THE EFFECT OF INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL ON THE PROFITABILITY OF BREWERY COMPANIES IN NIGERIA (A STUDY OF NIGERIA BREWERIES PLC, AND GUINNESS NIGERIA PLC AND CHAMPION BREWERIES PLC)

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of intellectual capital on the profitability of brewery companies in Nigeria, focusing on Nigeria Breweries PLC, Guinness Nigeria PLC, and Champion Breweries PLC. The research employs an ex-post facto research design, utilizing historical data from 2008 to 2018 sourced from relevant journals, textbooks, and financial statements of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Simple random sampling technique was applied to select the sample size comprising the aforementioned breweries.

The research objectives were to evaluate how human capital efficiency, structural capital efficiency, and capital employed efficiency influence the net profit margin of brewery companies in Nigeria. Three null hypotheses were formulated and tested: (H01) human capital efficiency has no significant effect on net profit margin, (H02) structural capital efficiency has no significant effect on net profit margin, and (H03) capital employed efficiency has no significant effect on net profit margin.

Data analysis was conducted using a simple linear regression model with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. The findings reveal that human capital efficiency positively and significantly affects the net profit margin of brewery companies in Nigeria. However, structural capital efficiency does not show a significant impact on profitability. On the other hand, capital employed efficiency demonstrates a significant effect on profitability.

In conclusion, the study establishes that intellectual capital, as measured by human capital efficiency and capital employed efficiency, significantly contributes to the profitability of brewery firms in Nigeria. However, structural capital efficiency does not exhibit a significant influence on profitability within the brewery industry in Nigeria.

Based on the findings, recommendations are made to optimize intellectual capital within Nigerian brewery companies. These recommendations include efforts to enhance profitability through recruiting capable sales representatives, training, and providing necessary infrastructure. Moreover, deliberate strategies should be implemented to recruit, train, and retain competent staff to foster intellectual capital growth. The government is urged to prioritize investment in intellectual capital development to propel Nigeria towards economic advancement. Additionally, there's a call for a review of educational policies to encourage public-private partnerships in high-quality human capital training. Finally, it's recommended that stock markets in Nigeria include complementary reports on intellectual capital to enhance transparency and decision-making processes.

This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by emphasizing the importance of intellectual capital in driving profitability within the Nigerian brewery industry.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1           Background to the Study

1.2       Statement of the Problems

1.3       Objectives of Study

1.4       Research Questions

1.5       Research Hypotheses

1.6       Significance of the Study

1.7       Scope/Limitations of the Study                                               

1.8       Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1       Conceptual Framework

2.1.1    Concept of Intellectual Capital

2.1.2    Concept of Human Capital

2.1.3    Importance and implications of Human Capital

2.1.4    How to Increase Human Capital

2.1.5    Concept of Structural Capital

2.1.2.1 Importance of Structural Capital

2.1.6    Concept of Capital Employed

2.1.6.1 Characteristics of Capital

2.1.6.2 Fixed Capital and Working Capital

2.1.6.3  Functions of Capital employed

2.1.6.4  Importance of Capital

2.2       Theoretical Framework

2.2.1    Resource Based View Theory

2.2.2    Human Capital Theory

2.2.3    Social Capital Theory

2.3       Empirical Review

2.4           Gap in Literature

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1           Research Design

3.2       Area of the study

3.3       Population of the Study

3.4       Sample and Sampling Techniques

3.5       Method of Data Collection

3.6       Model Specification

3.7       Data Analysis Techniques

3.8       Measurement and Description of Variables

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS

4.1       Data Presentation

4.2       Data Analysis

4.2.1    Correlation Analysis

4.2.2    Data Analysis for Hypothesis

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1       Summary

5.2       Conclusion

5.3       Recommendation

REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1        Background to the Study

A firm’s intellectual capital can be thought of as a form of unaccounted capital in the traditional accounting system. Davies and Waddington (1999) said that the traditional accounting system looks largely at separable assets although recognition is given to some intellectual capital under the heading goodwill. Firms need more useful and comprehensive non-financial information about the operating activities of firms. Traditionally, many performance measures have been based around financial aspects, omitting important non-financial aspects including the importance of dynamic capability through accumulating research and development as well as marketing capability over time, to further enhance firm performance (Hsu & Wang, 2010).

Despite banks spending a lot of resources in training its human capital, investing in IT, structural capital and innovation, intellectual capital which is the possession of knowledge and experience, professional knowledge and skill, good relationships, and technological capacities, which when applied give organizations competitive advantage has not been fully recognized in the preparation of financial statements. One of the greatest challenge facing the accounting profession is understanding the huge difference between its balance sheet and market valuation. This gap represents the core value of the company – its intellectual capital represented by brands, products, competitive advantage, patents, trademarks, customer relationships, Research and Development, human capital etc.

Seetharaman, Hadi, and Saravanan,(2011) opined that the present financial accounting framework is criticized, especially in the USA and Europe, as inadequate and failing to communicate the most important assets and resources of today’s business, known as intangible assets or intellectual capital. As a result, there is a huge value gap and distortions between a business entity’s values as reported in the financial statements with the value put by investors on the stock market or even in merger and acquisitions cases. Komnenic and Pokrajcic (2012) posited that in the new knowledge economy (k‐economy), knowledge rather than physical assets drives innovations, revenue and profits growth, and nurtures new competitive advantages.

Intellectual capital is the intangible value of a business, covering its people (human capital), the value inherent in its relationships (Relational capital), and everything that is left when the employees go home (Structural capital), of which Intellectual property (IP) is but one component. It is the sum of everything everybody in a company knows that gives it a competitive edge. The term is used in academia in an attempt to account for the value of intangible assets not listed explicitly on a company's balance sheets. On a national level, intellectual capital is referred to National Intangible Capital (NIC) (El-Bannany, 2008). A second meaning that is used in academia and was adopted in large corporations is focused on the recycling of knowledge via Knowledge management and Intellectual Capital Management (ICM). Creating, shaping and updating the stock of intellectual capital requires the formulate on of a strategic vision, which blends together all three dimensions of intellectual capital within the organizational context through exploration and exploitation, measurement and disclosure Intellectual capital is used in the context of assessing the wealth of organizations. A metric for the value of intellectual capital is the amount by which the enterprise value of a firm exceeds the value of its tangible (physical and financial) assets. The IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) committee developed the International Accounting System 38 with the purpose of prescribing the accounting treatment for intangible assets. IAS 38.8 defines an intangible asset as an identifiable non-monetary asset without physical substance. An asset controlled by the entity as the result of past events (for example purchase or self-creation) and from which future economic benefits (inflows of cash or other benefits) are expected.

Kaplan and Norton (1996) argued that intellectual capital which is made up of human capital, structural capital, and Relational/customer capital if well integrated will lead to competitive advantage and higher performance and led to a shift from one dimensional principle of performance evaluation towards a multi-dimensional level incorporating non-financial measures such as customer perspective, learning and growth and internal business process. It will therefore impact the profitability and efficiency of any firm that manages it well positively impact on a firm’s profitability and efficiency. This is because the intellectual capital is the asset of a firm which controls other physical asset to meet up with the firm’s goals and objectives and bring forth tremendous inflow which represents as the profitability of the firm.

The profitability of any firm is based on its returns on assets, return on investments and return on equity and its profit margin. No investor can invest in any firm which its profitability pointers are poor. The richness and healthiness of these pointers can only be determined by the way in which the firm handles its intellectual capital as it is known as the main driving force that keeps a firm in business. Banks as one of the major and influential firms to the Nigerian economy invest in their employees in order to create good relationship with their customers, attract new customers and create goodwill that will yield future returns for the bank. This study tends to evaluate how intellectual capital accounting will benefit banks in making profits for the bank and their shareholders.

1.2       Statement of the Problems

In the last two decades, industries has experienced unprecedented growth coupled with impressive performance over the same period. The industry has remained largely profitable in spite of the economy performing poorly in some years and facing adverse effects of the global financial crisis.

Lev and Radhakrishan, (2003) aver that Intellectual Capital is both invisible and intangible and as such the value of knowledge cannot be captured well by any traditional measure. In view of the fore going, scholars of financial and corporate reporting in their various studies have both theoretically and empirically examined the impact of Intellectual Capital on firms' profitability but results have rather than resolve the issues remain inconsistent and produced mixed outcomes. Due to these inconsistent results, the effect of investing on intellectual capital has been in doubt and this work is aimed at determining if truly there is any significance effect of intellectual capital on the overall profitability of banks in Nigeria.

1.3       Objectives of Study

The main objective of the study is to evaluate the effect of intellectual capital on the profitability of brewery companies in Nigeria. The specific objectives to guide the course of this research work are;

      i.         To determine how human capital efficiency affects the net profit margin of brewery companies in Nigeria.

     ii.         To assess if structural capital efficiency affects the net profit margin of brewery companies in Nigeria.

   iii.         To find out how capital employed efficiency affects the net profit margin of brewery companies in Nigeria.

1.4       Research Questions

The following are the questions that will guide the research in the course of this study;

      i.         To what extent do human capital efficiency affect net profit margin of brewery companies in Nigeria?

     ii.         To what extent do structural capital efficiency affect net profit margin of brewery companies in Nigeria?

   iii.         To what extent do capital employed efficiency affect net profit margin of brewery companies in Nigeria?

1.5   Research Hypotheses

The following are the research hypotheses stated in null form;        

H0₁:     Human capital efficiency has no significant effect on the net profit margin of brewery      companies in Nigeria

H0₂:     Structural capital efficiency has no significant effect on the net profit margin of brewery        companies in Nigeria

H0₃:     Capital employed efficiency has no significant effect on the net profit margin of brewery        companies in Nigeria

1.6   Significance of the Study

This work will be beneficial to the following:

The study will therefore be of great importance to the following interest groups:

      i.         Human Resource Managers and Consultants: The human resource managers and consultants will find the report of this research useful as it will provide information so dearly needed to take rightful decisions concerning their human resources. The study will provide managers with tools for measuring the cost implication of their human resources related decisions. The information in this research will help human resource managers and consultants in formulating policies on human capital management.

     ii.         Organized Labour Unions: The organized labour unions will find the report of this research a ready material for pressing home their demands as it will provide information on the worker contribution to the banks which will be compared to the compensation paid to the workers in form of salaries and allowances thereby providing a basis for salary negotiations with employer of labour.

   iii.         Accounting bodies: Accounting bodies such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), the Association of Cost and Management Accountants (ACMA), etc. as well as the accounting regulatory organizations particularly the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC), (formerly the Nigeria Accounting Standards Board), will use the information to be provided by this research to produce standards which will be used by organizations in their financial reporting.

   iv.         Students, scholars, academics: Students, scholars, academics, as well as professional researcher. They will from time to time be faced with the challenge of conducting researches on this subject matter and will find this research report a reference material.

     v.         The federal Government of Nigeria: The federal government of Nigeria will also find this work a reference material for planning, controlling, directing and for corporate decision making. It will also serve as a reference document for policy formulation and implementation by the government and its agencies.

1.7    Scope/Limitations of the Study                                               

The study covers a period of ten years (2009 to 2018) and the researcher will make use of Nigeria Breweries PLC, and Guinness Nigeria PLC and Champion Breweries PLC which are listed on the Nigeria stock Exchange as at 31st December, 2018.

There several limitations and challenges which the researcher will have to encounter during the course of this work, some of them are individually listed below:

1.      Materials: The sourcing of relevant materials that will be used for the study will not be an easy task, because the researcher will have to visit libraries, use different search engines and surf the internet etc, in order to get a first-hand information, which most of the times, the materials will not be easily accessible.

2.      Time: The time often allotted to the study is usually not enough. The researcher will have to struggle with the limited time and still ensures that the best result is gotten from this research work. Therefore, time constraint will be a major challenge.

1.8       Definition of Terms

Capital employed: This is the total amount of capital used for the acquisition of profits. It is the value of all the assets employed in a business, and can be calculated by adding fixed assets to working capital or by subtracting current liabilities from total assets.

Human Capital: This is the skills, knowledge, and experience possessed by an individual or population, viewed in terms of their value or cost to an organization or country.

Intangible assets: These are non-monetary assets which are without physical substance and identifiable (either being separable or arising from contractual or other legal rights). Intangible assets meeting the relevant recognition criteria are initially measured at cost, subsequently measured at cost or using the revaluation model, and amortized on a systematic basis over their useful lives (unless the asset has an indefinite useful life, in which case it is not amortized).

Intellectual capital: Intellectual capital is considered an asset, and can broadly be defined as the collection of all informational resources a company has at its disposal that can be used to drive profits, gain new customers, create new products or otherwise improve the business.

Profitability: This is the degree to which a business or activity yields profit or financial gain. Profitability can further be defined as the ability of a business to produce a return on an investment based on its resources in comparison with an alternative investment.

Structural capital: This is one of the three primary components of intellectual capital, and consists of the supportive infrastructure, processes, and databases of the organization that enable human capital to function. Structural capital is owned by an organization and remains with an organization even when people leave.

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