Challenges to the Adoption of the Balanced Scorecard as a Managerial Innovation in Moroccan SMEs

Abstract

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) represent over 95% of the Moroccan economy, making it crucial to focus on their management practices to enhance performance and ensure their sustainability. This paper aims to explore the reasons for the non-applicability of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) in Moroccan SMEs. The BSC, a comprehensive performance measurement tool that simultaneously considers both financial and non-financial data, is highly relevant for improving SME performance. The study seeks to address the question: what are the barriers to the implementation of the BSC within Moroccan SMEs? A quantitative methodology was employed, using an online survey distributed to 31 SMEs across various sectors. The findings show that the primary challenges are the long time required for implementation (37%), lack of financial resources (23%), and the complexity of the tool (21%). This research has several important contributions, both theoretical and managerial.