Successful scaling in social franchising: The case of Impact Hub

Social entrepreneurs increasingly use franchising to scale social value. Tracey and Jarvis (2007) described how social franchising is similar to commercial franchising, but also noted critical challenges arising from dual social and commercial goals. We investigate a social franchisor that overcame these challenges and describe how the social mission became the source of innovation for its business model. We show that the social mission fostered a shared identity that motivated and guided the search for adaptations to the franchise model. In particular, the shared mission-driven identity created pressure toward (1) decentralized decision-making, (2) shared governance, and (3) a new role for the franchisor as orchestrator of collaborative knowledge sharing among franchisees. Findings should help social franchisors avoid common pitfalls and suggest future research questions for social entrepreneurship and franchising scholars

Proposing new variables for the identification of strategic groups in franchising

The identification of strategic groups in the Spanish franchising area is the main aim of this study. The authors have added some new strategic variables (not used before) to the study and have classified franchisors between sectors and distribution strategy. The results reveal the existence of four perfectly differentiated strategic groups (types of franchisors). One of the major implications of this study is that the variables that build a strategic group vary depending on the respective sector the network operates in and its distribution strategy. This fact indicates that including sector and distribution strategy is absolutely necessary to achieve good classifications of franchisor type

Configuration development study of the X-24C hypersonic research airplane

Bottom line results were made of a three-phase study to determine the feasibility of designing, building, and operating, and maintaining an air-launched high performance aircraft capable of cruising at speeds up to Mach 8 for short durations. The results show that Lockalloy heat-sink structure affords the capability for a 'work-horse' vehicle which can serve as an excellent platform for this research. It was further concluded that the performance of a blended wing body configuration surpassed that of a lifting body design for typical X-24C missions. The cost of a two vehicle program, less engines, B-52 modification and contractor support after delivery, can be kept within $70M (in Jan. 1976 dollars)

Performance in franchising: the effects of different management styles

Various theoretical approaches uphold the relevance of the relationship between the form of management and performance. Different management styles influence the relationships of agencies [Jensen, M.C. (1998). Foundations of organizational strategy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press], the cost of governing transactions [Williamson, O.E. (1985). The economics institutions of capitalism: Firms, markets, relational contracting. New York, NY: Free Press], and the allocation of resources between the exploitation and exploration of activities [March, J.G. (1991). Exploration and exploitation in organizational learning. Organization Science, 2(1), 71-87], and this is manifested in firm performance. In light of these assumptions, this article presents an empirical verification of the relationship between the management of franchises and their performance, examining how different styles of management on the part of franchisers over their franchisees have significant effects on the growth and profits of franchiser firms.Peris-Ortiz, M.; Willoughby, MC.; Rueda Armengot, C. (2012). Performance in franchising: the effects of different management styles. Service Industries Journal. 32(16):2507-2525. doi:10.1080/02642069.2011.594876S250725253216Altinay, L., & Okumus, F. (2010). Franchise partner selection decision making. The Service Industries Journal, 30(6), 929-946. doi:10.1080/02642060802322275Child, J. (1972). Organizational Structure, Environment and Performance: The Role of Strategic Choice. Sociology, 6(1), 1-22. doi:10.1177/003803857200600101Combs, J. G., & Ketchen, D. J. (1999). CAN CAPITAL SCARCITY HELP AGENCY THEORY EXPLAIN FRANCHISING? REVISITING THE CAPITAL SCARCITY HYPOTHESIS. Academy of Management Journal, 42(2), 196-207. doi:10.2307/257092Combs, J. (2003). Why Do Firms Use Franchising as an Entrepreneurial Strategy?: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Management, 29(3), 443-465. doi:10.1016/s0149-2063(03)00019-9COMBS, J. G., KETCHEN, D. J., & IRELAND, R. D. (2006). Effectively managing service chain organizations. Organizational Dynamics, 35(4), 357-371. doi:10.1016/j.orgdyn.2006.08.006Combs, J. G., Michael, S. C., & Castrogiovanni, G. J. (2009). Institutional Influences on the Choice of Organizational Form: The Case of Franchising. Journal of Management, 35(5), 1268-1290. doi:10.1177/0149206309336883Crook, T. R., Shook, C. L., Madden, T. M., & Morris, M. L. (2009). A review of current construct measurement in entrepreneurship. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 6(4), 387-398. doi:10.1007/s11365-009-0114-7Fama, E. F., & Jensen, M. C. (1983). Agency Problems and Residual Claims. The Journal of Law and Economics, 26(2), 327-349. doi:10.1086/467038Fama, E. F., & Jensen, M. C. (1983). Separation of Ownership and Control. The Journal of Law and Economics, 26(2), 301-325. doi:10.1086/467037Gillis, W. E., & Combs, J. G. (2009). Franchisor strategy and firm performance: Making the most of strategic resource investments. Business Horizons, 52(6), 553-561. doi:10.1016/j.bushor.2009.07.001Gouldner, A. W. (1960). The Norm of Reciprocity: A Preliminary Statement. American Sociological Review, 25(2), 161. doi:10.2307/2092623Gupta, A. K., Smith, K. G., & Shalley, C. E. (2006). The Interplay Between Exploration and Exploitation. Academy of Management Journal, 49(4), 693-706. doi:10.5465/amj.2006.22083026Hambrick, D. C. (2007). Upper Echelons Theory: An Update. Academy of Management Review, 32(2), 334-343. doi:10.5465/amr.2007.24345254Hambrick, D. C., & Mason, P. A. (1984). Upper Echelons: The Organization as a Reflection of Its Top Managers. The Academy of Management Review, 9(2), 193. doi:10.2307/258434Hindle, K., & Moroz, P. (2009). Indigenous entrepreneurship as a research field: developing a definitional framework from the emerging canon. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 6(4), 357-385. doi:10.1007/s11365-009-0111-xJensen, M. C., & Meckling, W. H. (1976). Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure. Journal of Financial Economics, 3(4), 305-360. doi:10.1016/0304-405x(76)90026-xJensen, M. C., & Heckling, W. H. (1995). SPECIFIC AND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE, AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 8(2), 4-18. doi:10.1111/j.1745-6622.1995.tb00283.xKlein, B., Crawford, R. G., & Alchian, A. A. (1978). Vertical Integration, Appropriable Rents, and the Competitive Contracting Process. The Journal of Law and Economics, 21(2), 297-326. doi:10.1086/466922Liu, W., Lepak, D. P., Takeuchi, R., & Sims, H. P. (2003). Matching leadership styles with employment modes: strategic human resource management perspective. Human Resource Management Review, 13(1), 127-152. doi:10.1016/s1053-4822(02)00102-xMarch, J. G. (1991). Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning. Organization Science, 2(1), 71-87. doi:10.1287/orsc.2.1.71Mitsuhashi, H., Shane, S., & Sine, W. D. (2008). Organization governance form in franchising: efficient contracting or organizational momentum? Strategic Management Journal, 29(10), 1127-1136. doi:10.1002/smj.702Orlikowski, W. J. (1992). The Duality of Technology: Rethinking the Concept of Technology in Organizations. Organization Science, 3(3), 398-427. doi:10.1287/orsc.3.3.398Ouchi, W. G. (1980). Markets, Bureaucracies, and Clans. Administrative Science Quarterly, 25(1), 129. doi:10.2307/2392231Gómez, R. S., González, I. S., & Vázquez, L. (2009). Multi-unit versus single-unit franchising: assessing why franchisors use different ownership strategies. The Service Industries Journal, 30(3), 463-476. doi:10.1080/02642060802252027Gómez, R. S., González, I. S., & Suárez, L. V. (2011). Service quality control mechanisms in franchise networks. The Service Industries Journal, 31(5), 713-723. doi:10.1080/02642060902833338Sarkees, M., & Hulland, J. (2009). Innovation and efficiency: It is possible to have it all. Business Horizons, 52(1), 45-55. doi:10.1016/j.bushor.2008.08.002Sebora, T. C., & Theerapatvong, T. (2009). Corporate entrepreneurship: a test of external and internal influences on managers’ idea generation, risk taking, and proactiveness. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 6(3), 331-350. doi:10.1007/s11365-009-0108-5Shane, S., & Foo, M.-D. (1999). New Firm Survival: Institutional Explanations for New Franchisor Mortality. Management Science, 45(2), 142-159. doi:10.1287/mnsc.45.2.142Shane, S., Shankar, V., & Aravindakshan, A. (2006). The Effects of New Franchisor Partnering Strategies on Franchise System Size. Management Science, 52(5), 773-787. doi:10.1287/mnsc.1050.0449Shane, S. A. (1996). HYBRID ORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR FIRM GROWTH AND SURVIVAL: A STUDY OF NEW FRANCHISORS. Academy of Management Journal, 39(1), 216-234. doi:10.2307/256637Shane, S. (2001). Organizational Incentives and Organizational Mortality. Organization Science, 12(2), 136-160. doi:10.1287/orsc.12.2.136.10108Tihula, S., & Huovinen, J. (2009). Incidence of teams in the firms owned by serial, portfolio and first-time entrepreneurs. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 6(3), 249-260. doi:10.1007/s11365-008-0101-4TSUI, A. S., PEARCE, J. L., PORTER, L. W., & TRIPOLI, A. M. (1997). ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO THE EMPLOYEE-ORGANIZATION RELATIONSHIP: DOES INVESTMENT IN EMPLOYEES PAY OFF? Academy of Management Journal, 40(5), 1089-1121. doi:10.2307/256928Valliere, D. (2008). Reconceptualizing entrepreneurial framework conditions. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 6(1), 97-112. doi:10.1007/s11365-008-0077-0Vázquez, L. (2009). How passive ownership restrictions affect the rate of franchisee failure. The Service Industries Journal, 29(6), 847-859. doi:10.1080/02642060902749419Wakkee, I., Elfring, T., & Monaghan, S. (2008). Creating entrepreneurial employees in traditional service sectors. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 6(1), 1-21. doi:10.1007/s11365-008-0078-zWeick, K. E., & Roberts, K. H. (1993). Collective Mind in Organizations: Heedful Interrelating on Flight Decks. Administrative Science Quarterly, 38(3), 357. doi:10.2307/2393372Williamson, O. E. (1993). Calculativeness, Trust, and Economic Organization. The Journal of Law and Economics, 36(1, Part 2), 453-486. doi:10.1086/467284Winter, S. G. (2000). The Satisficing Principle in Capability Learning. Strategic Management Journal, 21(10-11), 981-996. doi:10.1002/1097-0266(200010/11)21:10/113.0.co;2-4Winter, S. G. (2003). Understanding dynamic capabilities. Strategic Management Journal, 24(10), 991-995. doi:10.1002/smj.318Yin, X., & Zajac, E. J. (2004). The strategy/governance structure fit relationship: theory and evidence in franchising arrangements. Strategic Management Journal, 25(4), 365-383. doi:10.1002/smj.38

Trolling in asynchronous computer-mediated communication: From user discussions to academic definitions

Whilst computer-mediated communication (CMC) can benefit users by providing quick and easy communication between those separated by time and space, it can also provide varying degrees of anonymity that may encourage a sense of impunity and freedom from being held accountable for inappropriate online behaviour. As such, CMC is a fertile ground for studying impoliteness, whether it occurs in response to perceived threat (flaming), or as an end in its own right (trolling). Currently, first and secondorder definitions of terms such as im/politeness (Brown and Levinson 1987; Bousfield 2008; Culpeper 2008; Terkourafi 2008), in-civility (Lakoff 2005), rudeness (Beebe 1995, Kienpointner 1997, 2008), and etiquette (Coulmas 1992), are subject to much discussion and debate, yet the CMC phenomenon of trolling is not adequately captured by any of these terms. Following Bousfield (in press), Culpeper (2010) and others, this paper suggests that a definition of trolling should be informed first and foremost by user discussions. Taking examples from a 172-million-word, asynchronous CMC corpus, four interrelated conditions of aggression, deception, disruption, and success are discussed. Finally, a working definition of trolling is presented

Integrability of Differential-Difference Equations with Discrete Kinks

In this article we discuss a series of models introduced by Barashenkov, Oxtoby and Pelinovsky to describe some discrete approximations to the \phi^4 theory which preserve travelling kink solutions. We show, by applying the multiple scale test that they have some integrability properties as they pass the A_1 and A_2 conditions. However they are not integrable as they fail the A_3 conditions.Comment: submitted to the Proceedings of the workshop "Nonlinear Physics: Theory and Experiment.VI" in a special issue di Theoretical and Mathematical Physic

Prevalence of micronutrient deficiency in popular diet plans

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Research has shown micronutrient deficiency to be scientifically linked to a higher risk of overweight/obesity and other dangerous and debilitating diseases. With more than two-thirds of the U.S. population overweight or obese, and research showing that one-third are on a diet at any given time, a need existed to determine whether current popular diet plans could protect followers from micronutrient deficiency by providing the minimum levels of 27 micronutrients, as determined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) Reference Daily Intake (RDI) guidelines.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Suggested daily menus from four popular diet plans (<it>Atkins for Life </it>diet, <it>The South Beach Diet</it>, <it>the DASH diet</it>, <it>the DASH diet</it>) were evaluated. Calorie and micronutrient content of each ingredient, in each meal, were determined by using food composition data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. The results were evaluated for sufficiency and total calories and deficient micronutrients were identified. The diet plans that did not meet 100% sufficiency by RDI guidelines for each of the 27 micronutrients were re-analyzed; (1) to identify a micronutrient sufficient calorie intake for all 27 micronutrients, and (2) to identify a second micronutrient sufficient calorie intake when consistently low or nonexistent micronutrients were removed from the sufficiency requirement.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Analysis determined that each of the four popular diet plans failed to provide minimum RDI sufficiency for all 27 micronutrients analyzed. The four diet plans, on average, were found to be RDI sufficient in (11.75 ± 2.02; mean ± SEM) of the analyzed 27 micronutrients and contain (1748.25 ± 209.57) kcal. Further analysis of the four diets found that an average calorie intake of (27,575 ± 4660.72) would be required to achieve sufficiency in all 27 micronutrients. Six micronutrients (vitamin B7, vitamin D, vitamin E, chromium, iodine and molybdenum) were identified as consistently low or nonexistent in all four diet plans. These six micronutrients were removed from the sufficiency requirement and additional analysis of the four diets was conducted. It was determined that an average calorie content of (3,475 ± 543.81) would be required to reach 100% sufficiency in the remaining 21 micronutrients.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings are significant and indicate that an individual following a popular diet plan as suggested, with food alone, has a high likelihood of becoming micronutrient deficient; a state shown to be scientifically linked to an increased risk for many dangerous and debilitating health conditions and diseases.</p

The Majorana experiment: an ultra-low background search for neutrinoless double-beta decay

The observation of neutrinoless double-beta decay would resolve the Majorana nature of the neutrino and could provide information on the absolute scale of the neutrino mass. The initial phase of the Majorana experiment, known as the Demonstrator, will house 40 kg of Ge in an ultra-low background shielded environment at the 4850' level of the Sanford Underground Laboratory in Lead, SD. The objective of the Demonstrator is to determine whether a future 1-tonne experiment can achieve a background goal of one count per tonne-year in a narrow region of interest around the 76Ge neutrinoless double-beta decay peak.Comment: Presentation for the Rutherford Centennial Conference on Nuclear Physic