Multi-Actors’ Stakes and Strategies: Tangier Med Free Zones Group’s Case

Morocco launched the Tangier Med Free Zone Group (FZG), within the framework of the National Pact for Industrial Emergence (PNEI) in 2008, intending to boost investments, create jobs, further opening up its exchange system and rolling out a Moroccan strategy for businesses, industrial, logistics and services activities. This study aims to examine the implication of stakeholders in the Tangier Med FZG using the MACTOR method (Godet 2001), through the identification of their influence, their role, and the relationships between them, the balance of power and the position of the actors to the objectives set. The application of the MACTOR method has identified the Tangier Med FZG Management Departments and the Departments of Control as the most influential players and recognized a strong mobilization of stakeholders for the objectives related to economic issues. The conclusions point to the need to strengthen the partnership between Tangier Med FZG actors linked with the strategic objectives of this group.


The study area
Tangier Med FZG, as part of a long-term development vision, came into operation in 1999, with a dedicated area of 50 Million m², and the creation of a network of industrial and logistics parks. This regional competitive hub currently counts over 750 companies trading in export-oriented activities, and more than 65,000 jobs mainly focused on industrial and logistics activities carried out by international leading players sectors such as aeronautics, automotive, textile, logistics and electronics.
This industrial and logistic platform, backed by the Tangier Med-port complex, has important assets and ensures a value proposition in line with the expectations of global players, particularly, strategic positioning at the cross roads of major maritime traffic and close to target markets ( Figure 1).

Figure 1.The positioning of the Tangier Med free Zone Group
Tangier Med FZG is structured on 4 areas free zone areas: Tangier Free Zone included the automotive, aerospace, textile and service sectors that have strongly contributed to the growth of the zone which currently includes over 600 companies. Logistics free zone managed by Medhub, is mainly dedicated to the value-added logistic activities of bulking, distribution and supply on the scale of the international flows. Tangier Automotive City: is an industrial free zone dedicated to the automobile industry. Renault Tangier Med: this free zone dedicated to the Renault, Nissan Alliance, spans 300 ha. Renault Tangier Med is the number one production line in Africa.

Participants
The survey is conducted on 37 subjects divided into 6 groups of actors (89% male and 11% female) aged 22 to 57 years, concerned by Tangier Med FZG. The interviewees are first identified and selected following various sources of information: members of local free zone commission, discussions with the Managers and the government services, regulatory texts and knowledge of the author and their contacts. Selected participants have a direct link to these zones.
They are classified into six different categories (Table 1): The Managing departments are including the managers and the staff of free zones. The Control departments are represented by all organs of control in those zones, as, customs administration and Tangier Med Port Authority (TMPA). The Coordination and Support departments are composed of, the local authorities, Wilaya, the directorate's ministries at the local level, and agencies directly linked to the Tangier Med FZG. The Firms installed in Tangier Med FZG. The Economic operators outside of Tangier Med FZG, who are, the subcontractors, banking sector, and sponsors. The Social operators are constituted by, citizens, associations, and civil society. Local Autority (Wali, Pacha, Caïd). Regional Board of Tangier, Tetouan, Al-Hoceima. Regional Investment Center of Tangier, Tetouan, Al-Hoceima. Promotion and Development Agency for provinces of North (APDN). Urban Agency of Tangier, Tetouan, Al-Hoceima. Regional Departments of industry, investment, commerce and digital economic. Chambers of commerce, industry and services of Tangier Tetouan, Al-Hoceima. Moroccan agency for investment ant exports development (AMDIE). Regional Departments in Tangier for land planning, Urban planning, housing and city policy. Regional office in Tangier of national agency for land conservation, cadastre and cartography (ANCFCC). Regional Department of agriculture, maritime fisheries, rural development, water and forest in Tangier. National agency for promotion of employment and skills. Regional office in Tangier (ANAPEC). Regional Departments of labors and professional integration in Tangier. Regional Departments for equipment, transport and logistics in Tangier Tetouan, Al-Hoceima (DRTEL). National society of transport and logistics. Observatory of environment and historical monuments in Tangier.

TMFZGs Firms
Local Firms installed in Tangier  is based on inter-actor influence and attempts to give a global vision of the importance and possible outcome of the different issues, as well as the expected actor's strategies, the relationship of power and potential alliances and conflicts. The MACTOR method includes 7 phases: Building the Table "Actors strategies"; identify strategic issues and related objectives; positioning actors on their objectives, Identifying similarities /differences (single positions); prioritize the objectives for each actor (valued position; Evaluate the relationships of power and formulate strategic recommendations for each actor, in keeping with the actor's objective priorities and available resources; integrate power relations in the analysis of convergence divergence between actors and formulate policy recommendations and key issues of the future. The input data for stakeholders' analysis using the MACTOR consists of two matrices: the matrix of direct influences (MDI) which describes the direct influences between the actors (Table 3). And the actors-objective Matrix (2MAO), which defines for each actor both its position on each objective (pro, against, neutral or indifferent) and its hierarchy of the objectives (Table 4).
The filling of the matrix of direct influences (MDI) is made according to the importance of the actor's possible jeopardy: (4)  The simple statement of the sums of both on-line and on column influences shows that (Contr.Dprt) Control departments constitute, by far, the most influential actor. And also the least submitted to pressures of the other actors. By cons, the TMFZGs Firms are the most submitted to the pressures of the other actors.
The actors-objective Matrix (2MAO) is obtained by estimating the intensity of the positioning of every actor and using the following scale according to whether the level of opposition or agreement is very high, high, medium or low.
The value (4) Table 4. It should be noted that the disagreement on objectives does not exist. However, the objectives of Export, FDI and Employ involve most of all actors.

Figure 2. Map of influences and dependences between actors
The map reveals that the most influential actors of Tangier Med FZG are the Control departments and Coordination £ Support departments, pursued by the Managing departments and the installed Firms. The functioning and development of Tangier Med FZG are ensured, by, those actors. Each of them plays a key role in the Tangier Med FZG functioning. The rest of the actors are classed, in different positions, but less important than the other actors.
The first influential category of actors is the Control departments and Coordination £ Support departments. This category works in close cooperation with other actors, such as the Managing departments and the installed Firms, to facilitate the Tangier Med FZG's functions. Particularly, those relating to the promotion of production activities and the trade transaction, and it by, the establishment of a framework convention for the proper functioning and the evolution of the installed Firms on these zones.
The second influential category is composed of the Managing departments and installed Firms in Tangier Med FZG. This category plays a key role in the functioning and evolution of Tangier Med FZG. It is the cornerstone of the development and operation of these zones. Furthermore, the involving of Managing departments is the first datum to ensure before any initiatives concerning Tangier Med FZG. Installed Firms in Tangier Med FZG are the lead beneficiary of the advantages offered by these zones. It is obvious that their needs get priority in satisfaction, and they could commit and trigger any act and decision related to these zones.
In other words, this category of actors is the imminent pillar, not only, of the functioning of Tangier Med FZG, but also of, increasing their attractiveness. The Managing departments assume the tasks of the commercial promotion of Tangier Med FZG and the concession, where appropriate, of activities in the port and free zones.
The Third influential category is the social operators and economic operators installed out of Tangier Med FZG. Those actors are less influential than the four previous actors.
The MDII matrix (Table 5) determines the direct or indirect influences between actors. Two indicators are calculated from the MDII: -The degree of direct and indirect influence of each actor (Ii, by summing rows).
-The degree of direct and indirect dependence of each actor (Di, by summing columns).  Vol.11, No.23, 2019 role, but its influence is relatively limited to investigating citizens' complaints. Particularly, those related to the negative impact of Tangier Med FZG, as, the respect of environmental norms and labor conditions (Table 5).
Also, the balance of power between actors, as provided by Mactors Model, measures the highest level of influence related to the lowest level of independence. When an actor is more competitive so will be its influence, but its dependence and retroaction will be quite weak. An actor can be very influential, be also very dependent and at the same time be very retroactive: this would result in weak competitiveness. However, an actor being moderately influential, and having no dependence or retroaction will be very competitive (Figure 3).

Figure 3. The balance of power between stakeholders
The balance of power between the actors of Tangier Med FZG, as given by Mactor software, shows that the Coordination £ Support departments and Control departments are the most considerable powerful actors (1.8, 1.3). Also, the study reveals the important power of the Managing departments and installed Firms to impose their requirements and priorities (1.1). The balance of power of Social operators; and Economic operators come in lastly positions with a value of 0.3 and 0.4. Their influence is much weaker than their dependence, which hampers their ability to enforce their priorities (Figure 3).

Convergence and divergence between Tangier Med FZG actors
The main result of convergences between actors, provided by Mactor Software, shows that the convergence of the actors is generally important, indicating the existence of common interests between the actors. However, the difference in the degrees of convergence between the various couples amounts to 9 (the difference between the maximum and minimum convergence) hence the need to draw up the distribution of all the actors as a binomial gathered in 4 groups (Figure 4).  Vol.11, No.23, 2019 83 convergence varying between 3 and 5 points. This category represents the weakest convergences in terms of common interests. Indeed, the lack of objectives in common between the nine pairs reflects this weakness ( Figure  4).
So, the objectives pursued by each party of the couple (Cont.Dprt, Eco.Op) who have a degree of convergence of 3 points, go away from each other. The objective of the Control departments is to contribute to the protection of citizens by ensuring compliance with the regulation on the control of sanitary, veterinary and phytosanitary standards and protection of intellectual property, while the economic operators outside Tangier Med FZG are interested in providing for the commercial services to Firms installed in this area.
The moderate convergence is composed of 3 binomials: {(Tangier Med FZG.Firms, Soc.Op); (Tangier Med FZG.Firms, Manag.Dprt); (Tangier Med FZG, Coord Sup)}. The degree of convergence of these binomials stands 8 points. Tangier Med FZGs' Firms is the common denominator of the three binomials. Thus, its main aim is to promote exportations, who is a common goal for the rest of the actors.
The strong convergence is constituted of 2 binomials: {(Coord.Sup, Soc.Op); (Manag.Dprt, Soc.Op)}. This group, whose level of convergence reaches 11, has reciprocal interests. Thus, the common goal of those actors is to create jobs. The Coordination £ Support departments and Social operators, who are constantly looking for employment opportunities, find in Tangier Med FZG a boon to reduce unemployment.
The strongest convergence is noted, between the single binomial: {(Manag.Dprt, Coord.Sup)}, this pair has led 12 of convergence. Indeed, the Managing departments, in carrying out its missions, need assistance from various ministerial departments: local authorities and several agencies of development, export, and investment. This convergence is explained by, the existence of reciprocal profits.

Mobilization of actors towards objectives
Mobilization of actors on objectives reflects the positioning of every actor on an objective, by taking into account at the same time its valence, its hierarchy of the objectives and the balance of power between the diverse actors. The degree of mobilization of actors is evaluated by Mactor software by using positive or negative value according to the mobilization of the actor on the objective or its rate of opposition ( Figure 5).
The values represent the degree of convergence: the higher the intensity, the more actors have common interests. Figure 5. Histogram of actor's mobilization towards its objectives. This histogram presents the degree of mobilization of actors on the various objectives, this degree is calculated, by the formula: implication x strength. The histogram shows the absence of actors' objection because the objectives are various and both general and specific. Overall, the attitude of the actors towards the objectives is favorable. The values represent the degree of convergence: the higher, the intensity, the more actors have common interests.
The histogram indicates that the economic stakes have the first position of actor's mobilization. Thus, the export promotion, the FDI attractiveness, and employment creation are the main objectives involving the most important number of the actors. They have, respectively, the values 16.8, 12.8, 11.6.
The second position of actor's mobilization towards its objectives returns to objectives having a security stake. It is about respect for the phytosanitary and environmental standards, as well as, the fight against the smuggling (between 11.1 and 9.3 points), while the objectives classified in land stakes category, in particular, the availability of lands, mitigation of the land speculations and reducing the pressure on agriculture land come third with a degree of mobilization situated between 11.7 and 6.6. attractiveness, and employment creation are the main objectives involving the most significant number of the actors. These objectives are the principal concerns of both professionals and public authority; they reflect the importance accorded to the issues of finding out new resources of wealth what is, accordingly, the expected result of creating Tangier Med FZG in Morocco.
Indeed, since the starting up of the Renault Tangier Med free zone in 2012, the car industry has experienced a considerable expansion, passing from 52 thousand cars exported to approximately 284 thousand units in 2017. Thus, in 2017 the exports amounted to 245, 1 MMDH against 224 MMDH one the year previously (Moroccan customs in figure 2017).
On the other side, Morocco has drained 2, 7 billion foreign direct USD of investment in 2017, is a 23 % growth (UNCTAD 2017) these investments are linked to the car industry sector. At the end of 2017, the government has confirmed 26 1,45 billion dollar projects in this branch, including the agreements, concluded with Firms installed in Tangier Med FZGs, in particular, Renault, to increase the local supply at the level of 55% (UNCTAD 2017).
Despite this effort, in terms of investments and exports, the contribution of Tangier Med FZG in employment remains less than 65.000 jobs 1 . In this context, most experts interested in the Tangier Med FZG's matters raise the issue of the impact of these zones. But in the absence of the reliable Figures about Tangier Med FZG outcomes, the assessment of impact would be extremely difficult (OADIM 2017). On the other hand and despite the predominant role played by land tenure in Morocco in boosting economic activity and foreign investment the land objectives, in particular the availability of lands and mitigation of the land speculations, have a weak level of involving of the actors, due to the coexistence of a "traditional" system governed by Muslim law principles and local customs, and a "modern" land registration system (which dates back to the year 1913) (Daoudi 2011).
The predominance of the traditional system has made land transactions very difficult indeed, this system, characterized by lack of transparency, does not guarantee transaction security, hence the many disputes among local residents and credit access difficulties (Daoudi 2011).
In addition to the excessive diversity of land statutes, systems, and oversight authorities, land access is a constraint that is profoundly reliant on land availability in the regions attractive for investment. Indeed, according to the Enterprise Survey on the investment climate (OCDE 2011), this constraint is more severe in the north region and Casablanca.
Thus, in Tangier and Tétouan, for instance, 62% of firms consider land access as a significant or very binding constraint to their business.
As a consequence of the difficult access to industrial land in the North region, the value of this land is especially the highest in the rest regions of Morocco (MAD 1.243 per square meter in 2001). But, it is worth pointing out that in Tangier Med FZG the land availability is dominated by public land and the Government sells at subsidized prices (Emergency plan: industrial strategy 2005).

Conclusion
The meetings with the various actors revealed the lack of coordination between them, especially the social and economic operators outside the zones. And the inadequate communication which leads to a lack of effectiveness of the actions carried out by the Director of the Department of Tangier Med FZG. Furthermore, the communication on Tangier Med ZFG is, also insufficient, this limits the integration of citizens, which the involvement is done currently only through la Fondation Tanger-Med. Citizens see themselves as "victims "of the implementation of a large-scale project that downs them from their resources and puts them away from the job opportunities promised by project decision-makers and implementers (Planel 2011).
In terms of tools, MACTOR software is easy to use. It is sufficient to have two data tables to obtain various lists of results and diagrams. However, this requires careful selection of input data as well as the most relevant results.
Also, the MACTOR method knows some limitations related to the collection of the necessary information. That is the confidentiality of the actors' strategy, which can lead them to the retention of information. It is necessary to overcome this obstacle by counter-control of the data. Moreover, representing an actor's game based on this method assumes consistent behavior on the part of each actor with the result, which, is often contradicted in reality.