The University of Sydney Business School has launched a research project in an effort to identify barriers to franchising in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, and to develop a strategy to boost the sector’s growth in the region.

The two-year project, funded by AusAID, targets structural, regulatory, commercial and legal barriers, and will audit conditions affecting the franchise sector in the individual countries, a press release said.

“The franchise business model can make a significant contribution to economic development through the small to medium-sized enterprise sector, Andrew Terry, Professor of Business Regulation, said.

Associate Professor Nigel Finch told the Post yesterday that the structural barriers for Cambodia are related to human capital, financial capital and the protection of intellectual property.

“I’ve got a business plan or a trademark... and if I export that from, say, Vietnam into Cambodia, what I’m worried about is somebody might steal these ideas,” he said regarding intellectual property.

“Cambodia has tremendous potential,” he said, adding that areas with the most potential are agriculture, manufacturing and the services sector.

Reuters reported last week that Thailand’s biggest convenience store operator, CP All, plans to apply for licences to open 7-Eleven stores in Cambodia by 2015.

To contact the reporter on this story: Anne Renzenbrink at [email protected]