It is arrogantly imperialistic to suggest that
franchising best practice in developing countries will be
promoted by the enthusiastic embrace of Western concepts.
The Vietnamese experience, nevertheless, suggests
that the journey of Gloria Jean’s Coffees in Vietnam
would be easier if Vietnamese consumers embraced
Arabica rather than Robusta coffee and more readily
accepted queuing for coffee rather than expecting table
service. Certainly the migration of Western brands,
customs, and styles, which are increasingly influencing
the developing countries of Asia, facilitates the international
expansion of franchise systems and acclimatizes
developing markets to standardized delivery, which is
a hallmark of franchising best practice. The dynamics
are, nevertheless, much more subtle.