Elements for a Strategic Diagnostic Analysis of the Field of Action Surrounding the Formalization of Ride-Hailing Organizations in Morocco.
The strategic diagnostic analysis invariably starts from a problematic situation. It is in relation to this problem that the analyst will seek to understand the positions of the actors and their dynamics. More specifically, the approach consists of listing all the relationships between the main individuals and groups involved in the situation. Then, the analyst will strive to identify the main areas of uncertainty within the organization (control of supplies, relationships with supervisory authorities, etc.). After this, they will focus on identifying the key actors in the situation (both individual and collective), attempting to discern for each of them the goals (whether explicit or not) they are pursuing, the resources (of any kind) they mobilize to achieve these goals, and the strategies they employ considering the areas of uncertainty. Based on this, they will be able to map out the potential alliances or oppositions between the actors in relation to the problem, the resources they lack to address it, the constraints that need to be removed to create a new relational dynamic, and so on.
This type of approach, generally based on in-depth interviews with the actors, is the one we applied to a problematic situation—the growing tension in Morocco between traditional taxi drivers and drivers working for digital ride-hailing platforms, known as VTCs (ride-hailing vehicles), which are becoming increasingly popular with users. The taxi drivers strongly oppose this competition, arguing that it threatens their profession. However, for the VTC drivers, these actions are seen as entirely legitimate. To outline the dynamics of action around this situation, we developed one (or more) interpretations of the situation and discussed them with the actors to explore potential avenues for positive change.