Institutions and training: A case of social franchising in Africa

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to explore two questions: how do institutions affect knowledge transfer in social franchises in Africa, and does training help social franchises respond to these challenges? Despite advances in the knowledge management literature, our understanding of the role of training in social franchising remains inadequate. Using the qualitative induction methodology, we examine a social franchise network operating in Africa. Our findings suggest that differences in formal and informal institutions affect knowledge transfer within the social franchise network. However, social franchises that understand the institutional environment have been successful in adapting their training strategies to scale up their social impact across African countries. We provide valuable insights into the expansion of a rapidly growing business model within social entrepreneurship, social franchising, and show how a successful social franchise managed to replicate its knowledge across different institutional frameworks in Africa.