Franchising Dreams
The Lure of Entrepreneurship in America
-
- $29.99
-
- $29.99
Publisher Description
McDonald’s. Blockbuster Video. Jiffy Lube. Subway. Franchising has become an ever-present feature of the American landscape. One-third of the U.S. gross domestic product flows through franchises, and one out of every sixteen workers is employed by one. But how did franchising come to play such a dominant role in the American economy? What are the day-to-day experiences of franchisees and franchisers in the workplace? What challenges and pitfalls await them as they stake their claim to prosperity? These are just a few of the questions explored in Franchising Dreams, a documentary-like look into the frustrations and uncertainties that entrepreneurs face in their pursuit of the American dream.
Peter M. Birkeland worked for three years in the front-line operations of franchise units for three companies, met with CEOs and executives, and attended countless trade shows, seminars, and expositions. All this firsthand experience gave him unprecedented access to the hopes and aspirations of franchisees. His book closely traces different franchisees and follows them as their dreams of wealth and independence buckle beneath the weight of frustrating logistics and contractual technicalities. Through extensive interviews and research, Birkeland not only discovers what makes franchisees succeed or fail, he uncovers the difficulties in running a business according to someone else’s system and values. Bearing witness to a market flooded with fierce competitors and dependent on the inscrutable whims of consumers, he uncovers the numerous challenges that franchisees face in making their businesses succeed.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Business professor Birkeland finds ample evidence that franchisers and those who purchase an outlet from them both believe in the American dream of entrepreneurship, with its promise of independence and wealth. His research into everyday franchise operations, though, reveals a slew of differences between the two sides that can cloud that dream. Studying King Cleaners, Sign Masters and Star Muffler (three large pseudonymous franchises) over a four-year period, Birkeland interviewed franchisers and franchisees and worked at individual shops for hands-on experience. The problem, he says, arises when franchisees confuse ownership with entrepreneurship. Since delivery of a uniform service or product under a franchise license creates an overriding interest for control in franchisers, owners of franchises are not free to run their businesses as they wish; in fact, the last thing franchisers want is people tinkering with their formula. When an owner later bristles at corporate control and insists on independence, Birkeland states, the relationship between franchiser and franchisee can become a "battle of wills." Birkeland found limited freedom in the franchises he studied; often, hopes for wealth and financial security dissolved as owners worked long hours simply to survive. Despite these challenges, the number of franchises is expanding. (Birkeland estimates that one out of every 16 people employed in the U.S. works for a franchise, and approximately one-third of the gross domestic product flows through franchises.) He discerns a pattern to franchisee success: those adept at sales and networking thrive and the most successful franchises are those that manage to build trust between franchiser and franchisee. This is an articulate, illuminating and lively work.
