Achieving Competitive Advantage in Hybrid Relationship Businesses

In the business world, relationships are important and require cooperative strategy by partners to succeed and achieve competitive advantage. Franchising is considered as suitable to study relationships and it is labelled as hybrid relationship because of the inherent difficulties in this business. Trust, Confidence, Credibility, Benevolence and Commitment between partners have profound effect on franchisors strategy. It forms basis to grow, achieve business goals and competitive advantage. However, what actions of the partners help achieve this are not elucidated for the benefit of the industry. This study identifies these synergistic and congruent actions, processes, and systems required, to achieve success. Based on the findings a model of good practice advising the necessary actions by partners to achieve growth and competitive advantage is developed