Moroccan Companies Research Articles

La gestion responsable des ressources humaines dans le contexte de la pandémie de Covid-19 : Approche théorique

Since its outbreak in March 2020 in Morocco, the Covid-19 has disrupted the business world in Morocco. This pandemic has questioned the sanitary working conditions and the human resources management methods within companies. They are facing a more complicated context, characterized by legal and health constraints. Operating at only 50% is a government decision that that has negatively impacted the transaction volume in several industries. Physical distancing, using bibs, promoting proper ventilation… are essential actions for maintaining a healthy climate. Human resources directors are becoming more vigilant and aware of the need for different human resources management approach, and not only that but it’s even the time for taking practical actions, since the employee is a stakeholder in the company and the first factor to overcome crises. In this context, the object of our communication is to highlight the practices of the new human resources management approach during the pandemic, and therefore to show how certain Moroccan companies have reacted facing this health crisis in collaboration with the public authorities, in terms of humanresource management and this through a documentary analysis of the qualitative surveys of the HCP in 2019. To do so, in the first hand we are going to present the theoretical context of our subject, then the pandemic impact on certain Moroccan companies (Small & Medium ones) and the actions that have been adopted by the human resources management to face the situation.

The Internal Reliability of a Questionnaire on the Impact of Enterprise Resource Planning on the Performance of Moroccan Companies

The Internal Reliability of a Questionnaire on the Impact of Enterprise Resource Planning on the Performance of Moroccan Companies

Policy of digital continuing education in Moroccan companies following the change in the economic environment and the evolution of the law. State of play and respective

Resume : Aujourd’hui, l’importance de la formation continue est indeniable. Tous les acteurs economiques, politiques et sociaux reconnaissent qu’elle est un des moyens pour booster la competitivite des entreprises sur le long terme, de developper les competences individuelles et d’accroitre l’employabilite des individus. Aussi, compte tenu des evolutions rapides des demandeurs de la formation continue et des couts qu’elle engendre, les organisations doivent trouver des reponses nouvelles et innovantes a ces besoins pour lesquels les modes classiques atteignent leurs limites operationnelles. Face a cette situation, le recours aux outils et services TIC, notamment aux dispositifs de formation numerise apparait comme une solution relevant le defi de la formation continue dans les entreprises marocaines. Mais, la numerisation de la formation continue au Maroc semble provoquer des inquietudes parmi les entreprises commanditaires et les organismes de formation. Alors pour documente cette problematique, nous avons mene une recherche exploratoire, aupres d’un panel de 220 chefs d’entreprises, dans l’objectif d’approcher les perceptions des prestataires de la formation, les besoins des organisations consommatrices de la formation au Maroc. Les resultats ont montre que le mode de formation presentiel continu a faire la tendance actuelle puisqu’il represente 83% des formations dispensees, alors que la formation mixte alternant mode presentiel et numerise en representent 17% chacun. Ce qui montre que la culture numerique n’est pas encore fortement ancree dans les pratiques de la formation continue. Mot cles : Competences, Formation continue, Formation numerisee, FAD, FOAD. Abstract : Currently, the importance of continuous learning is undeniable. All economic, political, and social actors recognize that it is one of the means to boost the competitiveness of companies in the long term, to develop individual skills and to increase the employability of individuals. Considering the rapid changes in demand for continuous learning and the costs it generates, organizations must find new and innovative responses to these needs for which traditional modes are reaching their operational limits. Faced with this situation, the use of ICT tools and services, in particular digital training systems, appears to be a solution to the challenge of continuous learning in Moroccan companies. However, the digitization of continuous learning in Morocco seems to be causing unease among corporate sponsors and training organizations. Then to solve this issue, we conducted exploratory research with a panel of 220 business leaders, with the aim of understanding the perceptions of learning providers and the needs of concerned training organizations in Morocco. The results showed that the face-to-face training mode continues to be the current trend since it represents 83% of the training provided, while mixed training alternating face-toface and digital mode each represents 17%. This shows that digital culture is not yet firmly rooted in continuing education practices. Keywords: Skills, Continuous training, Digital training, FAD, ODL.

LES POLITIQUES DE FINANCEMENT DE LINNOVATION AU MAROC - ETAT DES LIEUX ET PERSPECTIVES -

The Morocco has made considerable efforts in order to develop investments in R&D, from public, private sources or through international cooperation. However, the analysis of the funding policy for Research and Innovation in Morocco teaches us that, in addition to the weak presence of the private sector in this area, public policy is exposed to immense constraints, such as the low budget. allocated, the incompatibility of public procedures… All the more so, the discontinuity and opacity of almost all the funds and programs have prevented any attempt to develop research and innovation in Morocco. These constraints, both economic, institutional and political, lead to recognize the imminent role that large Moroccan companies could play, in terms of financing research and innovation, However, the use of other alternative modes of financing, such capital investment, Business Angels and Crowdfunding constitute a promising choice, faced with the financing problem faced by startups and innovative project leaders in Morocco.

Impact of corporate social responsibility on financial performance of listed Moroccan companies

This paper aims to study empirically the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and financial performance (FP) in the Moroccan context. We opted for a longitudinal study of listed companies over the period 2012-2017. We have used the accounting and financial indicators to assess FP. In the absence of an index which measures the score of the PS, we opted for a dichotomous variable which takes a value 1 if the company is labeled CSR by the CGEM and value 0 if not. Control variables are measured by size, age, risk, and industry. Panel data are used as well to analyze data. Findings of this study indicate mixed results. Indeed, we have found a positive impact of CSR on PF, when using ROA as proxy for FP. However, when using ROE as proxy for FP, we do not find any impact of CSR on FP (neutral impact). We found that ROS is linked negatively with CSR.

The Impact of Lean Manufacturing on Enviromental Performance in Moroccan Automotive Industry

Abstract Due to an increase in energy price and pollution plus environmental regulations, companies start to adopt green policies. In fact, companies are encouraged by governments to develop strategies to achieve more sustainable operations. Based on this literature review the contribution of Lean Manufacturing on environmental performances will be discussed, a survey of 50 different automotive companies based in Morocco, shows how they are carrying out manufacturing and environmental practices. The result of this study shows a positive impact of advanced Lean Manufacturing’s tools on the environmental performance and contribute to the present literature on environmentally friendly Manufacturing. The findings and proposals of this paper can be a beginning step for Moroccan companies to completely use their capability of environmental practices and improve their manufacturing productivity performance while identifying trends in organizational development.

Consumer Purchasing Behaviour Towards Strategic Innovation Management Practices in Morocco During COVID-19 Health Crisis

The global economy has been affected as a result of the unusual circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak and the restrictive measures taken by governments to contain the crisis. As a result, in order to survive such turmoil, sustain their economic outputs and adapt to change, companies have been invited, and even forced, to innovate. The present study aims at contributing to a better understating of the impacts of strategic innovation management (SIM) practices implemented into a company (i.e., its innovative strategy and culture, product innovation, technological capability, and customer and supplier relationships) on the consumer purchasing behaviour (CPB) in the context of COVID-19 global crisis. Data were gathered from a sample of 57 Moroccan companies operating with international management styles and working according to the standards of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Then, the structural equation model (SEM) method was employed to test the proposed hypothesis of the theoretical model. The conclusive results revealed that SIM practices have a significant influence on a company’s CPB, essentially via the adoption of an innovative strategy. Therefore, CPB is likely to be upgraded whenever companies seek for improving the implementation of successful SIM practices.

The Project Management Triangle Assessment in Aeronautical Industries, Morocco: Focus on Eco-Logistics

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to study the management systems of quality, cost, and deadlines during the environment friendly transition process. Some 102 companies operating in the aeronautics industry in Morocco were surveyed during the period of May 2019 to December 2019. The results showed that about nearly 80% to 96% of the companies confirmed having effective systems for monitoring and improving quality, cost management, and respect for deadlines. But, unfortunately, below 80% of these companies are respecting the environment. The environment is considered as a constraint, and its respect is mainly related to the requirements of standards, certifications and laws Therefore, we find a great shortfall of these Moroccan companies when it comes to respect the environment. The analysis of the results reveals that some indicators imply the desire and predisposition of these companies to go beyond the classic concept of the logistics triptych quality/cost/time to a whole new concept: quality/cost/delay/environment.

Covid-19 Impact on Moroccan Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Can Lean Practices Be an Effective Solution for Getting Out of Crisis?

Abstract The COVID-19 crisis hit the economy hard, it is a global situation of declining activity due to a highly contagious disease which has pushed the world to the brink of a deeper recession than ever. Small and medium-sized enterprises constitute 92% of the Moroccan economic fabric, they are among the organizations most seriously affected by the current pandemic. This paper examines the problems that exist before and during this crisis, in order to raise major challenges and choose the ideal approach that will strengthen the competitiveness of these companies. the analysis is based on secondary data and the literature to demonstrate the different constraints of these companies and to show the importance of lean manufacturing as the guarantor of industrial performance. the main question is how the alignment of Lean principals goes well with the desired improvement and with the constraints posed by this crisis, the primary objective of Lean is to provide the means to succeed and accelerate competitiveness. Finally, these circumstances can be a real opportunity to assist Small and Medium Moroccan companies to integrate the methods they need, and “Lean approach” is one of the best performance solutions to adopt in a post COVID-19.

Managers’ Emotional intelligence: A pledge of performance or a passing fad? The case of call centres

Despite the fact that studies addressed emotional intelligence as a prerequisite for success in companies, little empirical research has tested the fundamental assumption of the relationship between emotional intelligence and organizational performance. Our study explores the importance of emotions in Moroccan companies, and underscores taking into account organizational citizenship behaviours in measuring organizational performance. We conducted interviews with managers from diverse backgrounds. Ten semi-structured interviews were performed. The results assert the importance of considering employees' emotions and human dimension, which are steadily being adopted by Moroccan companies.

The Contribution of Digital Marketing to Business Performance: The Case of Companies in the Northern Region of Morocco

Digital marketing is revolutionizing the organizational structures and offers companies, especially Moroccan companies, a multitude of opportunities to evolve the classic business model to innovate in products and services while building a direct and personalized relationship with customers. Indeed, digital marketing highlights important features for companies seeking efficiency and performance, and it considers an attractive alternative to traditional approaches as a response to the challenges of globalization. The ultimate objective of our research is to confirm the direct relationship between digital marketing and the business performance of companies in the northern region of Morocco. The result of the study was noted by many authors. On this matter, we have conducted a quantitative survey carried out among 120 companies in the northern region of Morocco using the PLS path modeling, a method particularly suited for academic development and predictive applications. According to our empirical study, we found that digital marketing has a positive impact on the performance of companies in the northern region of Morocco.

The evolution of new forms of work in Moroccan companies following the application of the new labor code, statistical analysis of trends between 2009 and 2015

Resume : Dans le contexte marocain, depuis l’avenement en 2003 du nouveau code du travail, de nouvelles formes de relations de travail devaient emerger engendrant ainsi des nouvelles formes atypiques de contractualisation en dehors du traditionnel contrat a duree indeterminee (CDI). L’emergence de ces formes atypiques de travail, a la frontiere de l’informel, constituent ce que les sociologues des organisations qualifiaient de « zone grise d’emploi » ou des travailleurs sont fortement actifs malgre que leurs cadres de contractualisation renvoient plutot vers un contrat de type a duree determinee. Cet article vise a comprendre les dynamiques des relations de travail qui se sont recomposees dans une periode situee entre deux moments phares. Il s’agit des deux operations d’election des delegues de personnel organisees en 2009 et en 2015. A cet effet, nous avons exploite les bases de donnees officielles et nous avons pu degager la conclusion que les nouvelles formes de travail au Maroc n’ont pas connu le developpement a qui en s’attendait, a savoir la resurgence des CDD et un accroissement des nombres des contrats de travail sous la forme d’interim, a la lumiere de ce qui s’est passe dans les pays de Nord et du Sud. Au contraire, on se retrouve avec un schema de consolidation de la CDI comme forme predominante de contractualisation. Mots cle : code de travail, relations de travail, Zone grise d’emploi, CDD , CDI, Interim. Abstract In Morocco, after the promulgation of the new labor code in 2003, new forms of labor relations should emerge. the traditional open-ended contract (CDI) had to give way to new atypical forms of contractualization. The emergence of these atypical forms of work, on the borderline of the informal, constitutes what the sociologists of organizations qualified as a “gray area of employment” where workers are highly active despite the fact that the contractual framework which refers rather to a fixed-term contract. This article aims to understand the dynamics of labor relations that were recomposed between the two employee representative election operations organized in 2009 and 2015. To this end, we used the official databases and we concluded that the new forms of work in Morocco have not experienced the expected development, namely the resurgence of fixed-term contracts and an increase in the number of temporary workers, such as what happened in the countries of the North and the South. On the contrary, we note the consolidation of the CDI as the predominant form of contractualization. Keywords: labor code, labor relations, gray area of employment, fixed-term contract, indeterminate contract, acting.

Attitude of very small Moroccan companies towards crowdfunding : Exploratory study on companies in the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region

Resume : Le present article a pour objectif d’expliquer la prediction de l’intention des tres petites entreprises marocaines d’adopter les solutions de financement participatif, et ce a l’air des banques participatives. Plus precisement, il s’agit de fournir un cadre explicatif au choix de financement participatif des tres petites entreprises. Notre etude empirique a ete effectuee sur un echantillon de 391 entreprises marocaines exercant leurs activites au niveau de la region de Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, cela est dans le but de repondre a la problematique de notre recherche. Les resultats obtenus, nous ont permis de mettre en evaluation nos hypotheses de recherche et de determiner les principales attentes et exigences de ce type d’entreprises envers le financement participatif. L’importante attente des entrepreneurs pour s’orienter vers les banques participatives c’est de realiser des operations financieres a moindre cout par rapport aux banques conventionnelles. Mots cle : tres petites entreprises, financement, banque participative. Abstract This article aims to explain the prediction of the very small Moroccan companies's intention to adopt crowdfunding solutions, and this looks like participatory banks. More precisely, it is about providing an explanatory frame work for the choice of crowdfunding of very small companies. Our empirical study was carried out on a sample of 391 Moroccan companies operating on the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, this is in order to answer the problematic of our research. The results obtaned have enabled us to assess our research hypotheses and to determine the main expectations and requirements of this type of companies with regard to crowdfunding. The important expectation of entrepreneurs to move towards participatory banks is to carry out financial operations at a lower cost compared to conventional banks. Keywords : very small companies, funding, participatory bank.

Investigating the Impact of QSE Integration on Process Performances: An Empirical Study in Moroccan Companies

Investigating the Impact of QSE Integration on Process Performances: An Empirical Study in Moroccan Companies

Corporate Cash Holdings and Agency Conflicts: Evidence from Moroccan Developing Market

The topic of corporate cash holdings has received relatively little attention from academic researchers. However, this decision has always been at the center of interest of any company seeking to improve its performance. This article aims to examine the relationship between agency costs related to managerial discretion and cash holdings by Moroccan companies. In order to do this, we will mobilize both agency theory and free cash flow theory. To date, and to our knowledge, no research has been conducted on the cash flow of Moroccan companies in the light of agency theory. This study contributes to cash holdings research in Morocco by exploring the reasons for holding cash through a sample of Moroccan non-financial companies that are listed on the Casablanca Stock Exchange for a period of 12 years (from 2007 to 2018). This research uses econometric models based on a positivist approach with a hypothetical-deductive method. Our results show that there is a strong positive relationship between cash holdings and cash flow. It also turns out that the liquidity of these companies is significantly negatively affected by the debt leverage and the growth opportunities of the company.

Adaptation to climate change of Moroccan companies: towards an appropriate climate risk anticipation tool

In a fragile and unpredictable economic and health context, Climate Change (CC) is emerging as an eminent issue for businesses in Morocco. This planetary scourge is a double-edged issue. It exacerbates the vulnerability of these companies by affecting the supply of raw materials, energy, and water. It can also be an opportunity for companies that opt for innovative mitigation and adaptation solutions to address CC. Today, the tools and approaches for monitoring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are relatively standardized and known. However, the methods used to characterize vulnerability and develop adaptation strategies remain limited and little known. To this end, the Climate Expert tool (CE)† has been tested on a panel of Moroccan companies to enable them to characterize their vulnerability to CC and to develop relevant adaptation strategies. A global and detailed analysis was carried out on the evaluation reports, the results of a targeted survey, and completed by a SWOT‡ analysis on the consistency and use of the CE tool. Three groups of interlocutors were involved in this analysis: CE experts, economic operators, and state and project officials. To better plan adaptation measures, this analysis emphasizes the need to move the approach proposed by CE towards an integrated, standardized design. In addition, the implementation of adaptation requires, in particular the setting up of support and advisory instruments and entities in charge of steering adaptation actions within companies. The next stage of this work will be devoted to improving and adapting the CE tool to meet the needs of concrete actions in such companies to deal with CC.

Determinants of corporate cash holdings: Evidence from the Moroccan market

Determining cash holdings is amongst the most important financial decisions made by heads of corporations. This decision relies on theoretical convictions and views as well as firm specific characteristics. This article analyzes the determinants of cash management in Moroccan corporations. By mobilizing all the theories of optimal financial structure, our research attempts to focus on the field of knowledge in the financial management of cash surpluses. No analysis has been carried out concerning cash and cash equivalents in Moroccan firms. These results could, therefore, contextualize the existing knowledge in this research theme and better understand the behavior of companies and their main trends in terms of cash flow, as well as the objectives and motivations of managers. The sample studied consists of 42 Moroccan companies, which are all publicly traded on the Casablanca Stock Exchange over 13 years (2007-2019). This research uses an empirical econometric study based on a positivist approach with a hypothetical-deductive method. We use panel regression analysis and perform all the necessary tests to determine the exact nature of this dataset. Our results show some evidence that a strong positive correlation exists between liquidity level and cash-flow as well as family shareholding. It is also found that the cash holdings of these companies are significantly negatively affected by how large or small the firm is, working capital requirement, debt leverage, as well as growth opportunity of the firm.

INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF THE PROCESS APPROACH ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE COMPANY - EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE MOROCCAN CONTEXT

Process approach or Business Process Management (BPM) allows organizing and framing a company by focusing in the improvement of performance in order to gain competitive advantage. Although it is believed that BPM improves various aspects of organizational performance, there has been a lack of empirical studies about this. The present paper has the purpose to study the impact of business process management in companies performance in Moroccan context. To accomplish that, the theoretical basis required to know the elements that configurate BPM and the measures that can evaluate the BPM success on performance is built through a literature review. Then, a research model is proposed. Empirical data has been collected from a survey of Moroccan companies from different sectors. A quantitative analysis has been performed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to show if the direct and indirect effects between BPM and performance can be considered statistically significant. At the end, we have discussed results, their managerial and scientific implications.

Bank credit risk: What are the determinants of failure of Moroccan companies?

ResumeParmi les risques majeurs qu'envisagent les banques, au Maroc ou dans tout autre pays, lerisque de defaut des emprunteurs reste le plus important.L’objet de cet article est de determiner les causes de defaillance des emprunteurs« entreprises » apres l’octroi de credit. Le cadre theorique, riche et abondant, met en evidenceun ensemble de facteurs economiques, financiers, strategiques et manageriels dont lapertinence depend du cadre theorique presente.D’un point de vue empirique, en utilisant la methode Delphi, cette recherche a permis d’avoirdes resultats concluants. En effet, dans un contexte marocain et a travers l’analyse desentretiens avec les experts, le processus de defaillance reste identique pour la majorite desentreprises quelque soit l’âge de ces dernieres. Les principaux determinants de la defaillanceapres l’octroi de credit sont principalement la baisse d’activite, les problemes de managementet la mauvaise organisation de l’entrepriseMots cles : Defaillance des entreprises, banque, risque de credit, risque de defaut. AbstractAmong the major and most important risks that the banks, in Morocco or in any othercountry, suffer from is the risk of default of borrowers.The purpose of this article is to determine the causes of default of companies after credit hasbeen granted. The rich and abundant theoretical framework highlights a set of economic,financial, strategic and managerial factors which the relevance depends on the theoreticalframework presented.From an empirical point of view, and by using the Delphi method, this research has led toconclusive results. Indeed, in a Moroccan context and through the analysis of interviews withexperts, the failure process remains the same for the majority of companies regardless of theirage. The main determinants of credit default are mainly business decline, managementproblems and poor organization of the company.Keywords: Business failure, bank, credit risk, risk of default.

Wealth redistribution between stakeholders

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a very popular concept that hits the headline recently, companies face the obligation, not only to maintain their viability to ensure the sustainability of their business by continuing to create value, but to adopt a mode of governance that combines interests of all stakeholders. A CSR strategy is becoming more and more an obligation than just a wise choice.
 The strong involvement of Moroccan companies in CSR strategies is not by coincidence; but fits perfectly into the Kingdom's strategy, which adheres to the principles of sustainable development and CSR, for a sustainable economy and an inclusive growth.
 The purpose of this empirical study is to examine the shareholder’s engagement and the degree of involvement in CSR strategy, of a sample of 45 Moroccan companies listed on the Casablanca Stock Exchange and belonging to all sectors other than banking, insurance and equity investments, that claim to be socially responsible, through an analysis of the redistribution of their created value towards five categories of primary stakeholders, that are: lenders of funds, customers, suppliers, shareholders and employees.