Empowering the individual within a productive franchise relationship.

1. The rapidly changing economic and social environment, in our ever shrinking global Community, calls for a drastic review and reappraisal of the 'way we do business'. A projected doubling of the world population in the next 50 - 70 years, all of it within the already struggling developing nations, must be taken as a 'wake up call' for the world's 'Community of Professionals'.
2. The National Centrę for Work Based Learning Partnerships has embarked upon a mission designed to assist Professionals to update their own knowledge and skills portfolios whilst at the same time providing a 'product' containing a distilled, reflected and thought out treasure trove of experience. Such practical experience will help build up the 'body of knowledge' of the greater Community in which they operate i.e. other Professionals.
3. The candidate himself has embarked on a personal journey which, when started, was structured to achieve the following:
• To capitalise upon previous professional learning, taking advantage of a unique opportunity to reflect upon the merging of formal and informal study, practical experience and new insights gained over the years to produce a brand new composition of far greater quality and scope than previously achieved.
• To capture the essence of own Franchising experience, knowledge and feel for the benefit of Franchisees, Franchisors, Government and Academia, i.e. to the benefit of the greater Community.
• To think 'outside of the box' and offer new ideas and suggestions for consideration i.e. how a revitalised and courageous Franchising can contribute to the well being of the global and local communities.
• To gain the pleasure of achieving the Doctorate in Professional Studies degree.
• To be recognised 'in the public domain' by other Professionals in the economic, social and Franchising communities.
4. As far back as 1943 Sir Winston Churchill recognised and acknowledged that skills and expertise, as well as, the wide distribution of same throughout society are the key to success, when he said:
"The empires of the future are the empires of the mind".
(From a speech given at Harvard University 06.09.1943)

Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor in Professional Studies.