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The purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual model for building successful franchise partnerships. The model examines the influence of communication and trust on satisfaction and performance in franchise partnerships, considering that franchises are based on franchisor-franchisee and franchisor-supplier relationships.

The unit of analysis refers to the relationships that the franchisor maintains with the franchisees and the main supplier, from the franchisor’s perspective. A mail survey of 592 franchises was conducted by means of a structured, self-administered questionnaire for data collection. A total of 98 valid questionnaires were received and analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Results indicate that communication between franchise partners is related to satisfaction through trust. In fact, communication is a major precursor of trust. Findings also show the direct influence of trust on satisfaction in both relationships. Finally, results evidence that developing satisfactory relationships between partners improves strategic and operational franchise outcomes.

The use of the questionnaire limits the approach to information gathering. In addition, the study focused on the franchisor’s perspective of the relationships and it would be interesting to include other partners’ opinions. Further, research should broaden the study scope to include other factors of franchise partnerships.

This study provides franchisors with guidelines to develop satisfactory relationships. It recommends that franchisors design adequate programs to create, maintain, and enhance franchise partnerships, and also to improve a trust-based culture.

The analysis is conducted taking into consideration the franchisor-franchisee relationship and the franchisor-supplier relationship. Measurement scales are developed and validated for both relationships.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the important role of training (specifically, training relevance and training transfer) in enhancing franchisor-franchisee relationship satisfaction, and its influence upon customer performance (e.g., customer satisfaction, quality service), all driven by an internal marketing (IM) culture.

An empirical study consisting of a questionnaire was conducted on a final sample of 157 individuals who are members of the franchise system. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the research hypotheses.

The results reveal that IM culture has a direct influence on training relevance; likewise, training relevance provides a positive and significant effect on training transfer, which does directly affect franchisor-franchisee relationship satisfaction and at least also impacts indirectly on customer performance.

In order to ensure the success of the franchise system and customer satisfaction, all franchise parties should take a proactive role in the configuration of the training programmes. This proactive role should be conformed based on an IM culture developed properly by the franchise to strengthen a successful long-term relationship.

This paper provides an innovative approach to strengthen the franchisor-franchisee relationship through training based on the IM culture. This exploratory study integrates different theoretical frameworks that, to our knowledge, have not been linked, such as IM culture and franchise literature, considering the franchisee as an internal customer who has an influence on external customer satisfaction, with training and training transfer as essential key factors.