Economic Intelligence: The Catalyst for Export Success in SMEs – A Case Study

Abstract

In a context characterised by fierce competition and the opening up of trade, Moroccan SMEs have been forced to internationalise in order to absorb the pressure from new entrants and increase their market share. Hence the importance of economic intelligence, which contributes to international development by monitoring and anticipating developments, to ensure resilience. With this in mind, it was important to carry out a qualitative study within an SME aiming to export, in order to identify their shortcomings and propose assistance strategies based on business intelligence to promote their exports. This research is based on a qualitative study carried out within a company specialising in chemical products, serving as a concrete example for understanding the export process and facilitating the perception of openness, particularly African openness, among Moroccan SMEs.

Based on internal semi-directive interviews with the company's employees, and external interviews with their partners, in addition to the mystery shopper and nentography methods, all of this clearly demonstrated the importance of economic intelligence for SMEs as a pillar contributing to perfect mastery of the environment and strengthening their agility.

Key words: Business intelligence, Anticipation, export promotion, exporting.

JEL Classification: B27.

Paper type: Empirical research.