Doing business in Morocco | Communicaid Blog | Cross Cultural Training and International Communication Skills

Sep 15

Challenges of Doing Business in Morocco

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector No Comments »

Morocco’s strategic position on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea makes it a key gateway to Southern Europe and North Africa. Morocco’s location, fast growing economy and increasingly modern infrastructures are attracting more and more foreign investment. Understanding Morocco’s unique set of cultural values and attitudes and how they impact business and social culture is extremely important for any organisation doing business in Morocco. The following are some of the key challenges of doing business in Morocco.

Morocco steet scene narvikk i3 Challenges of Doing Business in Morocco

Collectivism
Morocco is known as a highly collectivistic country. When doing business in Morocco this is something that may present a challenge. A traditional Moroccan family is very extended and includes children, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. The father tends to work the most to support the whole family and each member of the family has its own specific task to support the families well being.

Importance of Relationships
Directly linked with Moroccan collectivist attitudes, relationships and connections are vital for anyone doing business in Morocco. Suppliers and potential customers are more likely to sign contracts with people they already know and being introduced by agents or third parties can be a shortcut to success. Doing business in Morocco can as a result be more time consuming and frustrating for people coming from a culture which emphasises performance over relationship.

Islam
Islam is practised by an overwhelming majority of Moroccans and has an impact on every aspect of life in Morocco. Foreigners doing business in Morocco should be aware of the dedicated time to prayers or other religious events such as Ramadan when the country’s economic activity and business slows down. Islam also impacts relationships between men and women so female entrepreneurs should be aware of the appropriate behaviour and dress code when doing business in Morocco.

The Concept of Face
The concept of face is really important in Arabic countries and Morocco is no exception. Damaging your counterpart’s dignity or honour and causing him or her to lose face will seriously harm your business opportunities in Morocco. Harsh criticisms, negative feedback or direct confrontation should be avoided at all costs when doing business in Morocco.

Communicaid’s cultural awareness training programmes such as Doing Business in Morocco or Living and Working in Morocco can help you and your organisation to avoid cultural faux pas and key challenges of doing business in Morocco. Tailored cross cultural tools and strategies provided in cross cultural training will ensure more successful communication and interactions when doing business in Morocco.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

Tagged with: Courses - Cultural Training • Doing business in Morocco • intercultural communication • intercultural training • living and working in Morocco • Moroccan business culture • Moroccan working practices • Working with Moroccans

Sep 13

Benefits of Doing Business in Morocco

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector No Comments »

The Kingdom of Morocco offers many advantages to foreign investors and entrepreneurs. A popular tourist destination, Morocco is home to magnificent landscapes, warm weather and beautifully preserved architecture and culture. Morocco’s strong tourist industry and flourishing economy is attracting an increasing number of companies doing business in Morocco. Below are some of the key benefits of doing business in Morocco.

Moroccan Tangines Lorna Piche i1 Benefits of Doing Business in Morocco

Proactive Business Climate
With the help of international organisations such as the IMF and the World Bank, Morocco has worked hard to develop its economy over the last few years. The country is now open to the international market and is a major trade partner for France and Spain. Morocco’s GDP steadily rose by almost 4.5% every year since 2000 which is a better result than most European countries. Telecommunications and other IT infrastructures are developing fast and the network in major cities is composed of almost 100% fibre optics links, giving Morocco a modern and innovative edge.

Geographical Location
Morocco shares borders with Algeria, the Western Sahara and the Northern Atlantic Ocean. Morocco’s north coast is on the Mediterranean Sea, a short distance from Spain and France making it easier to access Europe. With approximately 1,835 kilometres (CIA Factbook) of coastline, Morocco is a great location for transnational merchandise fleet. Morocco counts 24 ports which manage for 98% of the country’s external trade.

Increasingly Educated Workforces
King Mohammed VI and his government have made education one of their priorities and deployed strategies to modernise and enhance the quality of education since 2005. Morocco counts several high ranked universities which have developed key partnerships with Canada and European schools. These improvements in the education field create new business opportunities for foreign investors as there is now a more skilled workforce they can rely on when setting up business operations or outsourcing activities to Morocco.

Stable Government
Since the country achieved its independence from France in 1954, Morocco has experienced a long period of peace and stability. Successive administrations since have focused on developing the economy and the welfare of Morocco and its citizens. This stability is reassuring for foreign investors as there is less risk of their investments being jeopardised by a military coup, riots or political uproar.

These benefits of doing business in Morocco as well as many others mean that global organisations can take advantage of this fast developing and ideally located country. Harnessing the benefits, however, requires an understanding of the cultural differences and their impact on the professional environment in Morocco. Communicaid’s cross cultural training programmes such as Living and Working in Morocco or Doing Business in Morocco can help you to adapt quickly to Moroccan business and social culture and allow you to take advantage of the benefits of doing business in Morocco.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010