The dynamics and evolution of knowledge transfer in international master franchise agreements

The paper identifies and evaluates the antecedents, contextual factors and inter-organisational processes that influence knowledge transfer in international hotel master franchise agreements and how these evolve from the perspective of both franchisors and franchisees. A single, purposively selected in-depth qualitative case study reveals the specific factors relevant to knowledge transfer at different stages of the franchise agreement. Drawing on the alliance literature, the impact of four partner-specific variables on inter-organisational design processes used to transfer knowledge and on three antecedents to knowledge transfer; shared identity, absorptive capacity and casual ambiguity is identified. The study contributes to our understanding of the dynamics and evolution of knowledge transfer in master franchise agreements by highlighting the relative importance of partner-specific variables and relational management to knowledge transfer evolution and the relative importance of shared identity as an antecedent to knowledge transfer in these agreements