Leveraging the Private Sector: Franchising Clinical Reproductive Health Services in Developing Countries

Dominic Montagu, University of California at Berkeley

This study reports on four franchises in Kenya, Pakistan, and India. We hypothesize that the incentives offered to member providers (direct subsidies, clinical training, ongoing technical support, and brand value) are linked to providers' attitudes towards the franchising organization. Furthermore, franchise structure is related to the organizations' ability to differentiate their brand and member providers from other health professionals, and to offer an increase in client-load and increased profits to member providers. In each of the franchises 100 providers was interviewed, along with two FP clients / site and two women from households with 1km of the clinic. Clients and non-clients valued 'quality' above other provider attributes, however the association of quality with the specific franchise brand varied. Providers showed great variation in appreciation of franchise benefits depending on the franchisor structure. Training was considered a central benefit in all, although in some cases increased client load was also important.