Social relationships and communication as key characteristics of social franchising in Africa
International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management
ISSN: 0959-0552
Article publication date: 14 October 2021
Issue publication date: 3 May 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This paper, using a case study on Jibu, a water distribution chain that distributes bottled water in Africa, aims to underline the importance of social relationships and communication within franchise chains operating in the social sector in developing countries and their contribution to the clarification of the concept of social franchising.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is based on a case study of Jibu, a water distribution chain composed of 122 franchised units and 2,100 independent retailers. The primary data were gathered through an analysis of in-depth interviews with 67 people (Jibu co-founder, headquarters staff, franchisees, micro-franchisees and customers) in Uganda and Rwanda.
Findings
The findings showed that the extent and richness of social relationships and communication existing within the Jibu chain are not limited to top-down and build a feeling of belonging to a family. These social relationships and communication are key characteristics of social franchising.
Practical implications
This research can assist franchise experts, franchisors and franchisees to better assess the importance of social relationships and communication in social franchise chains in developing countries and help national and local governments better understand how franchising works in the social sector.
Social implications
Franchising is not limited to hotels, restaurants and retail businesses. Franchising can be applied to businesses that have social goals, in addition to profit goals. For example, the Jibu franchise is a relevant and efficient solution to providing the African people with access to drinking water at an affordable resale price. This paper, thus, contributes to increasing the awareness of this franchising phenomenon in social sectors in developing countries and in Africa, in particular.
Originality/value
Access to drinking water is an important issue in many developing countries, above all in African countries. Franchised water services are an innovation in terms of a business model in developing countries with micro-treatment plants run by franchisees and small units run by micro-franchisees or retailers, both franchisees and micro-franchisees being local entrepreneurs.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author sincerely acknowledges Jibu co-founders, Galen and Randy Welsch, for allowing her to conduct this empirical research. The author is also very grateful to their staff, their franchisees, their micro-franchisees and Jibu customers in Uganda and Rwanda who agreed to be interviewed. A big thanks as well to trainees in the Center in Franchising, Retail and Service Chains who helped the author in the context of a broader project on social franchising in African countries. The author appreciated their support at different stages, for example, desk research, follow-up of the interview conduction, data transcription and data organization. The author also acknowledges Muriel Fadairo for her invitation to present a previous version of this paper at a seminar at IREGE-IAE Savoie Mont Blanc, Muriel Fadairo and Rachel Bocquet for their detailed comments. Finally, the author acknowledges the editor and the two reviewers for their relevant comments. These comments helped the author to significantly improve this manuscript.
Citation
Perrigot, R. (2022), "Social relationships and communication as key characteristics of social franchising in Africa", International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Vol. 50 No. 5, pp. 619-637. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJRDM-07-2020-0270
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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