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dc.contributorFaculty of Businessen_US
dc.contributor.advisorZhang, Xubing (MM)en_US
dc.creatorLi, Yongyi-
dc.identifier.urihttps://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/12682-
dc.languageEnglishen_US
dc.publisherHong Kong Polytechnic Universityen_US
dc.rightsAll rights reserveden_US
dc.titleFacilitating prospective franchisees to enter into a franchise contract : the effect of three marketing tactics in the Chinese catering industryen_US
dcterms.abstractThe catering market in China has surpassed RMB 4.6 trillion yuan and is expected to become the largest market worldwide within seven years. In 2020, the growth rate of restaurant chains in Chinese first-tier cities exceeded 20%, and the rate is increasing annually. Although China's restaurant franchise industry is prospering, it confronts various challenges. Besides the unstable market environment, simple business models, inadequate brand development, and information asymmetry, franchisors cannot promote prospective franchisees to sign a franchise contract. As a result, many prospective franchisees could not finalize the deal during the communication and negotiation processes, thereby limiting the rapid development of China's restaurant franchise industry.en_US
dcterms.abstractThis research focuses on the role of three tactics, namely, digging pain, creating a dream, and creating a sense of urgency, in promoting prospective franchisees to enter a franchise contract. A research framework is developed to explore how these tactics change the impact of prospective franchisees’ emotional and social needs on their willingness to join a franchise and the impact of their willingness to join a franchise on signing the franchise contract. Survey data from 272 prospective franchisees were used to test the hypothesized relations.en_US
dcterms.abstractThe analysis shows that creating dream has a positive, significant impact on the willingness to join for all the prospective franchisee customers. Salespersons' “digging pain” tactics can negatively impact customers' willingness to join. Digging pain has a more pronounced effect on customers with stronger emotional belonging needs. It confirms that willingness to join is positively related to signing the contract. Among customers with a sufficiently high willingness to join, creating a sense of urgency has a stronger positive effect on signing the contract for customers without franchise experience than those with the experience. However, among customers with low willingness to join, there is no significant effect of creating a sense of urgency on signing a contract, regardless of their previous franchise experience.en_US
dcterms.abstractThis research fills a research gap in the academic literature. It has significant practical implications for franchisors who seek to effectively communicate and negotiate with their prospective customers to close the deals. The research findings inform franchisors to utilize the three tactics to recruit franchisees effectively and to expand their franchise enterprises.en_US
dcterms.extentvii, 121 pages : illustrationsen_US
dcterms.isPartOfPolyU Electronic Thesesen_US
dcterms.issued2023en_US
dcterms.educationalLevelD.B.A.en_US
dcterms.educationalLevelAll Doctorateen_US
dcterms.LCSHFranchises (Retail trade)en_US
dcterms.LCSHCaterers and catering -- Chinaen_US
dcterms.LCSHRestaurants -- Chinaen_US
dcterms.LCSHFood service -- Chinaen_US
dcterms.LCSHHong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertationsen_US
dcterms.accessRightsrestricted accessen_US

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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/12682