Franchising as an international entry mode strategy: The Turkish case

This qualitative research examines the procedures that Turkish companies use for companies' international franchise operations. The present research starts with the review of international franchise literature, and focuses on the topics which were specifically emphasized by the scholar such as, selection of governance mode for international operations of the franchise companies, selection of the franchisees for international franchise operations, relationship management with international franchisees, and international franchise network problems. As regards the collection of the research data, five Turkish franchise companies were reached and qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews. As a result of the analysis of qualitative research data, additional to Turkish franchise companies' procedures of governance mode selection for international operations, procedures franchisees selection for international franchise operations, procedures of relationship management with international franchisees, and international franchise network problems, the data about why Turkish companies select the franchising as an international entry mode, and international target market ranking and listing procedures were obtained. The qualitative data obtained through the in-depth interviews were classified under main titles in the fourth chapter of the research and the motifs that are effective in the structuring of the procedures implemented by Turkish franchise companies are identified and analyzed in detail under each main title.