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Knowledge Management in Franchising Companies

Judith Jacob Iddy of the School of Business and Law at the University of Agder has submitted her thesis entitled “Franchising, Knowledge Transfer Practices, and Institutions: Perspectives from Emerging Market” and will defend the thesis for the PhD-degree Tuesday 4 May 2021. (Photo: Private)

Since it might take centuries for institutions in emerging markets to evolve, the dissertation offers different approach on how training can reduce institutional effects on social franchises expansion strategy.

Judith Jacob Iddy

PhD Candidate

The disputation will be held digitally, because of the Corona covid-19-situation. Spectators may follow the disputation digitally – link is available below.

 

Judith Jacob Iddy of the School of Business and Law at the University of Agder has submitted her thesis entitled “Franchising, Knowledge Transfer Practices, and Institutions: Perspectives from Emerging Market” and will defend the thesis for the PhD-degree Tuesday 4 May 2021. 

She has followed  the PhD-programme at theSchool of Business and Law at the University of Agder

Summary of the thesis by Judith Jacob Iddy:

Knowledge Management in Franchising Companies

Franchising is a contractual business model that help companies to expand locally and internationally through sharing of best practices and investment costs between franchisor and franchisee.

Franchising in different fields

Though well known in fast food, franchising method has been applied in different fields including but not limited to education, agriculture, sports, and social enterprises and NGO’s.

In the past two decades, emerging markets have experienced the rising wave of social enterprises using franchising model to scale out their social impact-“social franchising”. According to different indices, social franchising is expected to increase even more in African countries compared to other emerging economies.

The success of franchising depends on the transferring of proven business format by the franchisor to a franchisee.

The business knowledge from franchisor to franchisee can be transferred through different mechanisms such as training, seminars, visits, formal meetings, reports, emails, intranet, and databases.

The major topic of my research is about the strategic role of training in transferring knowledge and overcoming institutional challenge in social franchises operating in Africa.

The importance of training

Training is an important mechanism in transferring strategic and useful knowledge for the effective operation of social franchising.

The findings of my research indicate that, in the context where education level and general understanding about franchising is low, training can be more useful for franchisors and franchisees to understand the franchising business model for better performance.

Other knowledge transfer tools are useful in sharing of information, but training is the most preferred tool especially for young franchisees. Therefore, both franchisor and franchisee should take a proactive role in the configuration of the training program.

Social franchising and weak institutions

Franchising is a contract-based business model built in strong institutions.

Operating in weak institutions where there is lack of rule of law, weak contract enforcement, lack of franchising regulations, and corruption might hinder the effectiveness of social franchises.

Should social franchises then stop operations due to weak institutions? Or wait until emerging countries change to strong institutions?

Since it might take centuries for institutions in emerging markets to evolve, the dissertation offers different approach on how training can reduce institutional effects on social franchises expansion strategy.

Disputation facts:

The trial lecture and the public defence will take place online, via the Zoom conferencing app (link below)

Dean Kristin Wallevik, School of Business and Law, UiA, will chair the disputation.

The trial lecture at 09:00 hours

Public defence at 10:00 hours

Given topic for trial lecture“Social franchising”

Thesis Title“Franchising, Knowledge Transfer Practices, and Institutions: Perspectives from Emerging Market”

Search for the thesis in AURA - Agder University Research Archive, a digital archive of scientific papers, theses and dissertations from the academic staff and students at the University of Agder.

The thesis is available here:

https://hdl.handle.net/11250/2738929

 

The CandidateJudith Jacob Iddy  (1988, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania), Bachelor degree from the University of Dar es Salaam Business School, Tanzania and Masters degree from Molde University College, Specialized University in Logistics, Norway. 

Opponents:

First opponent: Professor Desislava Dikova, Institute for International Business, WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business), Austria

Second opponent: Professor Josef Windsperger, Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics, University of Vienna, Austria

Professor Amandeep Dhir, Department of Management, School of Business and Law, University of Agder, is appointed as the administrator for the assessment commitee.

Supervisor were Professor Ilan Alon, UiA

What to do as an audience member:

The disputation is open to the public, but to follow the trial lecture and the public defence, which is transmitted via the Zoom conferencing app, you have to register as an audience member.

We ask audience members to join the virtual trial lecture at 08:50 at the earliest and the public defense at 09:50 at the earliest. After these times, you can leave and rejoin the meeting at any time. Further, we ask audience members to turn off their microphone and camera and keep them turned off throughout the event. You do this at the bottom left of the image when in Zoom. We recommend you use ‘Speaker view’. You select that at the top right corner of the video window when in Zoom.

Opponent ex auditorio:

The chair invites members of the public to pose questions ex auditorio in the introduction to the public defense, with deadlines. It is a prerequisite that the opponent has read the thesis. Questions can be submitted to the chair Kristin Wallevik at e-mail kristin.wallevik@uia.no