The franchising relationship quality: Is it important?

The concept of relationship quality (RQ) evolved from relational marketing theory, and it provided the impetus for a paradigm shift from transactional relationships to more cooperative and service-centered relationships in business-to-business (B2B) processes. While RQ is a major trend in business management, considerable confusion and disagreement persist regarding what constitute the dimensions, outcomes and impacts of RQ. This paper looks at RQ from the perspectives of B2B, particularly in franchising. A meta-analysis of the literature on the subject is undertaken to ascertain how RQ has been conceptualized, in terms of its dimensions, and impact on business performance

The relationship quality in franchise networks: Is it important to performance?

The concept of relationship quality evolved from relational marketing theory, and provided the impetus for a paradigm shift from transactional relationships to more cooperative and service-centred relationships in business-to-business processes. In the marketing literature, relationship quality has been considered a key component in relationship marketing and business-to-business relationship exchange such as buyer-seller, exporter-importer and franchisor-franchisee. In franchising, the key to a successful franchise system is dependent on the effectiveness of franchise relationship management where both parties are characterized by mutual interdependence and cooperation. Despite the importance of this topic in franchising, very little is known about how to develop effective franchisor-franchisee RQ and how it impact performance/loyalty. Therefore, this paper investigates relationship quality in franchise networks towards the firms’ performance and loyalty from a franchisee‘s perceptive. It also discusses three elements of the franchisor-franchisee relationship quality namely: trust, commitment and satisfaction. The paper examines the interactions of relationship quality towards a firm’s performance and loyalty in the franchise network

Relationship Quality In Franchising : Antecedents And Outcomes

Kajian ini cuba merungkai secara empirik kepada dua konstruk yang telah dikenalpasti iaitu mekanisme perhubungan dan mekanisme transaksi yang mungkin mempengaruhi kualiti perhubungan. Selain itu, kajian ini juga mengenalpasti dua impak utama kualiti perhubungan iaitu prestasi dan kesetiaan pihak francaisi. This study attempts to examine empirically two constructs namely relational mechanisms and transactional mechanisms which may influence the relationship quality in franchising relationship. Furthermore, this study examines two main outcomes of relationship quality namely performance and loyalty in franchising relationships

Franchising in Malaysia: Issues and research agenda

The franchising concept has become a dominant method inter firm (business-to-business) in the distribution of products and services throughout the local and global market to their target end customer. Franchising is also known as a strategic alliance which relatively enduring inter-firm cooperative arrangement between franchisor and franchisee. Franchising has shown the substantial growth and significant success in most of the developed countries, especially in Western countries. In Malaysia, franchising industries has grown steadily during the past decade through intensively franchise development programme conducted by government agency such as Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (PNS). Nevertheless, there is a still lack of study related the franchising in Malaysia, particularly in franchise business survival. Thus, this paper will be explored the issues in franchising and proposed the conceptual framework for effective franchise business model. The framework developed in this paper will provide a guide to the factors that may affect franchise firm’s performanc

Relationship value, relationship quality and loyalty among Malaysian franchises

Franchising is an increasingly popular way of conducting and expanding business in the global environment. In a franchising business, the franchising relationship quality is considered important in ensuring success, since franchisors-franchisees are considered as business partner. Studies on franchisee-franchisor relationships from the franchise perspectives are very important and there has been a lack of research on the franchisee motivations for entering into the relationship mainly from Malaysia context. Therefore, this study will attempt to examine the relationship between relationship value, relationship quality and loyalty among Malaysian franchisees. A total of 400 questionnaires were mailed by using random sample to a local-home grown franchisee. The result of this study expects to develop an understanding of relationship quality among Malaysian local home grown franchisees. This study also contributes to the field of relationship marketing especially in managing business-to-business relationship

The Impacts of Relational Norms and Relationship Quality on Franchise Firm’s Performance: The empirical of Malaysian Franchisee

Franchising is one of the best way for expanding a business in the competitive industry and global market. Franchising industries are growing rapidly in most countries and have contributed to the growth of gross domestic product. This study adopts a quantitative approach, applying a cross-sectional study. This study attempts to examine empirically relational mechanisms which may influence the relationship quality and business performance in franchising relationship from franchisees perspective. The findings reveal that relational mechanisms are crucial in affecting franchisee relationship quality. The results provide strong evidence that franchisee relationship quality is found to significantly affect business performance in the franchise system

Design of robotic arm controller based on Internet of Things (IoT)

This paper presents the process of developing a controller for a robotic arm that is built through the Internet of Things (IoT).The direction of the robotic arm can be monitored and controlled using internet facilities. The Raspberry Pi board is utilized in this project for the robotic arm controller as well as the web server system.The robotic arm comprises four servo motors and each of the servo motors is assigned with a single pulse width modulation (PWM) output that can be individually controlled.The controller system is implemented on Raspberry Pi board using Python 2.7 programming language.Node-Red is used as a web server in this project to communicate with the web browser through TCP/HTTP.Hence, this allows the user to access the web browser using computer or smartphones.In addition, it enables the monitoring and controlling of the robotic arm direction as well as performing pick and place task similar to the manufacturing industry.The results of this study are verified through practical test implementation

Business Strategy and Performance of Logistics companies in Malaysia

The importance of logistics industry to trade activities is never ending. However not much is known on which strategies used and its performance. This study attempts to investigate the business strategy and performance of logistics companies in Malaysia.The data was collected through 400 mail questionnaires sent to the selected companies.Two hundred companies responded by returning the questionnaires.Only 125 were fully completed used in the analysis.The findings clearly indicate that the business strategy adopted by the logistics companies are specializing in product type strategy, specializing in customer type strategy, growth strategy, differentiation strategy, low-cost strategy, hold and maintain strategy.The performance of these companies was indicated by the number of employees which are increasing and the volume of business which are increasing annually.Their performance are mainly dependence on the nation’s economic growth and the regional economy as well as the world economic situation

Determinants of entrepreneurial intention: Evidence from UUM School of Business Management students

Due to the inclination numbers of Malaysia’s entrepreneurs nowadays, the youth have shown a great involvement in entrepreneurship and have been one of the biggest contributors to the country’s economic growth.As this emergence took place, it is crucial for the related stakeholders such as government, educational agencies and policy makers to keep on encouraging the youth in Malaysia to participate in any entrepreneurship activities. Thus, it is important to understand the factors that will influence the intention to start up the business among the youth especially among university students.The main objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between risk taking propensity, family support, self efficacy and entrepreneurship education with the entrepreneurial intention among the undergraduates under the School of Business Management, Universiti Utara Malaysia.Data was collected by using the questionnaire that has been distributed to 260 respondents; however, only 200 questionnaires have been successfully collected for the data analysis.Findings of the research revealed that only two (2) out of four variables having significant relationship with the entrepreneurial intention, which are self-efficacy and entrepreneurship education

Witnessing Workplace Incivility towards Burnout: a Conceptual Perspective

Objective: This paper seeks to accentuate the significance in apprehension the factor, which is witnessed workplace incivility that resulted in burnout among the housemen in Malaysia where it is affecting the overall situation in healthcare industry Methodology: This is a proposed quantitative study that will be conducted in peninsular general hospitals in Malaysia by using self-administered questionnaire which related to workplace incivility and burnout.   Implications: The study is expected to be useful as an insights for future research and it is particularly useful for the Ministry of Health in dealing with the challenging issues related to house officers nowadays