特别广播英语第 408 课：AN INTRODUCTION TO FRANCHISING 开间专卖店-1

Back in 1954, Ray Kroc was already in his 50s when he persuaded the McDonald brothers to let him be responsible for a franchising operation. 早在1954年，雷·克劳克说服麦当劳兄弟让他负责经营一家专卖店时，他已年过50。

He expanded their clean, efficient, assembly-line style of marketing hamburgers from one location to more than 200 in just seven years. 短短7年内，他便将麦当劳销售汉堡所采用的既卫生又高效率的生产线风格，从一处发展到200多处。

When Kroc died a billionaire in 1984, McDonald's fast-food restaurants were found in all corners of the globe and Kroc was extolled as the “Father of Franchising.” 1984年，克劳克去世时，他已成为亿万富翁，麦当劳快餐店已遍布世界各个角落，克劳克也被誉为“专卖店行业之父”。

In recent decades, franchising has grown increasingly popular and widespread. 近几十年来，专卖店日渐普及并受到广泛的欢迎。

Sales from franchises in the United States more than doubled during the 1980s, the period of the most extensive growth for this creative form of business. 20世纪80年代是这种富于创造性的行业发展幅度最大的时期，美国专卖店的销售量增加了一倍多。

Especially prevalent in the retail sector, businesses where franchising has established a strong presence include fast-food outlets, convenience stores, automobile rental agencies, and service stations. 专卖店中占有很高比重的行业包括快餐店、便民商店、汽车租赁机构，以及加油站等，零售业尤其普遍。

Franchising, in brief, is a system of business based on a legal arrangement in which one party---the franchisee---agrees with the franchise owners to produce and market their goods or services on a local or regional basis. 简单地说，特许经营是建立在合法协议基础之上的一种商业体制，协议一方——得到授权者同意的特许经营人在当地或某个地域内制造和销售他们的产品或提供服务。

The franchise owner provides operating systems such as advertising and accounting. 授权者负责提供营运机制，如广告和会计等。

This system has enabled many entrepreneurs to realize their dream of owning their own business where normally it would have been impossible for them to go it alone. 这种体制使许多创业者实现了他们的梦想，拥有了他们自己原本无法独力经营的事业。