Modes of governance for market entry by international franchisors: factors affecting the choice

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Hoffman ◽  
Sharon Watson ◽  
Hemant Kher

Purpose This study aims to provide an empirical test of an existing theoretical model depicting the governance modes used by international franchisors when entering international markets. Design/methodology/approach Using a unique panel data set of 222 market expansions by US firms over a seven-year period, this paper tests hypotheses regarding the factors affecting the franchisors’ choice of governance modes when entering foreign markets. Findings Franchisors use governance modes with lower levels of control when faced with environmental uncertainties due to corruption, economic downturns and when the geographic distance is large. Moreover, the franchise system assets and its local market assets also affect the choice of governance modes. Practical implications Firms need to balance the costs of environmental uncertainty with the need to safeguard the firm’s capabilities and resources using governance modes with appropriate levels of control. This balance changes as the franchise company gains more experience in the local market and as once-emerging markets continue to develop. Originality/value This research identified additional governance modes used by franchisors compared to previous studies. Using multiple theoretical perspectives, the study supported significant portions of the Jell-Ojobor and Windsperger (2014) model of franchisor governance mode choice.

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (12) ◽  
pp. 1071-1089
Author(s):  
Alan Chan ◽  
Bruce G. Fawcett ◽  
Shu-Kam Lee

Purpose – Church giving and attendance are two important indicators of church health and performance. In the literature, they are usually understood to be simultaneously determined. The purpose of this paper is to estimate if there a sustainable church congregation size using Wintrobe’s (1998) dictatorship model. The authors want to examine the impact of youth and adult ministry as well. Design/methodology/approach – Using the data collected from among Canadian Baptist churches in Eastern Canada, this study investigates the factors affecting the level of the two indicators by the panel-instrumental variable technique. Applying Wintrobe’s (1998) political economy model on dictatorship, the equilibrium level of worship attendance and giving is predicted. Findings – Through various simulation exercises, the actual church congregation sizes is approximately 50 percent of the predicted value, implying inefficiency and misallocation of church resources. The paper concludes with insights on effective ways church leaders can allocate scarce resources to promote growth within churches. Originality/value – The authors are the only researchers getting the permission from the Atlantic Canada Baptist Convention to use their mega data set on church giving and congregation sizes as per the authors’ knowledge. The authors are also applying a theoretical model on dictatorship to religious/not for profits organizations.


2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 779-794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa Utku Özmen

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse users’ attitudes towards online information retrieval and processing. The aim is to identify the characteristics of information that better capture the attention of the users and to provide evidence for the information retrieval behaviour of the users by studying online photo archives as information units. Design/methodology/approach – The paper analyses a unique quasi-experimental data of photo archive access counts collected by the author from an online newspaper. In addition to access counts of each photo in 500 randomly chosen photo galleries, characteristics of the photo galleries are also recorded. Survival (duration) analysis is used in order to analyse the factors affecting the share of the photo gallery viewed by a certain proportion of the initial number of viewers. Findings – The results of the survival analysis indicate that users are impatient in case of longer photo galleries; they lose attention faster and stop viewing earlier when gallery length is uncertain; they are attracted by keywords and initial presentation and they give more credit to specific rather than general information categories. Practical implications – Results of the study offer applicable implications for information providers, especially on the online domain. In order to attract more attention, entities can engage in targeted information provision by taking into account people’s attitude towards information retrieval and processing as presented in this paper. Originality/value – This paper uses a unique data set in a quasi-experimental setting in order to identify the characteristics of online information that users are attracted to.


2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 357-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eve Rosenzweig ◽  
Carrie Queenan ◽  
Ken Kelley

Purpose Research on the service–profit chain (SPC) provides important insights regarding how organizations attain service excellence. However, this research stream does not shed light on the mechanisms by which service organizations sustain such excellence, despite the struggles of many organizations to do so. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to develop the SPC as a more dynamic system characterized by feedback loops, accumulation processes, and time delays based on the service operations, human resources, and marketing literatures. Design/methodology/approach The authors posit the feedback loops operate as virtuous cycles, such that increases in customer perceptions of service quality and in profit margins lead to subsequent increases in the quality of the internal working environment, which ultimately reimpacts performance in a positive way, and so on. The authors test the hypotheses using five years of archival data on 417 full-service US hotels. The unique data set combines longitudinal data from multiple functions, including employee assessments regarding their tools, practices, and abilities to serve customers, customer perceptions of service quality, and objective measures of financial performance. Findings The authors find support for the idea that some organizations provide customers with high-quality service over time by reinvesting in the inputs responsible for generating the initial success, i.e., in various aspects of the internal working environment. Research limitations/implications The analysis of 417 hotels from a single firm may influence the extent to which the findings can be generalized. Originality/value By expanding the boundaries of previous conceptual and empirical models investigating SPCs, the authors offer a deeper understanding of the cross-functional character of modern operational systems and the complex dynamics that these systems generate.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1015-1046 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sung Min Kim ◽  
Gopesh Anand ◽  
Eric C. Larson ◽  
Joseph Mahoney

Purpose Enterprise systems are commonly implemented by firms through outsourcing arrangements with software vendors. However, deriving benefits from these implementations has proved to be a challenge, and a great deal of variation has been observed in the extent of value generated for client and vendor firms. This research examines the role of co-specialization as a strategy to make the most out of outsourced enterprise systems. The authors develop hypotheses relating resource co-specialization with two indicators of success for implementation of enterprise software: (1) exchange success and (2) firm growth. Design/methodology/approach The hypotheses are tested using a unique panel data set of 175 firms adopting Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) software, a type of enterprise system used for managing manufacturing and logistics. The authors identify organizational factors that support co-specialization and then examine how co-specialization is associated with enterprise software implementation success, controlling for the endogenous choice to co-specialize. Findings The empirical results suggest that resource co-specialization is positively associated with implementation success and that the two resource co-specialization pathways that are examined complement each other in providing performance benefits. Originality/value This paper contributes to the research literature on outsourcing. The study also provides a new empirical test using a unique data set of 175 firms adopting APS Software.


Kybernetes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nóra Obermayer ◽  
Viktoria Erika Toth

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify the individual and organizational factors that influence knowledge sharing (KS) behavior within Hungarian organizations. Design/methodology/approach The data were obtained from 238 completed questionnaires collected via the LimeSurvey system. The analysis is based on applied quantitative methodology, both descriptive and inferential statistics were used. The research investigated the relationships between individual and organizational characteristics and the KS behavior at individual and global levels. Findings Among individual factors, significant relationships have been identified regarding the generation and position of individuals, and KS behavior, while gender and education do not seem to play a significant role. With respect to organizational factors, the size of the organization and the tenure of individuals are found to be significant. Research limitations/implications The results of the analysis are limited because the data set was not large enough to investigate inter- and intra-industry variability. Practical implications The outcome of this research can support the design of managerial and organizational processes and incentives that will potentially facilitate KS in a more efficient and effective manner. Such improved KS is likely to improve the overall performance of knowledge-intensive organizations. Originality/value The original value of this research is that individual and organizational characteristics have been identified that influence KS behavior. The study focuses on a single country, Hungary, and provides relevant insight into the organizational dynamics of a specific national context.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saibal Ghosh

Purpose Using a novel monthly data set, this study aims to examine the factors affecting the funding of Indian start-ups. Design/methodology/approach Given the panel structure of the data, the fixed effects regression technique has been used. Findings The findings reveal that years of operation is a key factor. Amongst others, angel investors and equity financing are the key drivers of startup financing. Government policy does not appear to have gained adequate traction, although the improvement in the business reform action by state governments has begun to exert a salutary effect. Practical implications From a policy standpoint, the study provides insights into what policies and practices can be exploited to streamline the funding bottlenecks affecting startups in the Indian context. Originality/value Notwithstanding being a country with a significant presence in the startup space, there are admittedly limited studies, which examine this issue for India. Viewed from this standpoint to the best of the knowledge, the analysis is one of the early studies to shed light on the factors driving the funding of startups in the Indian context.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 656-671
Author(s):  
Maria Fregidou-Malama ◽  
Ehsanul Huda Chowdhury ◽  
Akmal S. Hyder

Purpose This paper aims to deal with international marketing of products, analyzing how adaptation/standardization and network development are achieved when marketing products in Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach By applying a qualitative method, the study was conducted at four multinationals, British American Tobacco, Perfetti Van Melle, Tetrapak and Reckitt Benckiser, operating in Bangladesh. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, direct observation and official documents. The analysis was conducted through construction of themes that were identified from the data set. Findings The study demonstrates that business relationships related to a local market should be adapted to customer preferences. The research suggests that a balanced combination of product quality and development of new, innovative products adapted to the needs of the market and the customers establishes trust and networks. Cultural and market context were found to influence multinational companies (MNCs)s to standardize the quality of the products and adapt marketing mix components to the needs of consumers. Research limitations/implications The paper contributes to international marketing literature with a model of product marketing based on context, trust, networks and adaptation/standardization. The model introduces the cultural dimension of femininity/ masculinity and the innovation of products and market structure. The study is limited to one emerging market. Further studies should explore other emerging market economies and MNCs. Practical implications The results suggest that to meet the challenges of emerging market economies and achieve success, managers should take people and market needs into consideration. Originality/value This paper extends product marketing literature by presenting a context-based model for MNCs’ product marketing.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 769-781 ◽  
Author(s):  
Preet Kamal ◽  
Sachin Ahuja

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a prediction model to study the factors affecting the academic performance of students pursuing an undergraduate professional course (BCA). For this purpose, the ensemble model of decision tree, gradient boost algorithm and Naïve Bayes techniques is created to achieve best and accurate results. Monitoring the academic performance of students has emerged as an essential field as it plays a vital role in the accurate development and growth of students’ critical and cognitive thinking. If the academic performance of students during the initial years of the graduation can be predicted, different stakeholders, i.e. government, policymakers, academicians, can be helped to make significant remedial strategies. This comprehensible practice can go a long way in shaping the ideologies of young minds, enhancing pedagogical practices and reframing of curriculum. This study aims to develop positive steps that can be taken to enhance future endeavours in the field of education. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was prepared specifically to find out influential factors affecting the academic performance of the students. Its specific area of investigation was demographic, social, academic and behavioural factors that influence the performance of the students. Then, an ensemble model was built using three techniques based on accuracy rate. A 10-fold cross-validation technique was applied to access the fitness of results obtained from proposed ensemble model. Findings The result obtained from ensemble model provides efficient and accurate prediction of student performance and helps identify the students that are at risk of failing or being a drop-out. The effect of previous semester’s academic performance shows a significant impact on current academic performance along with other factors (such as number of siblings and distance of university from residence). Any major mishap during past one year also affects the academic performance along with habit-based behavioural factors such as consumption of alcohol and tobacco. Research limitations/implications Though the existing model considers aspects related to a student’s family income and academic indicators, it tends to ignore major factors such as influence of peer pressure, self-study habits and time devoted to study after college hours. An attempt is made in this paper to examine the above cited factors in predicting the academic performance of the students. The need of the hour is to develop innovative models to assess and make advancements in the present educational set-up. The ensemble model is best suited to study all factors needed to accomplish a robust and reliable model. Originality\value The present model is developed using classification and regression algorithms. The model is able to achieve 99 per cent accuracy with the existing data set and is able to identify the influential factors affecting the academic performance. As early detection of at-risk students is possible with the proposed model, preventive and corrective measures can be proposed for improving the overall academic performance of the students.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wanyi Chen

Purpose Tax risks are common in China but often ignored by enterprises. Determining how to measure tax risks and effectively identify and control influencing factors is the key to the sustainable development of enterprises. This study aims to explore the key factors affecting corporate tax risks and analyze influencing factors from external and internal perspectives. Design/methodology/approach After selecting a data set comprising 11,503 firm-year observations of Chinese firms in the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges from 2008–2017, this study applied a panel regression model to identify the factors’ impact. Findings The results indicate that the more standardized the institutional environment and stronger the tax supervision, the lower the tax risks. Taking into account the internal factors of a firm, private companies with political connections have lower tax risks than those without. Originality/value This study enriches the literature on the factors affecting tax risks. The conclusion provides significant insights for enterprises to effectively control tax risks and maintain sustainability. The research findings also provide a new perspective for the government to guard against corporate risks and maintain the stable development of the economy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 1750-1783 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivekanand Venkataraman ◽  
Syed Usmanulla ◽  
Appaiah Sonnappa ◽  
Pratiksha Sadashiv ◽  
Suhaib Soofi Mohammed ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify significant factors of environmental variables and pollutants that have an effect on PM2.5 through wavelet and regression analysis. Design/methodology/approach In order to provide stable data set for regression analysis, multiresolution analysis using wavelets is conducted. For the sampled data, multicollinearity among the independent variables is removed by using principal component analysis and multiple linear regression analysis is conducted using PM2.5 as a dependent variable. Findings It is found that few pollutants such as NO2, NOx, SO2, benzene and environmental factors such as ambient temperature, solar radiation and wind direction affect PM2.5. The regression model developed has high R2 value of 91.9 percent, and the residues are stationary and not correlated indicating a sound model. Research limitations/implications The research provides a framework for extracting stationary data and other important features such as change points in mean and variance, using the sample data for regression analysis. The work needs to be extended across all areas in India and for various other stationary data sets there can be different factors affecting PM2.5. Practical implications Control measures such as control charts can be implemented for significant factors. Social implications Rules and regulations can be made more stringent on the factors. Originality/value The originality of this paper lies in the integration of wavelets with regression analysis for air pollution data.


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