• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.179-185
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• 2009

This paper reviewed the relationship between boundary spanning behaviors and service quality, and the moderating effect of gender. Based on the responses from 204 employees in outdoor-food franchising system, hierarchical regression analysis showed that service delivery has positive relationships with all service quality factors, and external representation and internal influence have partly positive relationship with them. Gender appeared to have partly moderating effect on the relationship between only internal influence and service quality.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.43-53
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• 2014

Purpose - This study suggested a practical model for super supermarkets (SSMs) and small- and medium-sized stores to grow together. Super centers expanded their business. However, after the retail distribution law was revised in 2009, mutual cooperation between large and small enterprises resulted in social issues and people raised the issue of profitability. Research design, data, and methodology - This study investigated cases of regulation over distribution in Japan, France, and other countries to reveal implications and recommendations. Results - This study demonstrated how SSM and middle and small supermarkets could grow together by franchising and using cooperative society law. Franchising was a mutual growth model whereby the franchiser provided franchisees with large enterprise systems and utilities while franchisees could provide the franchiser with local information. They could thus build trust in each other to facilitate a mutual growth model. Further, the voluntary franchise system's model facilitated the mutual growth model. Conclusions - This study demonstrates that the franchise system and cooperative society could constitute an ideal model whereby large enterprises and middle and small stores could rely upon each other and grow together.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.119-130
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• 2014

Purpose - Franchise industries are significant both socially and economically. However, with increasing interest, there are manifold problems. It is necessary to seek measures for mature operation constantly despite unprepared franchisors, negative perceptions of the media and society toward franchise, and rapid changes in business start-up trends and propensity to consume that make business start-ups difficult. The paper aims to explain the effects of relational commitment and performance on the franchisor's management characteristics and justice in the food service franchise system. Research design, data, and methodology - This is an exploratory survey examining franchising in Korea. Based on a literature synthesis, we extract five constructs: managerial characteristics, support, fairness, trust, and satisfaction. We hypothesize that these factors influence the trust, satisfaction, and performance of franchisees. To examine these hypotheses empirically, we conducted a survey on the database of the Franchising Council of Korea. The study employs data from May to September 2014. In total, 135 completed questionnaires were received, of which 128 were usable. The data was analyzed with SPSS/PC 22.0. First, to test unidimensionality and nomological validity of the measures of each construct, we employed a scale refinement procedure. The result of a reliability test with Cronbach's α and factor analysis warranted unidimensionality of the measures for each construct. In addition, nomological validity of the measures was warranted from the result of the correlation and regression analysis. By analyzing the data, we can confirm most hypotheses. Results - Frist, franchisor characteristics have a positive effect on trust and satisfaction. Second, franchisor fairness has an effect on trust and satisfaction. Third, franchisor support has an effect on satisfaction. Further, the franchisee trust has an effect on satisfaction. Fourth, the satisfaction of a franchisee with a franchisor affects the performance of a franchisee. Finally, there is a possibility that not only franchisee performance but also increasing the credibility and improving the image of the franchisor through communication between franchisor and franchisee can improve franchisees' performance and satisfaction by motivating the franchisee for sustainable growth. Franchisers should endeavor for franchisees to obtain stable revenue with continuous and practical support. They should recognize that they can expand their business by supporting their franchisees. Franchisors should not only instantly respond to franchisees' troubles with interactive communications but also raise the ability of supervisors for better support. Franchisors should share their visions and goals with their franchisees and provide systematic and continuous support based on trust and clear company management. Franchisees should understand franchisors' position as well as participate in establishing the basic franchise system. Contributions - The paper contributes to understanding franchising in Korea. It offers insights and assistance to franchisors hoping to start franchises. This paper explores measurement issues related to franchisee performance by estimating its determinant factors (managerial characteristics, support, fairness, trust, and satisfaction). This study provides franchisors and practitioners planning to extend their franchising business with some practical knowledge.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.1-19
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• 2012

This study intends to suggest the cooperative, win-win collaboration, as methods for settling disputes with the existing self-employed people over back-street business areas and disputes and conflicts between a franchiser and franchisees. In addition, it intends to analyze the Dunkin' Donuts purchasing cooperative in the US, where the franchising industry has been well developed; and to find the implications of cooperation strategies between Dunkin' Donuts and its franchisees that may be helpful for the South Korea's franchising industry. This study tries to discover a new model of the Korean-style franchise cooperative out of the basic principles and practice guidelines of cooperatives ranging from an early American franchise cooperative in 1955 to ARCOP, KFC, and Dunkin' Doughnuts in the late 1970s. Further, it looks into successful programs of a purchasing cooperative at Dunkin' Donuts such as TDP (Total Distribution Program), SFP (Shortening Futures Program) and DCP (Distribution Commitment Program). The case of the US Dunkin' Donuts, which operates the purchasing cooperative, suggests the following for the improvement of franchisees' profitability. First, relations of cooperation rather than of power are necessary between a franchiser and franchisees. Second, mutual solidarity of franchisees is necessary. Third, problems proper to the Korean franchise system should be improved. Fourth, an entrepreneurial spirit of going together rather than going fast is required. Fifth, complete satisfaction management is required. Considering different system environments between the two countries such as quantitative expansion within a short franchising history of 30 years or so and franchise profit models, there is a limit to generalizing down to a successful model of the win-win partnership cooperative. It is hoped that the sustainable management of the domestic franchising industry will be promoted in the future through the in-depth analysis of successful cooperatives.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.39-54
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• 2012

Franchise system in Korea has been developed in different way compared with American way of franchising based on mutual contract and intellectual property context. Korean franchising is mostly based on product distribution franchise concept rather than business format franchise in which franchisor makes revenue sources from providing their products as much as possible thru group purchasing and logistics rather than receiving royalty. Many franchise enterprises from Korea drive to enter into global franchise market based on the successful performance of Korean way of franchising. Korean enterprises are required to prepare completely for research and survey regarding local culture, custom, way of life and legal matters etc. when entering into global franchise market to gain a substantial performance. CaffeBene recently entered into American franchise business with success, and many other Korean franchise enterprises have a deep interest in proceeding with global franchise business modeling CaffeBene case. There is no Korean franchise enterprise in United Kingdom in which service franchise area in particular with personal service is considered to become a promising and potential franchise business and many people show a great interest in Oriental foods and beverages with well-being trend. Korean franchise enterprises have now access to United Kingdom easier because IT industry including internet of the country have been developed by leaps and bounds since London Olympic in 2012. The purpose of this study is to suggest key success factors and basic strategy such as situation analysis, selecting business format, and marketing strategy for successful launching of franchise business in United Kingdom.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.1-23
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• 2011

The Freedom of Information System has been introduced into the society based on the Fair Trade Transactions Act, which was established by Fair Trade Commission (FTC) on May, 2002. However, the system itself has showed limitations in guaranteeing a reliability and transparency of the disclosure document. Thus, since February, 2008, FTC not only made franchisors to register disclosure documents but also adopted the Disclosure Document Registration System, which forced them to provide registered disclosure documents to franchise applicants and franchisee. Franchisors consider the newly adopted Disclosure Document Registration System a restrictive system. However, considering the recent trend of fast growing franchising industry and the importance of being competitive, franchisors need to utilize the disclosure documents to promote their business and to gain trusts from franchise applicants by providing truthful information. In that way, franchisors will be able to establish a foundation that franchising industry might be successful and reduce the agency fee by cutting out conflicts with franchisees. Thus, this study aims to study the ways of effective preparation of disclosure document and its utilization from a franchisor viewpoint.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.65-76
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• 2015

Purpose - This article aims to present and test a model regarding franchisors' supporting activities that may positively influence franchisees' attitude toward the franchising headquarter and their own business performance. Moreover, the authors examine the moderating effect of competitive intensity between franchisee attitude and business performance. Most previous research focused on behavioral performance measurements such as satisfaction, trust, and commitment. There are few empirical studies that focus on financial performance data because it is difficult to determine a relational mechanism between behavioral and financial performance. Moreover, financial data is confidential and difficult to collect in many cases. However, this study measures financial performance (e.g., sales revenue per square meter) differently than most previous research, which is mostly focused on the behavioral performance measurements. Research design, data, and methodology - To test our hypotheses, we selected 137 franchisee managers who are running chains of one of the foremost bakery franchise brands in South Korea. This study carefully investigated the reliability, content validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of the proposed instrument by analyzing the data obtained from the samples. The data was analyzed using the AMOS structural equation modeling program. Results - The results indicated that: non-financial support activities (e.g., information exchange and communication) had a positive impact on the franchisee attitude toward the franchising headquarter. The franchisee attitude in turn had a positive effect on the headquarters' business performance. Furthermore, competitive intensity could enhance the relationship between franchisee attitude toward franchising headquarter and business performance in a local franchise market. However, financial support activities (e.g., rewards and promotional support) and training had no relationship with either franchisee attitude or business performance. Conclusions - This study provides some practical implications to franchisors in terms of franchise operation and store opening strategies. With respect to the franchise operation strategy, franchisors need to focus on non-financial rather than financial support. Most franchisees consider the necessity of financial support activities and not their sufficiency because these activities are specified in their franchise contract. In addition, it is important for franchisees to maintain a positive attitude for the franchise headquarters. The franchisees with a positive attitude for the franchisor can show a high degree of solidarity for various support activities, and it consequently determines franchisees' sales performance. In terms of franchise store opening strategy, this study suggests an additional criterion that can be considered in determining the location of direct and non-direct management stores (e.g., franchisees' stores). In this research, franchise stores located within high level of competitive intensity are shown to have a high relationship between franchisee attitudes of franchisor support activities and business performance compared to the franchisees located within low competitive intensity level. This result shows that opening non-direct franchise stores is more effective than direct stores in higher competitive market situations. Research contribution, implications, and further research directions are discussed at the end of the paper.

• 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 Research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.87-114
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• 1997

The franchise form of business relationship remains both relatively unresearched and under-conceptualized despite its current and increasing importance as a business form in modern capitalist industrial society. A franchise is the synergistic combination of a franchisee and franchisor working together to better serve customers, and the success of the franchise system is a function of how well the franchisee and franchisor perform, together and separately. Given the interdependent nature of franchise relationships, the franchise participants need to understand each other as well as the dimensions and dynamics of their franchise relationship. The purpose of this study is to investigate the various factors relationship. The purpose of this study is to investigate the various factors which influence the development of coopertaive relationship in business format franchising system. Based on commitment theory and marketing literature, eight antecedent factors are identified and nine hypotheses are developed.

• 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.