Investigation into the Integration of the Concept of Sustainable Development in SMEs in Morocco

Abstract:

By being today in a world where economic, social, societal and environmental constraints continue to evolve, companies daily face new challenges such as stability and sustainability that cannot be achieved without taking into consideration the role that both its internal and external stakeholders play. This is because the stake of any structure, whatever it is, is to be able to differentiate itself by establishing its own coloration promoting a more stable positioning. Among the several approaches that are put into action to achieve this goal, currently in particular, is the integration of the concept of "sustainable development" and its various objectives into the managerial vision of the leaders of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and according to the results of our survey, 30% want to adopt it to differentiate themselves from their competitors followed by 26% who want to gain a competitive advantage. According to the HCP[1], a SME generates 247,726 jobs in the region of Rabat-Salé-Kenitra, which represents 13.65% of the national set. Indeed, and in order to get a closer look at this approach within this type of structure, our investigation looked at the degree of integration and perception of this concept as well as the managers’ various means and efforts to show their commitment and watchfulness regarding some aspects of its environmental focus. In this perspective, we have highlighted the SME of Kenitra City in particular because of the importance it requires both in terms of territory and economic contribution on the regional scale.