Two decades ago the term "franchising" was not part of the Chinese language. Although in per capita and GDP terms the Chine.se fratichise sector is still at an carly development stage, China is today the most franchised countiy in the world in terms of number of systems. Franchising as a method of business operation was introduced to China by the United States' fast food pioneers KFC and McDonald's in the late 1980s in an environment which was by then increasingly receptive to foreign investment and western concepts tinder Deng Xiaoping's economic reforms and open-door policies. A decade later, China's first rudimentary franchise law signaled the government's imprimatur on franchised distribution and led to its wide adoption by both public and private seetor enterprises. Regulatory reforms pursuant to China's World Trade Organization accession in 2001 have liberated franchise sector entry for foreign franchisors ¡ind facilitated cross-border franchising. This paper outlines the history and the development of franchising in China, addresses the challenges and opportunities for both domestic and international franchise companies, and discusses the future development of the Chinese franehise seetor.

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Purpose The relational nature of franchising flowing from the contract between franchisor and franchisee which enshrines a close, continuing relationship raises the issue of good faith. While there are academic papers analyzing good faith, these do not capture the practical understanding and expression of the concept and the manner and application in which it operates in the real world of franchising. The purpose of this paper is to assess how good faith is defined and understood by franchise practitioners – franchisees, franchisors and their legal advisors. Design/methodology/approach The authors have adopted a qualitative approach by conducting and analyzing a series of 18 in-depth interviews with franchisees, franchisors and lawyers specializing in franchising. Findings The findings show that good faith is particularly important in franchising because of the disparity in the knowledge and power of the parties. They suggest that good faith is not only a legal notion but also a notion that is linked to the personal relationship between the franchisor and its franchisees. It then plays an important role in terms of management of this relationship and of the system as a whole. Moreover, they demonstrate that there is not one single shared understanding of good faith amongst franchising practitioners. Indeed, franchisees, franchisors and specialist franchise lawyers suggested that good faith can refer to transparency, trust, loyalty, fairness and equity amongst the franchisees, fair play, frankness, respect, ethics, kindness, “best efforts” and personalities. Originality/value The originality of the research lies in the fact that good faith is examined through the voice of franchising practitioners who explain how they define and understand good faith rather than through a detached academic lens.

During the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, dental education and training requiring face-to-face interaction must prioritize infection prevention and the safety of students, staff, and patients. In July 2020, the Association for Dental Education, Asia Pacific (ADEAP) published safety guidelines for safe dental education during the COVID-19 pandemic. These guidelines summarize ADEAP recommendations for classroom-based courses, reopening of simulated training courses and dental clinics, and provision of clinical skills training courses in dentistry during the COIVID-19 pandemic. They have been formulated to ensure the safety of students and teaching staff, dental auxiliary staff, and patients. However, the present guidelines are considered appropriate only when the number of COVID-19 epidemic cases has been significantly reduced, i.e. when the epidemiological curve has flattened in the area concerned. The criteria for lifting restrictions on activities should be consistent with relevant jurisdictional guidelines.