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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop, test and validate a measure of fairness in the context of franchisor-franchisee relationship and test for the dimensionality of fairness. Design/methodology/approach The authors surveyed 300 franchisees of a large-scale franchisor in India. The authors employ confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to analyse the data. Findings The authors tested four models of the fairness construct through CFA using structural equation modelling. The three-factor corrected model of the fairness construct exhibits comparatively better goodness of fit indices as compared to the other correlated models of the fairness construct. It clears the threshold level of validity and reliability test. The findings of the study suggest that the factor structure of fairness is three-factor correlated model with aspects of procedural fairness and informational fairness getting subsumed into one construct. Research limitations/implications Factor structure of fairness construct differs with earlier empirical research findings with both interpersonal fairness and informational fairness subsuming into each other to form one construct. Practical implications This measure can be utilized by franchisee managers to track perceptions of fairness among franchisees to manage the franchise relationship in a better way. Franchisees expect information sharing from the franchisor and not the representative of the franchisor. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to develop a valid and reliable measure of fairness construct in the context of franchise relationship. This study also identifies factor structure of fairness construct.

Uttarakhand state had a unique advantage of hilly weather that was suitable for cultivation of some fruits and vegetables, which were in great demand in plains during off-seasons there. Out of the total net margin accruing to the entire supply chain of these fruits and vegetables, only 25% went to the farmers despite they bearing disproportionately high market risk and the entire production risk. The Uttarakhand State Cooperative Federation (UCF) was created with a mandate to strengthen the cooperative structure in the state. The organisation had to decide a course of action that would improve the returns for the fruits and vegetable farmers in the state. The managing director of the federation had identified three alternative courses of action: first, to take up the primary value addition activity of an aggregator; second, to take up the higher value addition activities of processing fruits and vegetables; and third, to take up retailing of fruits and vegetables on behalf of the farmer members. The chairman of the federation was wondering which alternative was appropriate; or was there some other option too.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the rationale and method for studying product adaptation in rural markets. Design/methodology/approach -The paper takes the form of an exploratory design that includes; review of literature, pilot study, and survey method. Findings -Findings of the study are contrary to the general understanding that rural is perceived very differently and hence operationalised differently by different organisation. However, results indicate that contingency theory holds true in case of product adaptation in rural markets also. With the increase in executives' representation of rurality, product adaptation degree also increased. Originality/value -This is probably the first academic study on product adaptation in rural markets to the best of our knowledge. The study attempted to contextualise product adaptation construct from international marketing to rural marketing domain.

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