A note about FRI’s research
FRI’s vision has been to create high-quality, evidence-based tools and training to foster profitable partnerships in the franchising sector. Due to a lack of practical studies with large samples of franchisors or franchisees in the academic and research literature, we have invested heavily in conducting our own primary research.
Many of our studies have involved collaborations between FRI’s organisational psychologists who work in applied settings and academic psychologists from several Australian universities, including the University of NSW, University of Queensland, Griffith University and Curtin University.
Types of research
Our research always maintains the high standards of academic rigour and uses the following three approaches:
Quantitative: This uses rating scales to measure the attitudes and perceptions of franchisees and franchisor executives on a range of issues. The data is then analysed to identify statistically significant trends within or between groups, and to measure changes in attitudes over time.
Qualitative: This uses open-ended questions to elicit opinions from franchisors and franchisees on specific topics. Responses, collected through surveys or face-to-face interviews, are recorded and analysed to identify emerging themes. Qualitative techniques are useful for identifying issues that may only emerge when people have an opportunity to express themselves in a psychologically safe environment. In our qualitative research, we often use “Grounded Theory” to construct theories and models by methodically gathering and analysing data and then seeking the best explanations for emerging patterns.
Ethnographic: This approach, also known as participant observation, requires the researcher to spend time observing and talking with people in their workplaces. This approach is particularly suited to the study of franchise networks, where people may feel too busy to complete surveys but are happy to allow you to observe their work environments and talk with them on the job. Because our consulting work has often required us to spend significant time interacting with franchisor executives and franchisees in their workplaces and at meetings and conferences, we have been able to observe actual behaviour, especially how people interact with each other, rather than just relying on their claims about how they say they behave.
The focus of our research
The research questions we address always focus on identifying useful insights that can be applied by franchisors, franchisees, professional advisers, Government departments and franchising associations.
Use of these research papers
While we encourage you to download and study these papers, we do ask that you respect that this is copyrighted material and that you ensure this material is correctly referenced if you later refer to it in talks, presentations, articles or papers.
Creating Effective Franchising Relationships
Engineering Healthy Franchise Relationships
How Psychosocial Factors Impact Franchise Relationships
International Excellence Research Report
Available on request
Psychology of the Franchise Relationship
Psycho‑Social Predictors of Franchisee Success
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