1. ACCORDING TO RECENT NEWSPAPER REPORTS, FRANCHISING IS BECOMING A REALITY IN RUSSIA. SOME TIME AGO EVEN PROMINENT RUSSIAN BUSINESS PEOPLE WERE NOT AWARE OF THE EXISTENCE OF THE TERM "FRANCHISING". NOW SOME FOREIGN AND RUSSIAN COMPANIES, SUCH AS XEROX, ALPHAGRAPHICS, BLUE KRYSTAL (LAUNDRY), LE MONTI (CONSUMER GOODS TRADING), LC (COMPUTER PROGRAM LC:ACCOUNTING), VMI (COMPUTERIZED REGISTER OF RUSSIAN LAWS) AND DENDY ARE DEVELOPING IT. FRANCHISING IN SOME CASES IS NOT DEVELOPING ACCORDING TO THE CLASSICAL SCHEME IN WESTERN PERCEPTION BUT KEEPING IN MIND THE FACT THAT THIS KIND OF BUSINESS IS ABSOLUTELY NEW IN RUSSIA, THE EXISTENCE OF THE FIRST FRANCHISING NETWORKS IS A GREAT SUCCESS. IT PROVES THE FACT THAT THERE IS A NECESSITY IN SUCH BUSINESS IN RUSSIA AND PEOPLE ARE EAGER AND READY TO DEVELOP IT.
2. IN ORDER TO ASSIST FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF FRANCHISING SIBLEY INTERNATIONAL OPENED ITS REPRESENTATION IN MOSCOW. SIBLEY INTERNATIONAL IS A WASHINGTON D.C. BASED, SPECIALIZED CONSULTANCY ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO PROMOTE THE GROWTH OF SOUND ECONOMIES WORLDWIDE, BY THE CREATION OF SUCCESSFUL SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESSES THROUGH FRANCHISING. IT FOCUSES ITS EFFORTS BY WORKING WITH VARIOUS GROUPS, INCLUDING ENTREPRENEURS, FRANCHISORS, FOREIGN CLIENTS, FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. IT UTILIZES A STAFF OF EXPERIENCED FRANCHISING PROFESSIONALS AND A NETWORK OF CONSULTANTS, AFFILIATES AND ASSOCIATES TO ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FRANCHISE AND FRANCHISING.
3. SIBLEY INTERNATIONAL WILL HELP ENTREPRENEURS TURN THEIR BUSINESSES INTO A FRANCHISE IF THAT IS AN APPROPRIATE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. FRANCHISORS ARE GUIDED TO THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA, ESPECIALLY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, AND ARE HELPED TO FIND SUITABLE MASTER FRANCHISEES IN THEIR CHOSEN MARKETS.
4. SIBLEY ALSO WORKS WITH PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS AND AID ORGANIZATIONS WHICH ARE DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESS SECTORS. IT ACCOMPLISHES THIS BY PROVIDING FRANCHISING EXPERTISE TO ACCELERATE THE CREATION OF SMALL BUSINESSES. FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS WHO SEE FRANCHISING AS AN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR THEIR ECONOMY ARE ASSISTED IN EDUCATING THE BUSINESS, FINANCIAL, AND LEGAL COMMUNITIES TO INTRODUCE THE FRANCHISING CONCEPT. THEY ARE ENCOURAGED TO DEVELOP AN INDIGENOUS FRANCHISE INDUSTRY, INCLUDING, WHERE APPROPRIATE, THE PRIVATIZATION OF GOVERNMENT OWNED BUSINESS.
5. IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, FOR EXAMPLE, SIBLEY HAS FIELDED A TEAM OF EXPERIENCED FRANCHISE CONSULTANTS TO ENSURE THAT ITS GOAL OF DEVELOPING THE PRIVATE SECTOR THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF FRANCHISING AND FRANCHISING CONCEPTS ARE REALIZED. KENNETH LESSALL, THE COUNTRY DIRECTOR IN MOSCOW, HAS SAID THAT SIBLEY, IN ITS WORK WITH NEW FRANCHISORS AND WITH ITS COMMITMENT TO THE LONG RANGE SUCCESS OF FRANCHISING IN RUSSIA, WILL DO EVERYTHING IT CAN TO ENSURE THAT THE FRANCHISE CONCEPT IS BROUGHT TO FRUITION TO ENABLE RUSSIAN ENTREPRENEURS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO BENEFIT AS THEIR PEERS HAVE DONE FOR SO MANY YEARS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
6. SIBLEY IS ADDRESSING THE MANY ISSUES WHICH WILL DETERMINE THE FUTURE OF FRANCHISING IN RUSSIA, LESSALL SAID. THESE INCLUDE WORKING FOR LEGISLATION WHICH IS CONDUCIVE TO FRANCHISING AND HELPING TO PROMOTE SMALL BUSINESS EFFORTS. THE LEGAL ASPECTS TO PROTECTING FRANCHISORS AND FRANCHISEES NEED TO BE DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED. TAXATION AND CULTURAL CHANGES REQUIRED TO ENCOURAGE INVESTMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP ALSO NEED INVESTIGATION. SIBLEY'S RESEARCH AND EXPERIENCE IN THESE AREAS WILL ENABLE IT TO PROVIDE CLEAR DIRECTION TO THOSE INTERESTED IN FRANCHISING.
7. SIBLEY INTERNATIONAL CAN BE CONTACTED AT ITS MOSCOW OFFICE AT:
55, LENINGRADSKY PROSPECT
125468 MOSCOW, RUSSIA
PHONE/FAX: 7 (095) 157-3919 EXT.720
OR THROUGH ITS WASHINGTON D.C. OFFICE AT:
1990 "M" STREET, N.W. SUITE 680
WASHINGTON D.C. 20036
PHONE: 202 833-9588
FAX: 202 775-9416