Entrepreneurship in microfranchising: an emerging market perspective
Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies
ISSN: 2053-4604
Article publication date: 9 November 2020
Issue publication date: 12 November 2021
Abstract
Purpose
Building on the limitations of the efforts of aid agencies and non-governmental organisations to pull the poor out of poverty in low- and middle-income countries and declining opportunities for market expansion in high-income countries, microfranchising is being promoted as a pro-poor business model, which promotes entrepreneurship. Sub-Saharan Africa has become a fertile ground for the propagation of this model. However, contemporary studies on microfranchising have not sufficiently explored what motivates people to turn to this method of doing business.
Design/methodology/approach
Through the case of a microfranchise in Ghana (FanMilk), the purpose of this paper is to use qualitative methods to study motivations for engaging in entrepreneurship ventures in a microfranchise.
Findings
The findings reveal whether motivations for becoming microfranchise entrepreneurs change over time or are varied, and these changes are moderated by changing opportunities, challenges and demographic factors.
Originality/value
These findings contribute to knowledge on microfranchising in terms of theory, policy and practice. The findings also seek to stimulate further inquiry into microfranchising and its ability to create value for multiple parties when operating in emerging markets such as Africa.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was funded by the governance, entrepreneurship and inclusive development collaborative research group at the African Studies Centre, Leiden (The Netherlands). The authors will like to acknowledge research assistance from Dr Esther Danso-Wiredu, Vincent Konadu and Samuel Agyekum of the Department of Geography (University of Education, Winneba, Ghana).
Citation
Awuh, H.E. and Dekker, M. (2021), "Entrepreneurship in microfranchising: an emerging market perspective", Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, Vol. 13 No. 5, pp. 1152-1172. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEEE-02-2020-0025
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited