The Skills-First Paradigm as a Strategic Lever for SMEs' Logistics Performance: A Theoretical Analysis in the Moroccan Context

Abstract

Faced with the accelerating digital transformation of global supply chains and the structural digital skills deficit documented in Moroccan SMEs, the "Skills-First" paradigm emerges as a strategic lever potentially capable of catalyzing logistics performance. Born from McClelland's (1973) pioneering work and formalized by recent institutional frameworks, this paradigm posits that organizational performance would be determined more by demonstrable competencies than by formal academic qualifications. Despite growing interest in skills management, scientific literature still lacks a conceptual framework explicitly linking the Skills-First paradigm to the logistics performance of SMEs in an emerging context. To address this gap, this article adopts a propositional conceptualization approach based on an integrative theoretical review. By leveraging and combining Human Capital Theory (Becker, 1964), Dynamic Capabilities Theory (Teece, 1997), and the Socio-Technical approach (Trist & Bamforth, 1951), this work proposes expected mechanisms through which skill development strategies might enhance operational efficiency. The added value of this model lies in the novel analytical distinction between digital technical skills and cognitive adaptive capabilities under pressure. This explanatory conceptual framework thus lays the groundwork for future empirical investigations aimed at validating the scope of these relationships within Moroccan SMEs.

Classification JEL : M12, O32, J24, L23

Paper type : Theoretical Research