Briefly explain what you would like the MBA students to know about your company/organization. Please include the primary function of your business/division.

The primary customer for this engagement is the Electronics Association of Morocco, which represents electronics companies in Morocco. Morocco’s electronics industry produces wire harnesses for the automotive and aeronautics industries, electronic components, cables, micro-electronic and mechanical components and other semi-conductors for both the export and domestic OEM industries. While the domestic market is small relative to the global electronics industry, investment in the Moroccan electronics industry has grown strongly in recent years, fueled by both local expansion and entry by multinational firms. The Director of ASEL is the director of ST Microelectronics Companies (http://www.st.com), a global producer of semiconductors and the world leader in designing and manufacturing the key System-on-Chip devices. With close to 5,000 employees, ST Microelectronics has been in Morocco since 1952, but has since expanded its operations in recent years to include three manufacturing facilities and a newly established design center. The Deputy Director of ASEL is the General Manager of BM Electronics, a 70 person firm, which specializes in wiring for electronics. The engagement will involve working with the ASEL and two to four of its member companies to assess these firms’ capabilities and opportunities for export. The analysis will be presented to company CEOs, Government of Morocco officials, and senior staff from the U.S. Embassy (most likely the Ambassador). The project will be coordinated by the William Davidson Institute, based at the Ross School of Business, and is being funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Middle East Partnership Initiative.
 

The electronics sector has been identified by the U.S. and the Government of Morocco as one of the priority sectors to promote under the recently signed free trade agreement between the two countries. The trade agreement, coupled with operating costs that are significantly lower than in either Western or Eastern Europe positions Morocco as a potential large supply base for the electronics supplier industry. The project will consist of three sequential phases: - US based market research (1-2 weeks) - Morocco-based electronics industry research (3-4 weeks) - US based analysis and report preparation (2-3 weeks) The project will involve analyzing the competitiveness of 2-4 sub-sectors of the Moroccan electronics industry, working with local firms to improve their operations, and helping them develop a program to increase imports to the United States. Doing this will involve: - developing an understanding of the US import market for selected electronic products; - examining the US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement to determine what advantages exist (if any) for the Morocco-based firms; - traveling to Morocco to work with electronic companies to assess their capabilities and identify skill and marketing gaps required to succeed in the US market; and - developing recommendations for ASEL and its members on how to expand exports to the United States. Two to four specific member firms will be identified prior to the project kickoff.

The time spent in Ann Arbor will focus on researching the U.S. market for the selected sectors of the greater electronics industry. Students will engage the member companies and do research on U.S. firms and market needs (e.g. product specifications, price points, international certifications, etc.). Another early stage activity will be to research the FTA and determine what benefits the FTA creates for Moroccan electronics companies relative to those from other geographies. The time spent in Morocco will consist of meeting with the directors and members of the Electronics Association and with the target companies to assess where they currently are in terms of preparedness to export to the US and what it will take to get them there. Students will work with these firms to help them understand the U.S. market and to develop a market expansion plan. At the end of the engagement, the student team will present the findings of their research and recommendations to the companies, representatives of the Electronics Association and to various US Embassy staff – including Ambassador Thomas Riley.

(Examples: full market analysis; competitive map for relevant products/services; situational analysis with identified gaps and opportunities; process flow diagram and determination of costs of a proposed process; anticipated ROI to implement new activities; recommendations for staffing a new process)

• Analysis of the US market for the specific electronic components sub-sectors (TBD) • Review of Moroccan industry capabilities – with particular attention to pre-selected companies’ capabilities • Market entry and development strategy that will include specific recommendations for the pre-identified companies and more general recommendations that will be applicable to the electronics sector as a whole.
 

• Business Opportunity
• Expansion Study
• Strategy Identification

Comments:

 4 Weeks away from the Michigan campus Local project, hours away will vary throughout project

If international travel is expected, please list the countries involved.
Morocco

Please add specific details of travel expectations.
The MAP team will spend 3-4 weeks in Casablanca, Morocco.