A Delphi Approach to Determining the Levels of Entrepreneurial Skills of Franchisees in Relation to Independent Entrepreneurs

Abstract

The paper set out to demonstrate the feasibility of using the Delphi Technique in comparing entrepreneurial skills of franchisees to those of independent entrepreneurs as perceived by a group of experts in the area of enterprise development. A list of 45 experts was generated using snowball sampling as two broad questions are asked. The responses to these became the basis for Rounds 2 and 3 questionnaires. A list of 24 traits constituted a narrowed-down version of the questionnaires for the two rounds, which the experts had to evaluate using the Likert scale. The findings of the exercise led the researcher to conclude that, generally, franchisees have lower skill levels compared to independent entrepreneurs. Conclusions of the exercise indicate that franchisees, as representatives of the franchising mode of operation can be brought into entrepreneurial skills research. They also indicate that the Delphi Technique, used as a research methodology, can yield useful results in entrepreneurship research.

Key words: Delphi Technique, entrepreneurial skills, Franchising, franchisees