The incorporation of the digital dimension in the evaluation of the overall performance of public companies: Case study of a Moroccan state-owned company

Abstract

Public performance is a concept that is gaining more and more importance in the public strategies of several countries including Morocco. In fact, these strategies consider digitalization as a shortcut to achieving the goals of the new development model. Today, the global vision of performance should absolutely broaden its vocation to include the new digital disruptions that are imposed on public organizations among others, for a more "realistic" evaluation of their performance.

This article offers a new interpretation of performance by demonstrating the contributions of the integration of the digital dimension in the evaluation of the overall performance of a public company. This through a case study of Marrakech Menara airport where the comparison between two methods (inspired by the two visions that this article opposes) is used. A first which is based on the classic vision defining global performance through its 4 dimensions (economic, social, societal, and environmental) and the second inspired by the contributions of the successful experience of digitization of the customs administration and indirect taxes. The results of this study made it possible to propose a new vision that allows a more global assessment of performance making it more realistic and in line with the digital disruptions that characterize our era.

The results of this study cannot be generalized given the size of the sample studied but can serve as a basis to argue the limits of the classic vision of global performance as well as the subjectivity of business strategies. It also emphasizes the need to modernize the public management tools.

JEL Classification: H11

Paper type: Empirical research