Most books on franchising target would-be franchisees, not franchisors, and they cover such basics as the importance of location in any franchise operation.
Exceptions are Franchising and Licensing: Two Powerful Ways to Grow Your Business, by Andrew Sherman (Amacom Books), which contains chapters on strategic planning, capital formation and financial issues, and Franchising: Pathway to Wealth Creation, by Stephen Spinelli (Prentice Hall), which covers royalties and fees, risk management, capital formation, financial analysis, franchisee selection and monitoring, and service delivery.
For technical guidance, FASB Statement No. 45 (www.fasb.org/pdf/fas45.pdf) establishes accounting and reporting standards for franchisors. Guidelines for compiling a Uniform Franchise Offering Circular are available from the North American Securities Administrators Association (http://nasaa.org/nasaa/scripts/fu_display_list.asp?ptid=34).
Other sources include the American Bar Association's Forum on Franchising (www.abanet.org/forums/franchising/home.html); Franchise Times (www.franchisetimes.com); and the American Association of Franchisees and Dealers (www.aafd.org/).
