Household Economic Behavior in Morocco: A Family Economics Perspective Based on Cost–Benefit Rationality

Abstract

The given article is an analytical study of a question of household economic behaviour in the context of Morocco, whose theoretical basis is the family economics as first defined by Gary Becker and then developed by him in collaboration with other researchers, namely, Becker-Landes-Michael, Weiss, and Chiappori. Instead of considering informality as a sociocultural phenomenon, the study refers to the household as a rational decision-making unit that uses time, labor, and resources with the aim of maximizing utility under an income and institutional constraint. Using the secondary macro- and microeconomic data, the analysis studies the trends in income diversification, intra-household specialization, women labor supply, and consumption choices as a reaction to trade-offs between costs and benefits and external shocks like inflation. The specific focus is given to the economic role of women, relying on the recent empirical research in Morocco, such as the work of Mohamed El Garra. The results have shown that Moroccan families use economic rational choices which are consistent with the developed family-economics frameworks, which combine formal and informal labor, reallocate women labor supply, and changes in consumption patterns in the response to the increase in prices. The research will add to the academic literature both in broadening family-economics theory to an environment with a middle-income developing-country setting and in highlighting the relevance of rational household models to policy-making.

Keywords: Family economy; Morocco; household income; informal sector; women’s participation; social solidarity; urbanization; resilience; public policy.

Received Date: April 21, 2026

Accepted Date: May 12, 2026

Published Date: June 01, 2026

Available Online at: https://www.ijsrisjournal.com/index.php/ojsfiles/article/view/792