ABSTRACT
Chick-fil-A is a privately held family owned business that was started in 1946 by Truett Cathy. Since then, the company has steadily grown and is currently the largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the United States with over 4.6 billion in sales and 1,700 restaurants (www.chick-fil-a.com). Low franchisee turnover, 5 percent a year, is attributed to highly committed franchisees that identify strongly with the company, its brand, and its values (Schmall 2007).Chickfil-A carefully selects individual franchisees that believe in its faith-based corporate purpose “to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us,” and asks questions about family and faith during the interview process (Ventura 2006). In line with its values, it is closed on Sundays so that all “franchised Chickfil-A operators and restaurant employees should have an opportunity to rest, spend time with family and friends, and worship if they choose to do so” (www.chickfil-a.com). Franchisees feel like part of this franchise family and care deeply for Cathy and the organization. In return, they work tirelessly towards success (Ventura 2006; Schmall 2007; Dobrzynski 1996). This model of selecting and socializing franchisees to identify strongly with the organization and its values is not unique to Chick-fil-A. Other distribution systems including direct selling organizations such as Amway, Shaklee, and Mary Kay, also engender strong identification between contractors and the organization (Pratt and Foreman 2000; Biggart 1989). These companies encourage and successfully develop emotional attachments between their independent contractors and the identities of their organizations, founders, and brands. They reinforce the roles that their operators value and seek.
