Light touch or full control? M&S’s expansion dilemma
Exporting, franchising and acquisitions offer different kinds of control. The difficult part is knowing which kind a market actually needs.
Marks & Spencer: heritage and renewal
Brand heritage, changing expectations and the work of staying relevant.
Marks and Sparks on world tour
International expansion is a choice about control, commitment and local knowledge. A familiar British retailer makes a useful—and musical—illustration.
M&S takes a walk in McDonald’s shoes
Franchising can extend a brand without replicating every operating cost. The harder question is how to share control without losing consistency or local agility.