• Journal of Distribution Research
• /
• v.17 no.5
• /
• pp.25-38
• /
• 2012

In general, commercial franchisors prefer franchisees with high entrepreneurship and business capability. However, these entrepreneurial franchisees with high capability tend to depend less on franchisors. Although franchisees with less entrepreneurship and low capability need intensive care from franchisors, some of them result in business failure due to improper supports from incapable franchisors. This paper suggests several propositions regarding social franchising's role in supporting the low-income urban people on the premise that social franchising or micro-franchising provides implications for franchisor strategic orientations for franchisees with little capital. Through literature review about social franchising and micro franchising, some implications are drawn. Many social enterprises use franchising to get growth and sustainability, because franchising allow social enterprise to expand its scale and to achieve economies of scale despite of its non-commercial and social purpose. And continuous support and training undertake the most important role to achieve its social purpose. In commercial franchising, especially small business format franchising sector, franchisor have to consider not only commercial purpose but also social responsibility because of low capability and less entrepreneurship of franchisee. If franchisor pursue only own profit, this can increase the conflict and franchise system failure. So far many franchisors are concerned with own profit and external growth. But it is necessary to consider symbiotic relationship, social responsibility and sustainability more for the sake of desirable industrial growth in the future.