International firms and enterprises are faced with a new set of challenges every single day as businesses today are getting more and more complex. For this reason, many firms rely on international business consultants to help them remain competitive amid these changes. The basic job of these consultants is to analyze an organization's structure, efficiency and profits.

The international business consultants helps in identifying problem areas and proposes ways to overcome the weaknesses in their business model. Another important aspect of an international business consultant is to help the foreign country understand the new environment it plans to enter. Before entering any country it is extremely important to understand the countries legal system and demographics.

An international business consultant may work independent of any management consulting firm or in association with such a firm. Management consulting firms may range in size from single practitioners to large international organizations that cater to a wider market.

Some consultants may specialize in specific fields of industry while others take a more general approach. Once an international business consultant is contracted for his or her services, the first thing he/she does isunderstand the process set in place.One of the first steps taken is to analyze relevant data, including but not limited to annual revenue, employment, expenditures and so on.

They may also need to discuss the process with the managers and employees as well as observe the different operations in the specific area of business. After identifying the problem, the international business consultants will then come up with sound proposals and solutions to address the problem. To prepare these solutions, the international business consultant takes into account the nature of the organization, its relationship with peers in the industry, and its internal organization and structure. Several tools may be used by the consultant to come up with solutions. At times mathematical modeling, Design of Experiment and other such analysis tools need to be used to understand the core of the problem.

The findings of all the work the consultant does is then presented to the client in form of a presentation and a written document. The consultants job is not only to find the problem but also to come with unique solutions which can be easily implemented. More often than not a the problems are universal and are loopholes in the system that have not come up to surface due to the local or national nature of the business but could prove to be lethal when the company decides to expand internationally.

Several companies are now expanding their business world-wide through franchising. Franchising is by nature a model that allows for rapid expansion with minimum investment and managerial pain. International business consultants can also help in this regard. As they can help find franchise opportunities in different countries.

The consultant also conducts meetings with various business professionals, financial agents, as well as government officials of different countries. They also provide marketing and advertising services/advice. It is of utmost importance that the consultant chosen has in-depth knowledge of business management skills, awareness of the recent foreign policies, legal documentation, and political economic developments that may affect foreign businesses, solid administrative skill, excellent communication skills and strong international network of associates that can give accurate information about the business climate and markets in different countries.

The consultant should also have hands-on experience in working with multi national companies.

A proffesional international business consultant must possess leadership skills, should be adaptable to change, should be able to identify key strategic inflection points, and can suggest firms on ways to adapt to the new changes in the external environment.

In today's world, franchising is playing a significant role in the entrepreneurial business arena. Franchising is a practice where an established company allows another entity (an individual or an organization) to use the company's already existing business model and brand name. The franchisor (the company that provides the business solution) and the franchisee (the entity that uses it) enter into a contract to use and capitalize on the company's successful business model and/or it's existing brand awareness for a faster return on investment. In return, the franchisees pays a franchise fee to the franchisor which is a one time payment, an on-going royalty component is also paid by the franchise to the franchisor usually on a monthly basis.

If you are a successful business owner and if you are thinking why should I franchise, then here is your answer. Franchising is the best option for any company that wants to expand its business without incurring larger capital expenditure. It is more beneficial especially when a company wants to expand its business in a different state or country where it has to wait for government approval and other formalities. The company may not have the expertise to market their products in that particular place due to various reasons. Even if they do by means of franchising they will drastically reduce capital outlay, operations, marketing and all headaches.

As there is always a risk of failure, for most of the companies, expanding their business in a different place isn't worth the effort. But when franchising you are going to give it to someone else capable of carrying your brand. You don't have to spend a fortune to establish but can receive a percentage of sales from the franchisee every month. Yes, the parent company would only get a small percent of the profit from the sale made by the franchise but because of the reduced entry barrier entering new regions and expanding exponentially becomes easy.

Now the question arises how to franchise your business. Once you have decided on the franchising route then a clear plan of action is required. Analyze the unique selling point of your product(s) or/and service(s). What makes your business different and better than the competitors? Why would people buy into your concept and what are the key features of your business? If you can readily identify your USPs then you can move to the next step.

The next step is to make that you have full protection over your name, logos, designs and systems. Then learn all about the franchise industry and how it operates in your country and in your business category.

The most important step you need to take is the compiling of a franchise agreement. It is an important document that defines the level of quality and service you need to maintain. Franchising an established brand or company is a huge responsibility for the franchisee and a great risk for the franchisor. It is important to franchise your business only to people or companies that match the mind set and the image of the parent company to avoid risking the goodwill of the brand which has been painfully created over the years.

The franchise agreement draft is a basic design of the agreement and it contains general terms and conditions on franchising. It contains the basic terms and rules for the new franchisee. The franchisor just needs to fill out the information required for the business, such as the address or location of the business, the name of the brands, methods of advertisement, and the payment details, etc. However lot of these terms and conditions would change depending on the nature of one’s business and hence it is important to get expert advice. The draft only serves as a guideline.

Therefore, whenever you are ready to franchise your business, you will need to ensure you have a franchise agreement ready for potential franchisees to sign. By using the franchise agreement sample, you will save time and money for both the parties. Last but not the least, you should ensure that you are covering all the fundamental points pertaining to such an agreement.

For most companies, franchising their company is a big decision and a major change in direction. The good franchise systems are ones that plan appropriately and put together the pieces before they get into this game. So, good franchise endeavors have great franchise business plans in place.

For a franchise expansion program, the business plan sets the stage. It literally acts as the foundation upon which the house will be built. Everything in the franchise program should have uniformity and continuity with what is defined and determined in the franchise business plans.

Franchising is about taking advantage of all the available market opportunities. It will be extremely critical to have an ongoing support program for the people who have committed their futures to this franchise organization after the franchisees have been established. Good business plans clearly identify the training programs, processes and materials that will be used to get franchisees up and running and then to keep them happy and successful once in the system. Hiring management and support staff comes with this. The franchise business plan should clearly identify who, when and what role they will fill in the franchise organization. The type of business will dictate how many people and at what times in the franchise expansion they should be brought on board.

The business plan should have details on the costs a franchise would bare and in turn the support the franchisor would provide. Details on the franchise fee, the royalty component, national and local advertisment requirements and other such aspects must be clearly specified. It is of utmost importance that both the franchisee and the franchisor have a clear notion of what is expected from them to avoid any confusion in the future.

Franchise tax is another issue that deserves due consideration. It is important to know the local slabs of sales tax, property tax, and withholdings tax etc. Further, how the franchise arrangement is structured and the existence of treaties between the countries involved may have considerable influence on the structure adopted.

Where the franchisor receives royalties, service or franchise fees, franchise tax has to be paid, whether the franchisor is an Indian or foreign company. In calculating the amount of tax payable by the franchisor or the franchisee company, the deduction available in tax laws can be important for tax planning purposes. However, the tax depends on the type of franchise, the product of the franchise and unit locations.

Finally, a complete set of pro-formas and financials should be established to define the return on investment for both the franchisee and the franchisor. In order to raise capital, this can be used as an investment tool, and most importantly as a road map for running and operating the business profitably with the growing system.