Search results

1 – 10 of 504
Per page
102050
Citations:
Loading...
Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 25 August 2021

Rozenn Perrigot, Anna Watson and Olufunmilola (Lola) Dada

This paper aims to explore how the power of salient stakeholders involved in the green waste management of franchise chains can impact the ability of the chains to change their…

2017

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how the power of salient stakeholders involved in the green waste management of franchise chains can impact the ability of the chains to change their green practices.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study is based on interview data from 19 franchisors and their head office staff operating in the fast-food sector in France where franchise chains have been ‘named and shamed’ as continuing to ignore waste management regulation.

Findings

The findings suggest that both the form and bases of power of different stakeholder groups have important implications for the implementation of green practices, even those required by law. The authors find that the franchisees’ central network position alters the ability of franchisors to directly engage in dialog, consult with, and educate key stakeholders, creating additional challenges for franchisors in the implementation process.

Research limitations/implications

The qualitative nature of the study limits the extent to which the findings can be generalized. Future studies could develop an instrument to assess franchisor perceptions of stakeholder power.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that franchisors should consider carefully how they communicate changes to green practices to their franchisees to ensure not only their compliance but also their motivation to engage with those stakeholders with whom they have regular interactions. The findings can also help governments to better understand how to involve other stakeholders to ensure effective environmental legislation.

Originality/value

The study is the first, to the authors’ knowledge, to consider the role of stakeholders in the implementation of green practices in franchise chains. By examining franchise chains, this paper provides new insights into the role of an additional stakeholder, the franchisee, and enriches the literature on green practices in the hospitality sector.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 33 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 1 May 2002

Anna Watson, David A. Kirby and John Egan

Franchising has shown considerable growth in recent years and in advanced economies, such as the USA and the UK, and currently accounts for approximately one‐third of all retail…

7222

Abstract

Franchising has shown considerable growth in recent years and in advanced economies, such as the USA and the UK, and currently accounts for approximately one‐third of all retail sales. It would seem, therefore, that franchising and retailing represent a fruitful partnership, though there has been little research as to why this should be. In this article the authors seek to address this situation by considering those characteristics that make retailing particularly suitable for franchising, through an examination of the UK context. Given the changing nature of the retail industry and the advent, in particular, of e‐commerce, consideration is given to the future for retail development through franchising.

Details

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 30 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-0552

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 2 July 2018

Anna Watson, Bethan Alexander and Leyla Salavati

Utilizing the stimulus-organism-response model, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of augmented reality (AR) (specifically augmentation) on consumers’ affective…

12546

Abstract

Purpose

Utilizing the stimulus-organism-response model, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of augmented reality (AR) (specifically augmentation) on consumers’ affective and behavioral response and to assess whether consumers’ hedonic motivation for shopping moderates this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

An experiment using the manipulation of AR and no AR was conducted with 162 participants aged between 18 and 35. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling and randomly assigned to the control or stimulus group. The hypothesized associations were analyzed using linear regression with bootstrapping.

Findings

The paper demonstrates the benefit of using an experiential AR retail application (app) to positively impact purchase intention. The results show that this effect is mediated by positive affective response. Furthermore, hedonic shopping motivation moderates the relationship between augmentation and the positive affective response.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the chosen research approach, the results may lack generalizability to other forms of augmentation. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed model using different types of AR stimuli. Furthermore, replication of the study with other populations would increase the generalizability of the findings.

Practical implications

Results of this study provide a valuable reference for retailers of the benefits of using AR when attempting to optimize experiential value in online environments.

Originality/value

The study contributes to experiential retail and consumer purchase behavior research by deepening the conceptualization of the impact of experiential technologies, more specifically AR apps, by considering the role of hedonic shopping motivations.

Details

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 48 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-0552

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 1 December 2000

Anna Watson and David A. Kirby

This paper is part of on‐going research examining the growth of small and medium‐sized enterprises through franchising. It reports the findings of an exploratory investigation…

879

Abstract

This paper is part of on‐going research examining the growth of small and medium‐sized enterprises through franchising. It reports the findings of an exploratory investigation that examines why franchising is selected less frequently as a growth strategy in some industrial sectors than it is in others. The applicability of the main theories used to explain the decision to franchise are tested through a study which focuses on the UK construction industry, a sector containing relatively few franchised operations. It reveals that the high human capital requirement of this industry (as proxied by average wages) may make it unsuitable for franchising. Interviews with franchisors operating in the construction industry indicate that, although few operational difficulties are encountered, the franchisors had experienced severe difficulties in recruiting suitable franchisees, possibly reflecting the high human capital requirement of the sector. It is concluded that further research is needed to compare these findings with those from industry sectors in which the level of franchise representation is high, to determine whether some industries are, in fact, more suited to franchising than others.

Details

Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, vol. 7 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1462-6004

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 1 December 1999

David Kirby and Anna Watson

The study of franchising as a small business growth strategy is only weakly researched and understood. This preliminary, qualitative investigation examines the experiences of 17…

3101

Abstract

The study of franchising as a small business growth strategy is only weakly researched and understood. This preliminary, qualitative investigation examines the experiences of 17 operational and five “failed” franchises in the UK, in translating their business concepts into a franchise format. It reveals that small firms select franchising as a growth strategy for both economic and idiosyncratic reasons, but that economic reasons tend to prevail. The findings suggest that franchising is a viable growth strategy for small firms and that per se it creates few major problems for growth‐oriented small businesses. It is argued that further research is needed, particularly into the experiences of “failed” franchises and into the problems encountered by growing small firms who do not adopt franchising as a growth strategy.

Details

Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, vol. 6 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1462-6004

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 1 March 2004

Anna Watson and David A. Kirby

In the two decades prior to 2000, the UK franchise industry showed substantial growth. Subsequently, however, this growth appears to have reached a plateau, with growth of less…

1779

Abstract

In the two decades prior to 2000, the UK franchise industry showed substantial growth. Subsequently, however, this growth appears to have reached a plateau, with growth of less than 1 per cent. Franchisors suggest that the biggest barrier to growth is a lack of suitable franchisees. One possible reason for the dearth of potential franchisees is a lack of public awareness of franchising and the opportunities it affords for both self‐employment and small business development. This paper examines, therefore, public perceptions of franchising in the UK; how well the concept is understood, how it is perceived and the policy implications. The study is based on a sample of 1,257 members of the public surveyed in five city centres in the UK. The results reveal that approximately a fifth of those questioned had no comprehension of the term franchising, while a further third showed limited understanding. Only a tenth demonstrated a clear grasp of the term. The paper concludes that, if franchising is to continue to grow and to achieve its potential for the creation of self‐employment and the growth of small firms, public awareness needs to be raised and the image of the sector improved.

Details

Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1462-6004

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 16 February 2015

Olufunmilola (Lola) Dada, Anna Watson and David Kirby

In spite of the important contributions of franchising to many economies, it remains unclear whether it truly provides a scope for entrepreneurial tendencies to flourish amongst…

2183

Abstract

Purpose

In spite of the important contributions of franchising to many economies, it remains unclear whether it truly provides a scope for entrepreneurial tendencies to flourish amongst franchisees. The purpose of this paper is to examine the debate surrounding the franchisee as an entrepreneur from the perspectives of the main contributors within the UK franchising sector, franchisors and franchisees, by analysing their entrepreneurial tendencies and the franchisee selection process.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on an empirical study using a focus group and a survey approach.

Findings

The findings from this study demonstrate that franchisees have similar levels of entrepreneurial tendencies to franchisors. The results further indicate that franchisors appear to value entrepreneurial personalities within their franchised outlets, as demonstrated by their franchisee selection process.

Originality/value

By providing an indication of the extent of the franchisee’s entrepreneurial tendencies, this study expatiates on major arguments in the franchising and entrepreneurship literature, which are also profound amongst practitioners in the fields of franchising and entrepreneurship.

Details

Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, vol. 22 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1462-6004

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 1 December 2002

Anna Watson, Howard Viney and Patrick Schomaker

15362

Abstract

Details

Marketing Intelligence & Planning, vol. 20 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-4503

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 24 May 2013

Olufunmilola (Lola) Dada and Anna Watson

The purpose of this paper is to understand the franchisor's perception of the role of entrepreneurial strategic orientation (EO) – innovative, risk‐taking, and proactive actions �…

3539

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the franchisor's perception of the role of entrepreneurial strategic orientation (EO) – innovative, risk‐taking, and proactive actions – within the special case of franchised firms, given the opposing forces for standardisation/uniformity and system innovation/adaptation.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross‐sectional research design, involving a mail questionnaire survey, was employed to collect data from a sample of franchisors operating in the UK. The hypotheses specified in the study were tested using a path model.

Findings

The results show that for franchise organisations, EO is positively related to performance. The recent meta‐analysis conducted by Rauch et al. also demonstrated that the correlation of EO with performance is fairly large (r=0.242). This correlation is consistent with the significant value reported in the study of 0.234. In addition, franchise system support structures were found to be important in fostering EO within the organisation.

Research limitations/implications

Future studies may consider including other dimensions of EO, notably competitive aggressiveness and autonomy, in exploring the relevance of EO to the franchise system. It would be interesting to also use a longitudinal analysis to examine the long‐term effect of EO on the performance of franchised firms.

Originality/value

The study extends knowledge of the EO‐performance outcomes relationship to the franchising context where the role of EO is presently under‐explored. This could be attributed to the fact that the franchise concept is built on standardisation and uniformity, notions that run counter to the flexible strategies involved in fostering EO.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 47 no. 5/6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 18 May 2015

Anna Watson, Natascha Katharina Lecki and Mohamed Lebcir

– This paper aims to investigate the role of body size on female consumers’ fashion brand image perceptions.

4799

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the role of body size on female consumers’ fashion brand image perceptions.

Design/methodology/approach

An experimental design was used whereby the model’s body size in a fictitious advert was digitally manipulated to create four advertising images with an underweight, slender, average and obese model size (all other factors remained constant). Through an intercept survey of German female consumers, respondents were exposed to one of the four images, and asked questions pertaining to their brand image perceptions.

Findings

The findings suggest that for older consumers, model body size has no significant impact on their brand image perceptions. For younger consumers (18-25), there was some limited evidence of how a positive brand image affects when a slender model size is used, but there was no evidence that underweight models have a more positive impact on brand image.

Research limitations/implications

The sample was restricted to a single German city (Berlin) with a relatively small sample and, therefore, the generalisability of the findings may be limited. It would be interesting to repeat the study in different cultural contexts. Whilst this paper focussed on potential differences in perceptions between different age groups, future studies could consider other factors, such as fashion involvement or consumer personality on the impact of body size on brand image.

Practical implications

Given the potential link to low self-esteem and eating disorders, it is recommended that fashion brands cease using clinically underweight models. Brands targeting older consumers may benefit from using larger models.

Originality/value

There is limited research to date that looks at the role of body size on brand image, and this is one of the first studies to consider all non-product-related brand image associations, and how perceptions may differ between different age groups, with many previous studies relying on student samples.

Details

Journal of Product & Brand Management, vol. 24 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1061-0421

Keywords

1 – 10 of 504
Per page
102050