Final answer:
The correct characteristic of a business-format franchise is continuous assistance provided by the franchisor, which includes training, operational support, and marketing. The franchisor offers these services to maintain brand uniformity and quality across all franchise locations, ensuring all franchisees adhere to the standards of the business model.
Step-by-step explanation:
The characteristic of a business-format franchise that is relevant to this question is c) Continuous assistance is provided by the franchisor. This includes a variety of support services such as initial training, ongoing operational assistance, marketing, and purchasing power for supplies. The franchisor offers these services to maintain brand uniformity and quality across all franchise locations, ensuring all franchisees adhere to the standards of the business model.