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The Potential for Social Franchising as a Strategy for Increasing Private Sector Involvement in Addressing HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis in Ethiopia

Commercial franchising is a system where a larger company (the 'franchiser') typically contracts individuals or smaller companies (the 'franchisees') to operate commercial outlets on their behalf to predetermined quality and business model standards. In most instances, the franchisee owns and runs the outlet, but works within set guidelines from the franchiser. Social franchising applies this extremely successful commercial approach to programmes with social objectives in order to improve the quality of services delivered by private providers, to standardize prices and to empower clients. For health services, where control of quality and ease of access are critical, social franchising provides an opportunity to improve quality and access to services, and set guidelines and prices with minimal government or donor investment.