Hamdi EL ASLI
Laboratory of Economy & Management, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Khouribga (25000), Sultan Moulay Slimane University of Beni Mellal (23000), Morocco
hamdielasli@gmail.com
Mohamed AZEROUAL
Laboratory of Economy & Management, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Khouribga (25000), Sultan Moulay Slimane University of Beni Mellal (23000), Morocco
m.azeroual@usms.ma
Alae MOHAMMED MOURAI
Laboratory of Economy & Management, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Khouribga (25000), Sultan Moulay Slimane University of Beni Mellal (23000), Morocco
alae.mourai@gmail.com
Mounya CHAHBOUNE
Laboratory of Economy & Management, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Khouribga (25000), Sultan Moulay Slimane University of Beni Mellal (23000), Morocco
c.mounya@gmail.com
Abdelhak OULALA
Laboratory of Economy & Management, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Khouribga (25000), Sultan Moulay Slimane University of Beni Mellal (23000), Morocco
oulala1981@gmail.com
Abstract
This paper investigates the economic performance of Morocco’s twelve regions from 2015 to 2022, combining a temporal and spatial analysis methods, and focusing on five key regional macroeconomic indicators: GDP per capita, HFCE per capita, contribution to national growth, start-ups created, and the activity rate. While previous studies have examined regional disparities using MCDM or spatial statistics, none have combined TOPSIS with spatial autocorrelation to evaluate regional economic-entrepreneurial performance in Morocco under its new administrative division, which enables ranking of regional competitiveness and detection of clustering patterns. Findings show that Casablanca-Settat consistently ranks in the top twelve, solidifying its position as the country’s economic capital, followed alternately by the northern Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima and the emergent Rabat-Salé-Kénitra regions, while the southern regions remain at the bottom. Marrakech-Safi was severely affected by the disruption of tourist cash flows under the Covid-19 crisis, before it gradually recovered post-2020. Similarly, Béni Mellal-Khénifra progressed significantly, largely due to its phosphate exports, agro-oil industry, and remittances’ inflows, until 2020, when it retrograded remarkably. Spatial analysis reveals that Moroccan regions exhibit high autocorrelation, with both, top and low ranked regions identified by the TOPSIS method clustering together. Results can inform region-specific development strategies, equitable resource allocation, entrepreneurship promotion, and spatial regional planning. However, limitations such as the restricted set of indicators, short interval, and methodological constraints suggest future research directions that integrate broader social, environmental, and innovation variables, extend the sample interval, and apply advanced comparative and econometric approaches.
Keywords: Morocco, regions, economy, TOPSIS, spatial autocorrelation
JEL classification: C38, L26, R11, R12
pp. 93-114