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The Internationalization of Small and Medium‐Size Enterprises in the Maghreb: A Study of Moroccan SMEs
Author(s) -
Ramadan Maarouf,
Levratto Nadine
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
global business and organizational excellence
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.227
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 1932-2062
pISSN - 1932-2054
DOI - 10.1002/joe.21697
Subject(s) - internationalization , business , liberalization , investment (military) , small and medium sized enterprises , economic geography , diversity (politics) , industrial organization , international trade , economics , market economy , political science , finance , politics , law
The economies of the Maghreb, an area comprising Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, are dominated by small and medium‐size enterprises (SMEs), have strong investment potential, and are underexploited. Yet few studies have examined the effect of internationalization on SMEs in this region. Taking into account the influence of economic liberalization and the development of the private sector in the southern Mediterranean, a study of 22 Moroccan companies during the first half of 2012 sheds light on the internationalization process of SMEs in that region. The data that were compiled led to the development of a causal model that incorporates various trans‐Mediterranean factors, such as trade networks, that affect internationalization. This model can help business leaders refine their understanding of SMEs in the region and underscores the diversity of the paths to internationalization. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.