Management training as a determinant of managerial performance: Empirical evidence from moroccan SMEs

Abstract

In an economic environment characterized by uncertainty, complexity, and intensified competition, managerial skills constitute a determining factor of performance for SMEs. Management training thus appears as a strategic lever that enhances the individual and organizational capacities required for decision-making, innovation, internal coordination, and resilience. Based on the resource-based view, this study examines the influence of management training on managerial performance by considering six essential dimensions: decision-making skills, leadership, mastery of management tools, strategic vision, managerial innovation, and adaptability to change. The empirical analysis uses a Generalized Linear Model (GLM) with a Logit link function, appropriate for the bounded nature of the variable measuring performance. The survey is based on a sample of managers from Moroccan SMEs and makes it possible to assess the actual effect of the training received on their professional practices. The results show that training significantly improves decision-making, leadership, strategic vision, innovation, and adaptability, confirming its structuring role in the acquisition of distinctive competencies. However, the technical mastery of management tools does not appear to be a determining factor of performance, suggesting a gap between the content taught and its integration into daily practices. The study also highlights the positive influence of professional experience and education level, indicating that the impact of training depends partly on the individual characteristics of managers.