Abstract
Do Taiwanese people have any chance to transform their class belonging（翻身）? Is the franchise system a shortcut for empty-handed workers to becoming capitalist? This is the central question of this thesis, and I try to answer this question by the convenient store franchise system as the sample, and by the Gwo- Shyong Shieh’s research as a theoretical coordinates. First of all, I analyze the vertical and horizontal data of the convenient store industry. Food Chemistry in Taiwan began running in 1950’s, while the food manufacturing tried to cross to retail area with the help of franchise organization since the 80’s. Before 1990’s, there is no monopoly company in the retail market, after 1995, large retailers terminated the small one and occupied the whole retail market. And the franchise organization was a highly bureaucratic organization maintained by the top manager’s orders. Demanding 100% execution, the vertical management within the franchise system resembles the military coups. Secondly, while previous literatures consider retailing as a consumption activity, I contend that such categorization misunderstands the intrinsic character of the retail business. I argue that the concept of labor study will be a better framework to grasp the retail business. The circulation of convenient store of everyday life, is based on the de-skilling labor process, which deprive the retail sales all decision-making ability. Uniting all of the retailing sales in Taiwan, chained store center is the power of bureaucratic organization who secures all the surplus value of the retail sales. Thirdly, measuring by the indicators of labor study, it is shown that the Franchisees is a foreman rather than a real boss who control the decision. These foremen are the main work force in retail sales. However, franchisees still consider himself as the real boss. This kind of false consciousness is very similar with Shieh’s finding in putting out system while slight difference can be found in detailed arguments. Last but not the least, according to traditional labor research in Taiwan, Taiwan’s labor regime is a despotic market. Focusing on the relation between Fair Trade Law and Franchise system, I argue that upper founding, but retail business is strengthening the role of product market, is an important element to build up this despotic marketism. In a Word, Franchise system is the extension of put out system, but since the macro economic environment is different, the labor regime in Taiwan shifted has shift. To answer the original question: franchise system is definitely not a shortcut to taking the decision-making power and controlling the production mechanics. It is a deceptive and dangerous approach. Since the state does not care about franchisor, the dream of transforming class belong（翻身） of Taiwanese people is only a castle in the air that keeps seducing people to the trap of capital.