Entrepreneurial Teams within Franchise Firms
研究挑战了特许经营中只有特许人才有创业精神的假设，发现加盟商在限制性协议下仍有创业空间，并存在多种嵌套团队形式。基于1201家北美特许经营数据与深度访谈。
In the research on franchising firms, several assumptions are generally made. One such assumption is that the role of the entrepreneur is predominantly associated with franchisors, and that franchisees operate under a uniformly regimented system of contractual obligations. Given the restrictions and rules, franchisees have few opportunities for entrepreneurial creativity, serving as owner-managers of a single outlet in a prescribed role of managerial convenience. This study reveals a much more complex and dynamic pattern of relationships between the franchisors and franchisees. Evidence of entrepreneurial teamwork is found, where creativity and adaptation is not always confined to franchisors, and several forms of nested teams within franchising firms are examined. Using both quantitative analysis of secondary data from 1201 North American franchises and in-depth interviews, evidence of entrepreneurial teamwork within the context of franchising firms is presented. The study reveals that restrictive franchise agreements were not always rigorously enforced unless problems occurred, allowing room for entrepreneurial activity by franchisees.