INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL AND VALUE CREATION IN THE METAL PRODUCTS MANUFACTURING SEGMENT

Abstract

The historical evolution of the ratio of investments in intangible assets over GNP in the US economy from 1959 to 2007 – which reached 8 to 10% in 2007 - indicates a positive long term trend that is as relevant as the rate of investments in tangible assets in terms of the GNP, during the same timeframe. The most surprising fact however, was the expansion beyond expectations over the last 40 years. According to international researchers, this trend is due to a combination of a series of causes, such as the financial globalization, market deregulation and exponential growth of technological changes, rousing the interest of entrepreneurs, scholars and researchers in becoming acquainted with indicators, classifying and ideating these so as to comprehend the value creation process within companies. The purpose of this line of research was to test Pulic´s Value Added Intellectual Coefficient Model (2000), so as to evaluate its significance in creating value, as applied to the Metal Products Manufacturing segment, utilizing an adjusted data base obtained from the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute´s (IBGE) Annual Industrial Research (PIA) for the period 2000 to 2006, comprising companies with more than 100 employees throughout Brazil, resorting to a panel of static data. Results obtained demonstrate a positive relationship between VAIC and value creation as well as between the Calculated Intangible Value – CIV, (explanatory variable) and value creation. Key-Words: Intellectual Capital. VAIC. Value Creation. IBGE (Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute).