Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Franchise Business Models has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with employee retention. This growing interest reflects the recognition that franchise business models does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States.

Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While franchise business models is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on employee retention within Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to franchise business models are helping or hindering employee retention — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Franchise Business Models on employee retention in Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States.
2. To assess the extent to which franchise business models influences employee retention within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with franchise business models in relation to employee retention.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing franchise business models in order to improve employee retention.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of franchise business models on employee retention in Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States?
2. To what extent does franchise business models influence employee retention within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with franchise business models in relation to employee retention?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize franchise business models in order to improve employee retention?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Beyond its academic contribution to the field of business administration, this study has practical value for management teams within Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States seeking to understand how franchise business models translates into measurable outcomes around employee retention. It is equally useful to students and future researchers looking for a localized empirical reference on this relationship.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this study confines itself to Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States, focusing specifically on how franchise business models relates to employee retention within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.