on its data collection method and analysis method. The key concept is triangulation in measurement, logical coding and comparison. Finally, it provides overall research direction for international franchising after summarizing research trend in Korea. International franchising research in Korea has two different types, one is for studying Korean franchisor going overseas and the other is for Korean franchisee of foreign franchisor. Among research on Korean franchisor, two common patterns are observed. First of all, they usually deal with success story of one franchisor. The other common pattern is that they focus on same industry and country. Therefore, international franchise research needs to extend their focus to broader subjects with scientific research methodology as well as development of new theory.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.39-48
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• 2022

Purpose: COVID-19 has negatively influenced the financial performance of restaurant firms. Previous literature suggests that the franchising strategy effectively helps restaurant firms recover from difficult business conditions through various methods for expanding business size and enhancing business efficiency. According to risk-sharing theory, restaurant franchisors may minimize operational risks by sharing the risks with their franchisees. For instance, restaurant franchisors could generate more stable cash flow using franchise fees from their franchisees. However, research on the effect of franchise's risk reduction factor on business performance during pandemic is scarce. Thus, this study aims to examine the positive moderating effect of franchising between COVID-19 and restaurants' financial performance. Research design, data, and methodology: Panel data including financial information and franchising status of restaurant firms were collected for analysis. In order to control for unobserved firm-specific factors, generalized least squared estimation in fixed effects model was conducted. Huber-White robust standard errors were used to deal with heteroscedasticity issues. Results: It was found that COVID-19 pandemic has a negative effect on the restaurants' financial performance such as ROA (return on assets), ROE (return on equity), and PM (profit margins), which confirms the findings from existing literature. More importantly, results show that the degree of franchising has a positive moderating effect on the relationship between COVID-19 and financial performance of restaurant firms. This suggests that more active engagement in franchising may decrease negative impacts of COVID-19 on the restaurants' financial performance. Conclusions: The study supports existing literature related to risk-sharing theory, by confirming that pandemics, such as COVID-19, negatively affect financial performance of the restaurants. Furthermore, it was found that franchising strategy can help lessen negative impacts of pandemics on the firm performance. These findings can contribute to the franchise and restaurant management literature by suggesting the role of franchising in reducing business risks, thereby positively affecting financial performance. Moreover, this study offers business managers of franchisors and franchisees insights for utilizing franchising in restaurant risk management. Policymakers may also gain information on aiding restaurant firms during global crisis, such as COVID-19.

• Korean Journal of Comparative Education
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.83-106
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to analyze the management and quality assurance of higher education franchising in UK universities. Central Lancashire University, Liverpool John Moors University and London Metropolitan University were selected for the case study. The findings based on the framework consisting four areas are as follows. First, the franchising was actively pursued due to the interest of UK universities in securing student and financial resources associated with the interest of partner universities aiming at internationalization and development. Second, the field of cooperation reflected the strengths of UK universities and the needs of partner universities, while the types and degree awarding methods were diversified thanks to the autonomy given to UK universities. Third, the management system was well structured to guarantee transparent and valid operation of franchising with the intensive support of the headquarter at the beginning stage. Fourth, rigorous quality control measures were applied to provide education services of the same quality. In this process, QAA played an important guiding role. Based on these findings, we suggested policy implications for the Korean government as well as universities who are interested in franchising of higher education.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.1-18
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• 2017

This study focuses on the recent case held as to control in franchising. On the basis of analysis of the recent case, it examines the validity of the decision and suggests practical advice. The extensive judicial precedent has held that the franchisor and the franchisee possess the independent contractor relationship. But Williams v. Jani-king of Philadelphia Inc. suggest the conversion of the franchisee's status to an employees instead of an independent contractor. Franchisees allege that they were wrongly classified as independent contractors instead of employees because Jani-King had the ability to control the manner in which franchisees perform their day-to-day tasks. The appeal court held that Pennsylvania law does not distinguish between controls put in place to protect a franchise's intellectual property and controls for other purposes, and a franchisee may be an employee or an independent contractor depending on the nature of the franchise system controls. However, some degree of controls by the franchisor over the franchisee is inherent in the franchise and may even be mandated by the federal and state laws. Moreover, the appeal court affirmed that the franchise agreement, policies manual, and training manual alone could be sufficient to resolve the employment status. But it seems appropriate that the right to control on the documents is considered with the actual control.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.67-81
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• 2019

Purpose - The overarching aim of this study is to empirically test the effect of ex-post control mechanisms on multi-dimensional trust and channel performance in franchise systems. Although the franchise system is a vertical marketing channel based on trust between the franchisor and the franchisees, issues related to franchisee's opportunistic behavior have persisted and thus requires research into the effective control system of franchise headquarters. Research design, data, and methodology - In this study, data was collected from 150 franchises to identify the effect of two types of franchising headquarters' control system on the multi-dimensional trust and franchise channel outcome between franchisor and franchisee. To test the hypotheses intended to achieve this aim, structural equations modeling technique is utilized. Results - The results of this research reveal that among the two formal control systems studied (output and process control), output control positively and significantly affects multidimensional trust. Additionally, among the three dimensions of trust employed in this study, only expertise has a positive and significant effect on contract compliance. Equally, only expertise and integrity have a negative and significant effect on opportunistic behavior. Conclusions - The study provides managerial and theoretical insights into understanding ex-post control mechanisms, trust, compliance and opportunistic behaviors in franchise systems.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.801-807
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• 2007

The objectives of this study were to develop Korean dishes acceptable for quick-service Korean food restaurant franchising operations in the U.S. and to test consumer preferences of 6 Korean dishes developed. One hundred American consumers evaluated beef(Bulgogi), pork(Jeyuk-bokkeum), chicken(Dagkalbi), noodles with seasoned vegetables(Japchae), braised tofu(Dubujorim), and stir-fried kimchi (Kimchi-bokkeum). Consumer preferences for color and aroma of the three dishes(Bulgogi, Jeyuk-bokkeum and Dagkalbi) were not different with most indicating they liked these attributes. Bulgogi was preferred over Dagkalbi and Jeyuk-bokkeum was least acceptable. Consumers rated the flavor of the Bulgogi from a little too mild to just right while both the Dagkalbi and Jeyuk-bokkeum were rated from just right to too strong. Overall acceptance was inversely related to spiciness. Bulgogi and Dagkalbi were ranked significantly higher than Jeyuk-bokkeum with Bulgogi receiving a slightly higher score. Overall acceptance was higher for the Japchae than the Kimchi-bokkeum. Dubujorim was intermediate and not preferred or disliked more than either of the others. Consumers rated the flavor of the Japchae and the Dubujorim higher than the Kimchi-bokkeum, indicating that the flavor of the Kimchi-bokkeum was too strong. Almost half indicated both the Dubujorim and Kimchi-bokkeum were slightly or much too hot. The Japchae and the Dubujorim were ranked equally high and significantly higher than the Kimchi-bokkeum. We suggest that control of spiciness is a main factor to develop Korean dishes acceptable for quick-service Korean food restaurant franchising operations in the U.S.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.45-60
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• 2020

Propose: The expansion of the delivery market in franchise business is a positive means of advertising and promotion for franchisees and contributes to substantial sales growth for stores. However, unrestricted and uncontrolled delivery sales and business activity of franchisee directly lead to encroachment of business territory between franchisees, resulting in increased operating costs of franchisees and conflicts between franchisees over rights and interests on franchise business. Moreover, in relation to the restrictions on the opening of competitors, it is incapacitating the law intent of prohibiting unfair encroachment of business territory, in the issue of the Fair Franchise Act in regard to guarantee of exclusive sales and business activity rights of franchisee. This study aims to point out major problems arising out of franchisee's infinite competition on delivery sales and business activity that are not restricted or controlled and then suggest legal supplements, policy tasks, and practical implications for improvement on the issues. Literature Review: In franchising business transactions, vertical restraints are associated with the exclusive territory establishment, control of transaction area, restriction of intangible sales and business activity of franchisee. Therefore, in the franchise business, it is necessary to take positive interpretation and application on e-commerce, the area of e-commerce, and delivery trading area and find proper and practical ways, by virtue of constructive attitude of each actor, to reduce the encroachment of business territory and various conflicts caused by unrestricted delivery trading area. Conclusion and suggestion: The finding shows that unrestricted or uncontrolled delivery sales and business activity of franchisees cause encroachment of business territory and many conflicts among franchisees. And this matters also weaken the legislation of the law on the protection of the business territory and can be negative factors that disrupt the protection of identity and sound development of the franchise industry in the long run. Therefore, in the franchise business, it is necessary to take positive interpretation and application on e-commerce, the area of e-commerce, and delivery trading area and find proper and practical ways, by virtue of constructive attitude of each actor, to reduce the encroachment of business territory and various conflicts caused by unrestricted delivery trading area.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.39-58
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• 2011

The Study on the Influence of Selection factors of Franchise System and Franchisee's Satisfaction in the Food Service Franchise Industry. Franchisors can use franchisee selection criteria as a key input control to enhance the outcomes of their future franchisees. A business technique based on long term contractual arrangements between two legally independent businesses and relying on certain inputs from both parties for success and survival has significant potential for conflict. Furthermore,with many independent small businesses falling to reach their full potential, it is important to evaluate franchising as an alternative system of business management and to identify the characteristics of franchisor and franchisees which contribute to the satisfactory operation of a franchised small business. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate a possible relationship between franchisee satisfaction and certain characteristics of the franchisor and of the franchisees themselves. In accordance with results of a hypothesis verification, a Selection factors of Franchise affects positively a Franchisee's Business Satisfaction.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.11-22
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• 2014

Purpose - The domestic franchise industry has made significant contributions to industry such as investment, employment, and community economy development, facilitating growth potential. The franchise industry provides management knowhow transfer between parent companies and franchisees as per contracts addressing use of business signs, franchisees' independent position, franchisor support, and royalties to be paid to the franchisors. However, many franchisors lack management knowhow and provide insufficient support because of poor control of franchisees and not having a systematic approach to support. This results in dissatisfied franchisees and failure to establish long-term relationships. Few studies have examined relational commitment and/or re-contract intention by support resources between franchisors and franchisees, despite a considerable output of theories and studies of the growth of the franchise industry. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine the effects of the ability to provide resources on relational commitments and re-contract intention, and to suggest causal relationships and implications. Research design, data, and methodology - The subject was domestic franchisors registered with the Association of Franchise with more than 50 franchisees. Franchisees under contract for 2 years and considering re-contract of their franchise 2 years later were used. The subjects totaled 300 franchisees in Seoul. A questionnaire survey was used to investigate the subject of franchisees' concessions during the 10 days from November 21, 2013 to November 30, 2013. After excluding 16 surveys with poor answers, 284 responses were finally used. Four areas and 44 questions were used. A nominal scale was used for four common characteristics questions including gender, ages, educational background, and franchise managing time. Questions regarding ability, relational commitment, and re-contract intention made use of a Likert 5-point scale. Data coding and data cleaning were used. SPSS 18.0 was used as follows. First, frequency analysis was done to investigate demographic characteristics. Second, exploratory factor analysis was done to verify validity of testing tools, and Cronbach's α coefficient was used to verify reliability. Third, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were done. An exploratory factor analysis was done to verify validity of concepts. A correlation analysis was done to test relationships between the variables, and multiple regression analysis was done to verify franchisor's ability, franchisees' relational commitment, and re-contract intention. Results - The following were the outcomes. First, store operation management, finance operation management, and human resource management affected the calculated bond. Second, store operation management and finance operation management affected the emotional bond. Third, store operation management, finance operation management, human resource management, and marketing management affected the prescriptive bond. Fourth, calculated bond and prescriptive bond had an effect on re-contract intention. Conclusions - As stated above, in franchise management, parent companies' offer and instruction of core competence to their franchisees as an information resource could improve the relational bond by helping them grow together through the resource sharing. Consequently, core competence factors were promoting factors that could improve franchisees' re-contract intention for a long time.