Ensaio sobre a origem da vantagem competitiva e o desempenho operacional da firma a partir do uso de métricas contábeis

Abstract

This essay aims to investigate the source of firm competitive advantage from the use of metrics contained on financial statements. In this study, the source of competitive advantage is segregated in two dimensions: endogenous, from the resources available to the company, generated by the managers choices; and exogenous, from characteristics of the industry in which the firm is inserted, such as the competition level and market dynamism. The source of competitive advantage are explained by the firm operating performance variables whose proxies are contained on the financial statements structure. Fundamentals contained on the theoretical framework of strategy and accounting fields, when approximated, suggest the existence of research between such fields of knowledge that allows the investigation of the performance of the firm in its context. We expect this possible approximation of fields of knowledges to contribute to the increase of the interpretative ability of indicators contained in the financial statements when relativized to the environment in which the firm operates; and, therefore, (ii) to contribute to the usefulness of accounting metrics as proxies for research in the field of competitive advantage. Thus, this essay (iii) suggests the hypotheses and defines a research methodology to investigate the source of the competitive advantage with the adoption of proxies contained in the structure of the financial statements.