Written by the late Dave Thomas, the widely known founder of Wendy's, and franchising consultant Michael Seid, this is a comprehensive and reliable resource for anyone interested in purchasing a franchise.

If you want to own your business but don’t want to start from scratch, maybe buying into a franchise is the right choice for you! Franchising can be a great way to get started in small business without taking the huge risk of founding and building a company on your own. But before you jump in there’s plenty you need to know in order to make sure you do it right. Franchising For Dummies, Second Edition gives you all the inside insight and smart advice to make sure you pick the right investment opportunity and make the most of it. Written by one of the nation’s leading franchise consultants and by the late Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s International, this fun, friendly guide is packed with guidance from top industry professionals. Packed with practical resources you need to succeed, this handy guide will help you: Pick the perfect franchise opportunity for you Find an ideal location Raise the capital you need to launch your franchise Manage daily business operations Understand complex legal issues Work and communicate with your franchisor and other franchisees Read and understand a Uniform Franchise Offering Circular Expand your business and buy new franchises Full of handy resources—including sample forms and agreements and a listing of available government resources—Franchising For Dummies, Second Edition is a great way to discover a great franchising opportunity, get started, and achieve your dream of small business success and independence. Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Entrepreneurs eager to capitalize on the fast-growing franchising market can find everything they need to know in this definitive guide to all types of franchises by Wendy's International founder. Illustrations, cheatsheet.

Learn what it takes to find, buy, and run a franchise — and enjoy the rewards of being your own boss If you’ve ever visited a chain restaurant and thought, “I’d like to run one of these,” you’re among countless would-be entrepreneurs eager to be their own boss. Franchise Management For Dummies is a hands-on guide that provides clear and concise information on the issues involved in finding, buying, operating, and ultimately growing a successful franchise business. Geared toward both novices and experts in franchising, it’s an essential guide to help prospective franchisees know what to look for in a great franchisor, and to show existing franchisees what great franchisors are providing their franchisees. Both emerging and experienced franchisors will gain an understanding about the proper methods of structuring, managing, and expanding their franchise systems. Social impact investors, donors, and NGOs can learn how franchising techniques can transform how they look at providing products and services at the base of the pyramid. Inside you’ll discover: How to find a franchise that’s right for you and the ideal location for it Where to find quality franchisors and understand the qualities franchisors look for How to gather information from franchisees A franchisor’s mandatory legal obligations to prospective franchisees, the franchise disclosure document (FDD), and working with franchise professionals How to take a realistic look at your finances and what capital you’ll need to buy and launch a franchise Develop strategic advertising and marketing plans How to find, hire, and train talented employees who will help make your franchise a success How to make sure your franchise makes money How to grow your business with multiple franchises And more! Additionally, Franchise Management For Dummies includes a glossary of common franchise-related terms, ten keys to franchisee success, and the questions to ask before becoming a franchisor. Get a copy today and find out if owning and operating a franchise is the right business move for you.

Fundamentals of Franchising is charged with useful definitions, practical tips, and expert advice from experienced practitioners. Written specifically to help lawyers and non-lawyers brush up on franchise law, this practical guide examines franchise law from a wide-range of experiences and viewpoints. Each chapter is written by two experienced practitioners and provides you with a well-rounded overview of franchise law and alerts you to issues that may require further research or expertise.

The transition from war to peace and the necessity to reduce the nation's defense budget has resulted in the downsizing of thousands of service members. Many of these vets will seek new careers or to start businesses. In From the Art of War to Entrepreneurship, author Dr. Shelton Rhodes provides practical information and resources to potential and existing veteran entrepreneurs on how to achieve success in four business niches, and he describes the competitive advantage provided by military service to veteran entrepreneurs. Including lists of resources, books, organizations, and web sites related to the business niches, From the Art of War to Entrepreneurship offers a realistic preview of entrepreneurship opportunities. Success in entrepreneurship is the American dream, but failure to understand the pitfalls can be the American nightmare. While the focus of this book is veteran entrepreneurship, the information in this book is relevant to current and potential entrepreneurs in general.

This contributed volume focuses on the management and governance of international business networks (IBN). Specifically, the chapters refer to theoretical, conceptual, empirical, and case study papers from all areas in economics and management of IBN. These include cooperatives, franchising, retail chains, strategic alliances, public-private partnerships and new network forms in the digital economy. This book is ideal for researchers and strategists who are keen to improve their understanding of the latest developments in the field.

This three-volume encyclopedia on the history of American food and beverages serves as an ideal companion resource for social studies and American history courses, covering topics ranging from early American Indian foods to mandatory nutrition information at fast food restaurants. The expression "you are what you eat" certainly applies to Americans, not just in terms of our physical health, but also in the myriad ways that our taste preferences, eating habits, and food culture are intrinsically tied to our society and history. This standout reference work comprises two volumes containing more than 600 alphabetically arranged historical entries on American foods and beverages, as well as dozens of historical recipes for traditional American foods; and a third volume of more than 120 primary source documents. Never before has there been a reference work that coalesces this diverse range of information into a single set. The entries in this set provide information that will transform any American history research project into an engaging learning experience. Examples include explanations of how tuna fish became a staple food product for Americans, how the canning industry emerged from the Civil War, the difference between Americans and people of other countries in terms of what percentage of their income is spent on food and beverages, and how taxation on beverages like tea, rum, and whisky set off important political rebellions in U.S. history.

Mountains of business data are piling up in organizations every day. These organizations collect data from multiple sources, both internal and external. These sources include legacy systems, customer relationship management and enterprise resource planning applications, online and e-commerce systems, government organizations and business suppliers and partners. A recent study from the University of California at Berkeley found the amount of data organizations collect and store in enterprise databases doubles every year, and slightly more than half of this data will consist of "reference information," which is the kind of information strategic business applications and decision support systems demand (Kestelyn, 2002). Terabyte-sized (1,000 megabytes) databases are commonplace in organizations today, and this enormous growth will make petabyte-sized databases (1,000 terabytes) a reality within the next few years (Whiting, 2002). By 2004 the Gartner Group estimates worldwide data volumes will be 30 times those of 1999, which translates into more data having been produced in the last 30 years than during the previous 5,000 (Wurman, 1989).

Economic and business growth is driven by the continuous re-evaluation and optimization of current policies and practices. By implementing more effective procedures, businesses can increase their levels of competitiveness. Factors Affecting Firm Competitiveness and Performance in the Modern Business World is an authoritative reference source for the latest scholarly research on the most appropriate measures and initiatives for firms to become more competitive within various sectors. Incorporating interdisciplinary perspectives through theoretical foundations and real-world case studies, this book is ideally designed for professionals, practitioners, upper-level students, policy makers, and managers interested in the optimization of business performance.