Entrepreneurship in Morocco: An Empirical Study of Motives, Barriers, and Determinants of Success

Abstract

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) play an important role in Morocco’s economy in terms of job creation and GDP. It is therefore essential to better understand how SMEs are created and developed in order to render the economy more resilient. This research attempted to identify Moroccan entrepreneurs’ motives for self-employment, which determinants of success they saw as most important, and which obstacles they identified as major business threats. In that perspective, a questionnaire derived from the literature was administered to a sample of 245 Moroccan entrepreneurs. Results revealed that Moroccan entrepreneurs were primarily motivated by economic, or extrinsic goals, by opposition to intrinsic goals such as a desire for autonomy and independence. Moroccan entrepreneurs were also more likely to favor success variables related to personal characteristics such as business training, field experience and marketing skills, while the lack of reliable personnel, strong competition, and a weak economy were perceived as major barriers to entrepreneurial success.