The plural form from the inside : A study of franchisee perception of company‐owned outlets within their network

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine franchisee perception of company‐owned outlets within their network. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a qualitative approach, based on 38 interviews of franchisees belonging to plural form networks from various industries. Findings – The interviews show that franchisees generally perceive the advantages of the plural form in terms of network development and management, but they also perceive some limitations, mainly in terms of network culture and cohesion, as well as potential conflicts and costs. Research limitations/implications – Limitations mainly concern the exploratory nature of this research. Practical implications – While they should keep on emphasising the benefits of the plural form, franchisors also have to reduce the perception of its limitations. They have to reinforce network culture and minimise internal conflicts. Originality/value – The paper contributes to the existing literature on the plural form by using a franchisee‐based approach. In addition, contrary to most previous literature, it also highlights some limitations of the plural form.