THE INFLUENCE OF INFORMAL INSTITUTIONS ON COMMERCIAL PRACTICES OF MOROCCAN AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES: BETWEEN CULTURAL TRADITIONS AND MODERN MARKET REQUIREMENTS

This research examines informal institutions' influence on Moroccan agricultural cooperatives' commercial practices and proposes a new marketing framework adapted to their specific characteristics. Through a grounded theory methodology conducted over twenty-six months with sixteen cooperatives across nine agricultural sectors, the study reveals the coexistence of informal institutional barriers and transformational levers. The results highlight the central role of "Moul Chekara" as a dominant informal institution, the impact of community norms on product standardization, and the influence of traditional beliefs on cost management. In response to these constraints, the study identifies three major transformational levers: strategic alliances with industrial actors, emerging modern community leadership, and leveraging territorial identity as a competitive advantage. These findings lead to the proposal of a marketing model specific to agricultural cooperatives, structured around commercial alliances, leadership, and territorial embeddedness. This research contributes to the literature by demonstrating the importance of adapting marketing practices to the institutional and cultural contexts of agricultural cooperatives in developing countries.