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Reports on the investigations made by a United States federal grand jury on the F-16 jet-fighter nose cones made by Lake Forest, Illinois-based Brunswick Corp., leading the firm to postpone the sale of its defense business. Competition faced by the company with other boat manufacturers; Brunswick's dispute with independent boat-makers; Previous investigations made by US authorities on the firm.

The article focuses on Curves International Inc., a chain of physical fitness centers for women. Since 2007, the chain's franchisees have closed almost a third of the company's centers. The company's revenue and profits have declined due to lower royalty payments by franchises and lower sales of its branded exercise equipment.

The article discusses a lawsuit filed by the National Franchisee Association for Burger King (NFABK) against Burger King Corp. NFABK is challenging a Burger King policy that sets the price of a double-cheeseburger at no more than $1.00. NFABK argues that its member restaurants lose money at that price. Burger King has asked to have the case dismissed.

The article reports on the negative impact a delay in a privatization deal between OSI Restaurant Partners Inc., the operator of the Outback Steakhouse restaurant chain, and private equity firms Bain Capital Partners LLC and Catterton Management Co. could have on OSI's bonds. OSI sold $550 million in bonds to help finance the buyout and analysts feel that a delay will not only push the company's stock price down but will also cancel the bonds used in the financing.

This article discusses the ascent of Ralph Alvarez as the No. 2 executive at McDonald's Corp. Alvarez's climb up the corporate ladder isn't the usual long story beginning with him flipping burgers as a teenager. Alvarez has only been with the company for 12 years, including a 2-year hiatus for having a relationship with a female McDonald's employee in 1996. Alvarez is credited with helping to turn McDonald's around over the past few years.

The article reports that the fast food industry is preparing for a public relations war upon the release of the movie "Fast Food Nation" and the book "Chew On This: Everything Your Don't Want To Know About Fast Food." Among the industry's targets is the author and screenwriter Eric Schlosser. Lobbying and trade groups from the fast food, dairy and beef industries have created the Best Food Nation website to defend the American food industry.

Reports the mad-cow scare in the United States send prices lower under intense trading on the commodities market. Number of time the Chicago Mercantile Exchange has expanded the daily limits on how far prices can drop since the discovery of a cow with bovine spongiform encephalopathy; Comments from Phil Stanley, an analyst and trader, regarding the activity on the floor of the commodities exchange; Negative impact of the BSE discovery on cattle prices and beef demand, which had been soaring in 2003; Comments from Lisa Howard, spokesperson for McDonald's Corp., regarding stable demand for food products from their fast-food restaurants; Concern about the reaction from other countries relative to demand for U.S. beef.

Focuses on franchising in the United States and what is needed for entrepreneurs to survive as a franchise. Percentage of all U.S. retail transactions attributable to franchises; Statistics related to the pervasiveness of franchise establishments, suggesting their importance to the U.S. economy; Comments from Marko Grunhagen, a specialist in franchising in Southern Illinois University's business school, regarding the limited training received in franchising; Recommendations from Grunhagen.

The article discusses the case of U.S. women's fitness club franchising firm Curves International Inc. which suffered losses that led to the closures of some of its chains in August 2011.

The article offers tips from franchisers on maximizing networks between each other entrepreneurs in order to help build the business.

An interview with Leonard D. Vines, a partner at the Saint Louis office of law firm Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale PC, on franchising.

The article focuses on the conflict between the management and franchisees of U.S.-based Burger King Holdings Inc. The Burger King National Franchisee Association (NFA) Inc. filed two class-action lawsuits against the company which challenged management decisions. It is said that franchisees gained influence on the company because they own and operate about 90% of Burger King restaurants. The emphasis of the company on customers who visit a restaurant at least nine times per month seems controversial for franchisees.

The article reports on the complaints by U.S. gas-station dealers regarding the sale of retail outlets by major petroleum refiners. The dealers are complaining over the changes in business that refiners want to make, one of which is transferring ownership of its retail outlets which some of them consider to be low-profit businesses. Gas station owners fear that the new owners of the retail outlets will mark up the price of fuel in a bid to be compensated for costs. Dealers contend that they are at a bidding disadvantage against distributors.

The article focuses on the growth opportunities presented to U.S. franchise companies overseas. Curves International Inc. and Subway have announced double-digit expansion abroad, while McDonald's Corp. has opened 286 units abroad in 2009. The third party entrepreneurs or business groups that U.S. franchisers often rely on overseas usually bankroll the operation themselves. The reasons behind overseas investors' interest in U.S. chains are also cited.

The article focuses on the challenges faced by restaurateur and real-estate developer David Davoudpour in reviving the business of family-dining chain Shoney's. It cites several factors that contributed to loss of business at Shoney's. An overview of Shoney's history is presented. It is noted that Davoudpour also runs his own holding company Royal Hospitality Corp.

The article reports that franchisees of Mr. Handyman International LLC have expressed concerns over the national accounts program that the franchiser is planning to launch. The program calls for the franchise to become the preferred provider of repair and maintenance work for businesses with multiple locations. Franchisees are concerned that they would have little control with the rates since it will be set by the headquarters. Some are concerned that if they refuse a job, it will be given to a subcontractor who might tarnish the brand.

An interview with Britt Schroeter, operator of Dream Maker & Associates LLC, is presented. When asked about the risks of becoming a first-time franchisee in a recession, she answered that the failure is the risk involved in becoming a franchisee and so the key is to choose the right franchise. She explained that the decline of competition offers a good for franchisees to succeed. She advised prospective franchisees to go for franchisers with a well-tested business and a good success rate.

The article addresses the decline of franchise sales in the U.S. in 2009. According to Dale Cantone, an assistant attorney general for Maryland, annual applications from franchisers who want to conduct business in the state dropped 16 percent. In California from January 1 to April 20, 2009, filings from franchisers declined to nearly 20 percent from 2008 to 769. Some franchisers are said to be discouraged by the recession.

The article reports on the increase in franchisees; defaults on loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as the recession deepens. A list of loans at 500 franchises shows the number of defaults by franchisees increased 52 percent in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2008, from fiscal 2007, according to the author. The aim of SBA-guaranteed loans is to provide capital to small businesses that often can not qualify for conventional credit, the author said.

The article discusses the declining annual growth of the pizza industry in the U.S. as of 2009. The causes of the decline include the increase in prices of cheese, competition with hamburger chains and a change in consumer preference. The franchisees of the three biggest pizza chains, Papa John's, Domino's Inc. and Pizza Hut, a unit of the fast-food company Yum Brands Inc., are said to have been affected by the problem in the industry. Pizza Hut and Domino's are providing additional products in their menus in order to reclaim customers.

The article reports on the preparation of automobile dealerships for what is claimed to be the biggest shakeout in the U.S. franchising history. Many dealer-franchisees are facing the possibility of losing their businesses in 2009 amid decreasing sales and doubts over the future of three major automobile makers in Detroit, Michigan and their brands. Clients are being urged by some dealers' attorneys to examine their franchise contracts because the economic consequences for those franchisees could be catastrophic, according to the article.

The article reports on the results of a 2008 survey by FranData Inc. about managerial salary at franchisers in the U.S. The managerial jobs in the full-service restaurant industry had the highest salary, while the lowest-paying jobs were in retail products and services. It was also found that managers in food-related franchises in general tend to receive more than those in other fields and this is attributed to the more complex nature of food-handling businesses.

The article reports on the growing number of franchisers who help franchisees survive the 2008 credit crunch with financing. Great Clips Inc. has secured $14 million in loans expansions, acquisitions, debt consolidation and refinancing for new and current franchisees. Proshred Security finances the initial $35,000 fee on at least one franchisee when selling a multifranchise territory to an individual. Coverall Cleaning Concepts lends up to $6,800 of its initial franchise fee which ranges from $10,750 to $32,200.

The article reports on the additional expenditures paid by franchisees. McDonald's Corp. previously reimbursed architectural and engineering improvements done on a franchised restaurant. However, the new systemwide beverage undertaking will only be remunerated by 40%. The Hollywood Tans LLC franchisees also complain of reclassifying equipment maintenance cost and delayed response of maintenance staff. The United Parcel Service Inc. revised the policy on its money-back guarantee packages affecting the profitability of its franchisees.

The article reports on business franchising as a way for immigrants to earn and live out their "American dream." The article cites the case of Lyumila Khononov who left Odessa, Ukraine for the U.S. because of "discrimination" against Jews. Mrs. Khononov bought a "Subway" fast-food diner chain and it is said that she now operates four Subway stores. The author says that franchises have the advantage of proven track record, name recognition and aggressive marketing schemes.

The article discusses the steps a franchisee can take to limit the damage to its business in case the franchised business declares bankruptcy. Although franchisees have little protection for such an event, it suggests that a company should always have an exit plan to rebrand with a different franchiser or go independent. Another safety net for franchisee is by joining a franchise that has an independent franchisee organization that will have more bargaining power when dealing with franchisers on operational issues, advertisements and promotions.

The article discusses innovative incentives such as employee discounts and money-back guarantee used by franchisers for creative marketing. Employee discount is aimed on helping franchisees perform well and maintain employees longer through rebate on initial cost of franchising. Money-back guarantee is focused on expansion strategies by reducing uncertainty of potential franchisees. According to the author, innovative incentive is a result of growing competition in the franchising industry.

The article reports on the revisions on disclosure rules for franchisers made by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). It says that under the new regulations, which took effect on July 1, 2008, franchisers can file disclosure documents online and must list any lawsuits they had filed against franchisees last year. It mentions that the revised regulations streamline how franchisers report franchise turnover, transfers and terminations for the past 3 years, which make it easy for a troubled franchiser to be identified.

The article focuses on the move of some prospective franchisees to use the annual performance data on franchisee loans that were guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration to gauge their likely success. Wells Fargo & Co. says that it utilizes the data to determine negative trends and lessen future loan losses. It cites several motel chains that are considered as best loan performers or franchisees with greater than 60 SBA-guaranteed loans that have failure rates of less than 5%.

The article discusses the failure of Cold Stone Creamery ice cream franchise allegedly because of a defective business model. Franchisees claim that the cost of running a shop was so steep that making a profit was daunting and the company made the problem worse by cutting margins and making franchisees buy costly ingredients from just one source. The article also explains that the rapid expansion of the franchise also crowded stores too close together that brought in too many inexperienced franchisees.

The article reports on the Dollar Menu of McDonald's Corp. which creates nuisance among franchisees. According to it, the cheap meals under the menu are a concern particularly the Double Cheeseburger whose profit margin is squeezed by increasing cheese prices. It mentions that some owner/operators have taken the Double Cheeseburger off their Dollar Menus due to worries about cash flow.

The article reports on the initiative of McDonald's Corp. to redefine the word "McJob," which means boring and low-paying job with few prospects. In the U.S., McDonald's employees are presented with health insurance coverage, English-language classes and other life-enhancing skills while in Great Britain, the benefits of working with the company are defined on posters such as flexible hours and educational training. The organization has also created a job-hiring tool that would help in the selection process.

The article presents tips on how to determine whether a franchise idea has potential. It notes that a franchise idea needs to be a legitimate concept and is appropriately priced. It stresses that a franchise must possess a distinguishing attribute. It adds that attitude and commitment are vital to the long-term success of a franchise.

The article reports on the 2008 fiscal second-quarter net loss posted by Tyson Foods Inc. as a result of adverse effect of feed costs on the firm. Tyson Foods chief executive Dick Bonds called for U.S. Congress to lower a federal-tax subsidy and to stop import tariffs on sugar-based ethanol. He stressed that the increase pressure on food prices would worsen, with 30% of corn production this year is anticipated to be used for ethanol production. The company expects the cost of processed ingredients to reach $1 billion.

The article reports on the plan of McDonald's Corp. give away samples of its new Southern-style chicken sandwiches which coincides with the arrival of economic-stimulus checks from the U.S. government. The firm mentioned the use of giveaways to become effective in a weak economy. Dunkin' Donuts will also conduct a sampling of its doughnuts to customers who buy a cup of coffee on April 15, 2008, which is the deadline for federal tax-return filings. The use of free samples by McDonald's to increase awareness of its new products is recalled.

The article stresses the benefit of collaboration to the business operations of U.S. Franchise Systems Inc., the Atlanta, Georgia-based franchiser of the Microtel and Hawthorn Suite chains. It says that franchisee-franchiser relations frequently represent a bad venture. The firm is famous for a corporate culture of collaboration between such parties. The American Association of Franchisees and Dealers association recognized U.S. Franchise as the most respected system of the country.

The article focuses on financing a franchise. It says that fewer lenders are funding the businesses, resulting many borrowers to turn to other sources of financing. It is reported that franchisees are turning to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) which gives access to capital for small businesses which cannot get it by conventional means. It also mentions that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is involved in another government lending program.

The article offers advice on selecting the right franchise after deciding to purchase one. The author suggests to ask competing franchisers for their offering circulars. He advises to take note of the percentage figures on franchise turnover. He also adds the importance of comparing prices which include the initial entry fee, the sales percentage a franchiser will collect, and all other fees.

The article reports on the performance of several consumer-discretionary stocks in the U.S. as of March 2008. There was a 6.7% increase in BJ's Wholesale Club shares while Smithfield Foods gained 3.8%. Ambac is planning to offer $500 million in equity units and a minimum of $1 billion in common stock. AIG stocks has declined by 2.2% at 44.61.

The article presents some tips on choosing a franchise business that will come safely through an economic decline. Accordingly, beginning a business in a recession brings plenty of risks, however, a franchise that has done well in a previous downturns is a way to reduce the chance of failure. It is suggested to focus on tried-and-true name brands.

The article reports that fast-food chain KFC plans to serve nonfried chicken in the U.S. It is said that this change is an acknowledgement by the chain's parent company, Yum Brands Inc., that its major businesses in the country are in need of refurbishment to meet changing consumer tastes and to keep off competitors. Chief executive officer (CEO) David Novak of Yum Brands stated that the nonfried chicken platform will be the center of the overall brand transformation at KFC.

The article reports that Tilman Fertitta, chief executive officer of Landry' Restaurants, has offered to buy 61% of the Houston, Texas-based restaurant and casino company. Report says the offer was an effort on the part of Fertitta to raise Landry's worth after he complained that Wall Street has valued its stocks too low. The Landry dining chains include Landry's Seafood House, The Crab House, and Charley's Crab and the Charthouse, among others. Meanwhile, shares of Landry rose on the news of Fertitta's offer on January 28, 2008.

The article reports on the final week of holiday shopping season in December 2007 in the U.S. where sales were expected to meet growth projections for the year. ShopperTrak RCT Corp. and National Retail Federation predict at least sales increases over 2006 of 3.6% and 4%, respectively. Shoppers were said to have deferred their purchasing the last minute which contributed to earlier pessimism about sales for the year the consumer turnout at retail shops reversed the expectation.

The article explores how franchisers can effectively introduce a technology to their franchisees. The reluctance of franchisees to adopt a novel technology can be attributed to several factors like concerns that the technology is not cost-justified and that its installation could disrupt their business. It emphasizes the importance of involving franchisees in the selection of an equipment. Franchisers can also test a technological change first before introducing it to their franchisees.

The article deals with the plans of Burger King Corp. to introduce a $1 double cheeseburger. The larger double cheeseburger at a discounted rate is designed to challenge the best-selling items of rival fastfood chain, McDonald's Corp. Some of the franchisees of Burger King have revealed that they have been selling double cheeseburgers for 99 cents for several weeks. Russ Klein, global marketing strategy and innovation president of Burger King, offers information on the double digit disadvantage of Burger King to rivals, McDonald's and Wendy's.

The article announces the appointment of Peter J. Bensen as chief financial officer of McDonald's Corp.

The article focuses on the issues surrounding McDonald's Corp. regarding its Dollar Menu. McDonald's franchisees claim that the inclusion of the Double Cheeseburger in the Dollar Menu is not profitable for them. Some of them are now charging more for the product. Don Armstrong, head of McDonald's National Leadership Council of franchisees, urges the company to establish new approaches to attract and retain customers.

The article reports the financial performance of Tyson Foods Inc. for the quarter ended September 29, 2007. Earnings in the period fell short of analysts' expectations, according to the company. Tyson Foods incurred $118 million in additional feed-grain costs for poultry during the quarter. Meanwhile, shares declined 42 cents, or 2.9 percent in 4p.m. New York Stock Exchange composite trading on November 12.

This article reports that hamburger chain Burger King Holdings Inc. announced a positive outlook despite rising commodity costs and widespread economic pressures. The company posted global sales gains and a 23 percent profit rise in its fiscal first quarter of 2007. Comments from chief executive John Chidsey on the issue are given.