Market Receptiveness To Franchise Systems In The Health Care Industry

Abstract

In this study, cluster analysis is used to identify two consumer segments that differ in responsiveness toward franchised health care systems. These receptive and unreceptive clusters are differentiated in terms of the importance of health care constructs as well as in demographic characteristics. Younger, male respondents who live with a larger number of residents in the household may be the most receptive to franchise options, while the majority of all respondents seem open to the idea of franchised services. Further, results from this sample support the importance of competence, accessibility, empathy, and pricing to consumers in selecting health care providers, with less emphasis on local ownership.