• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.35-49
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• 2021

Purpose: The major objective of this study is to develop a model for the impact of franchisors' Gapjil (verbal·nonverbal Gapjil, abusing bargaining position, refusing transaction, false or exaggerated information, restrictive practices, unfair damage compensation) on franchisee's recontract intention. We also examine the mediating role of economic satisfaction and social satisfaction in the relationship between franchisors' Gapjil and franchisee's contract intention. Research design, data, and methodology: Data were collected from franchisee owners located nationwide in Korea. Out of 256 questionaires distributed, a total of 256 questionnaires were returned. After excluding 10 invalid respondent questionnaires, we coded and analyzed 246 valid questionnaires (effective response rate of 96.09%) using frequency, confirmatory factor analysis, correlations analysis, and structural equation modeling with SPSS 22.O and SmartPLS 3.0. Results: The findings of this study are summarized as follows: First, among the Gapjil of the franchisors, restrictive practices and unfair damage compensation had negative effects on economic and social satisfaction, but verbal and nonverbal Gapjil for economic and social satisfaction was not significant. Second, abusing bargaining positions and false or exaggerated information had negative effects on social satisfaction, but for economic satisfaction, found to be insignificant. Third, economic and social satisfaction had positive effects on the franchisee's recontract intention to the franchisor. Conclusion: The following implications of this study are as follows. First, the construct of Gapjil that occurs between the franchisors and the franchisees was first presented, and the franchisors' Gapjil is divided into interpersonal Gapjil and structural Gapjil. Second, the Gapjil of the franchisors can be an important predictor variable in maintaining and developing a long-term relationship between the franchisors and the franchisees. Third, solving conflict due to the Gapjil problem between franchisors and franchisees can be an important factor for franchisors and franchisees to co-survive and thrive in Korean franchise system. Fourth, this study suggest that managing the Gapjil of the franchisors was a important antecedent factor in maintaining long-term relationship between the franchisors and the franchisees. Therefore, this study will help franchisors formulate effective symbiotic marketing strategies to satisfy relationships with franchisees and consequently enhance long-term orientation.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 2016

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to find the issues associated with international expansion of Korean franchisors going international and suggest lessons of proposition to reduce the failure risk in international expansion of franchise systems. Research design, data, and methodology - This is the exploratory study and structured to review (1) background to motivate the expansion of franchisors towards international market, (2) the status of Korean franchisors going international in recent years, (3) issues, (4) lessons learned from the experiences, and (5) summary. Secondary sources were reviewed to get necessary data and statistics. Results - Master franchising was the most preferred entry mode for Korean franchisors. Franchisors must understand the expenses to be incurred as well as revenues associated with international activities. Brand is the core asset of franchisor as a differentiation strategy. Conclusions - The paper indicates that even if international franchising is the unique business model for franchisors to use in little or least risk compared with other international entry modes, it needs a set of complex capabilities that much differ from those in domestic and franchisors should take a step approach to the international market with the planned and long term perspective.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 2018

Purpose - The purpose of this study was to establish self sustainable win-win growth model for Korea franchise corporate sustainability and to suggest theoretical and practical implications for franchise management. Research design, data, and methodology - This study is based on literature review methodology. Result - The study suggested the ways of self sustainable win-win growth model for Korea franchise corporate sustainability. First, franchiors should strengthen requisite & specify in the contract, share information & strengthen transparency, and establish win-win management support system for control & autonomy balance. Second, franchises should develop CEO management competency & employee work competency, and establish recognition for Intellectual Property Rights Use. Third, franchisors and franchises should implement contract sincerely, strengthen Organizational Citizenship Behavior, and solve moral laxity. Forth, franchisors and franchises should establish trust and value with communication to make Creating Social Value. Fifth, franchisors and franchises should realize self sustainable social value for corporation and social community. To make this, franchsors and franchise should establish self sustainable win-win growth ecosystem with people, system, culture, innovation. Conclusions - First, Franchisors and franchises should distribute 'Self sustainable win-win growth 2025 for Korea franchise corporate sustainability' and 'Self sustainable win-win growth model for Korea franchise corporate sustainability'. Second, Franchisors and franchises should change their perspective about franchise industry. Third, Franchisors and franchises should develop various training and development plans for franchise industry. Fourth, Franchisors and franchises should establish franchise performance certificate system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.455-462
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• 1990

The purpose of this study were to investigate relationships between the franchisors and franchisees in terms of management, satisfaction and cooperation, and to establish a model for improvement of the foodservice management structure of fast food franchise system. Data were collected from 4 hamburger and 7 noodle franchisors, and from 21 hamburger and 38 noodle franchisees. Surveyed chains were composed of 10 franchisor-owned units and 49 franchised units. The instrument used in this study was Liker type 5-scale guestionnarie. Hypotheses concerning relations between management practices by franchisor and satisfaction of franchisee, cooperation of franchisee were tested using path analysis. Unit management practices by franchisors were significantly different according to the operation style. Franchisor-owned hamburger chains rather than franchised noodle chains were better managed by franchisors in terms of QSC and management support. Management practices by franchisors in the whole showed a significant relationship with the satisfaction, cooperation, and the implementation of standardized recipes by franchisees. Franchisees' satisfaction had a significant positive relation with the cooperation and the implementation of standardized recipes. QSC management practices and management support by franchisors, had no direct relevance to the general cooperation of franchisees, and management practices in the whole had a little relevance to it, but franchisees' satisfaction in terms of QSC and the whole had a strong effect to their QSC Cooperation.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.177-190
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• 2017

This study investigates the effects of franchisors' characteristics including brand reputation, training and product related support, franchisees' characteristics including store location and management on the performance and recontract intention of franchisees in bakery franchise industry. Also, this study examine the moderating effect of CEO experience of franchisees among the franchisors' and franchisees' characteristics, and performance. To empirically test these relationships, data were collected from 386 respondents who are franchisees in the bakery franchise sector. In the verification of hypotheses, the structure equation modeling(SEM) is used. The results of this study are as follows. First, franchisors' brand reputation, training support, and franchisees' locational factor have significant effects on the financial performance of franchisees positively. However, franchisors' product related support and franchisees' management of the store have not significant effects on the performance. Second, the performance of franchisees has positive effect on the recontract intention. Third, the moderating effect of CEO experience is only significant in the relationship between franchisors' training support and the performance. Based on the findings, this study suggest the importance of building a good brand image and superior training system for franchisors to improve mutual ongoing growth. Also, franchisors should determine whether nascent franchisee entrepreneurs have CEO experiences to further improve performance. If they do not have related experiences, both opening and ongoing training supports of franchisors and the efforts of franchisees towards learning are required. Finally, this study suggest that both franchisors and franchisees should accurately analyze the conditions of possible locations and establish strategies to select beneficial location before starting a franchise business.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.23-37
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• 2022

Purpose: The Korean franchise market has undergone drastic growth in recent years. Followed by expansion of franchise business types, relevant legal matters have diversified. Compared to conventional economic laws that focused on resolving problems related to unfair transactions between franchisors and franchisees, more diverse labor laws have emerged recently due to governance and economic dependencies of franchise structure. However, it was found that the business environment of franchisees and working conditions of franchisee employees have not changed accordingly due to the unique structure of franchise business. Though franchisees are entrepreneurs independent from franchisors, they are still under franchising contract with the franchisors. For instance, employees of franchisees have been exposed to malpractices in regard to pay, time, and other working conditions. These malpractices may show the ineffectiveness of current labor laws. Labor management is an important issue for sustainability of franchise businesses. Negative publicity of franchises generated from violating relevant labor laws may have significant negative impact on overall image of franchised brands. However, franchisors should not hold franchisees fully responsible for legal violations in terms of labor management but strive to prevent relevant risks. Thus, the recent amendment in labor law related to increased minimum wage and reduced worktime have called for more attention to effectively implementing the law. Research design, data, and methodology: This study was conducted through a review of franchise-related laws and various institutions and policies. Results: It is further needed for all parties, including franchisors, franchisees, and franchisee employees, to take collaborative actions to improve working conditions of franchisees. Therefore, this study aims to propose appropriate and effective response plans toward recent changes in the Minimum Wage Act, while strengthening sustainability of franchisors, franchisees, and their employees. Conclusions: The proposal mainly contains plans regarding profit-related aids and profit sharing/cost reduction strategies for franchisees, as well as collective bargaining in the franchisor-franchisee relation. More detailed suggestions are included. Conclusions: This proposal may help franchisors and policymakers develop business plans and policies in improving business conditions of franchisees and working conditions of franchisee employees.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.37-52
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• 2017

Purpose - This study explores the influence of franchisors' supports on franchisees financial performance, overall satisfaction and intention to remain. Research design, data, and methodology - Given the exploratory design of the investigation, purposive sampling technique was used to select twenty-six (26) franchisees as key informants for this study. In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted leading to generation of rich qualitative data on the phenomenon of support services in the Nigeria franchise system. Results - Results indicate that at both the initial and growing stages, training and management service supports have marked influence on franchisees business outcomes. However, findings revealed that at the initial stage, the impact of training is greatest but this impact subsequently declines as franchisees master the nuances of the business. Management services on the other hand maintains a constant relevance through all stages of franchisees business. Conclusions - Three key conclusions were drawn from the findings of this study. First, the quality of initial and ongoing supports have consequences for the long-term health of franchisees and franchisors' businesses. Second, poor management of franchisees' expectations and perception of supports could damage franchise partnerships. Third, franchisees form their expectation of supports largely from the nature of initial supports provided by the franchisors.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.69-91
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• 2007

This study is aimed to analyze the impact of the perception of fairness on the relationship quality as a way to enhance the competitiveness through the establishment of a long-term relationship between food service franchisors and franchisees. An empirical analysis found that the more positively the fairness of franchisors is recognized, the more positive impact it has on the relationship quality. As both the distributive fairness and the procedural fairness, the two concepts of fairness, are perceived in a more positive manner, the trust and satisfaction over franchisers were found to be higher, with the conflict shown to be lower. Though both the distributive fairness and the procedural fairness showed a significant result, the procedural fairness, in particular, has a greater impact on the trust and satisfaction over franchisers than the distributive fairness. In addition, the quality of relationship between franchisor and franchisees has a positive impact on a long-term commitment. That is that as their trust and satisfaction over franchisors are higher with less conflict, franchisees will become more cooperative with their franchisors. The greatest impact on the long-term unity, among the factors that constitute the relationship quality, appeared to be trust. Accordingly, it is advisable persons in charge at franchisors place the greatest focus on fostering trust to establish a long-term relationship, inducing it in a positive direction. From such result, suggestions can be made in establishing a strategy for developing an appropriate relationship between food service franchisors and franchisees. Firstly, persons in charge at food service franchisors will have to induce the perception of franchisors' procedural fairness by franchisees in a positive direction in order to enhance the Quality of relationship with franchisees. Secondly, as an alternative strategy for forming a long-term relationship between franchisors and franchisees, the effort should be made to foster a greater trust in franchisors first. In many cases, franchisors currently focus more on their convenience in management than the development of systems to satisfy the franchisee needs. This contravenes with the essence of relationship marketing and thus, it can be said it is the most important of all that focus should be directed at trust and fairness in the effort toward a sustained relationship between franchisors and franchisees in the future.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.175-184
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• 2017

In franchisee industry, it is essential for franchisors to share knowhow and also specialized knowledge in order to realize favorable relationship and performance between franchisors and franchisees. Particularly, in mature food service industry, companies' specialized knowledge and knowhow are the core competence to obtain competitive advantage. Therefore, to create performance, it is absolutely necessary to share information and knowledge among all the franchisees. The purpose of this study is to verify relationship between franchisors' information sharing perceived by food service franchise owners, relationship quality, and relationship performance. A survey was done to food service franchisees, and total 297 samples were used to analyze the structural equation model. According to the analysis results, food service franchise companies' information sharing is significantly correlated with quality of relationship with franchise owners in a positive way. Also, franchisors' knowledge sharing has significant influence on performance of relationship with franchisees in a positive way. The components of relationship quality, trust and immersion, all influence relationship performance. Based on the results, this author suggests several implications about food service franchise management and information sharing.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.25-38
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• 2012

In general, commercial franchisors prefer franchisees with high entrepreneurship and business capability. However, these entrepreneurial franchisees with high capability tend to depend less on franchisors. Although franchisees with less entrepreneurship and low capability need intensive care from franchisors, some of them result in business failure due to improper supports from incapable franchisors. This paper suggests several propositions regarding social franchising's role in supporting the low-income urban people on the premise that social franchising or micro-franchising provides implications for franchisor strategic orientations for franchisees with little capital. Through literature review about social franchising and micro franchising, some implications are drawn. Many social enterprises use franchising to get growth and sustainability, because franchising allow social enterprise to expand its scale and to achieve economies of scale despite of its non-commercial and social purpose. And continuous support and training undertake the most important role to achieve its social purpose. In commercial franchising, especially small business format franchising sector, franchisor have to consider not only commercial purpose but also social responsibility because of low capability and less entrepreneurship of franchisee. If franchisor pursue only own profit, this can increase the conflict and franchise system failure. So far many franchisors are concerned with own profit and external growth. But it is necessary to consider symbiotic relationship, social responsibility and sustainability more for the sake of desirable industrial growth in the future.