Gestão externa de custos: um estudo no âmbito da gestão estratégica de custos

Abstract

This study investigates the practices of external management costs most used by Brazilian Companies. The study is motivated by the recognition that, by itself, external management costs is not enough for business success. The technical procedure used for data collection was a survey through questionnaires based on the practices of external management costs, identified on the literature. This survey was send through the internet to 250 of the 500 biggest companies from Revista Exame Melhores & Maiores de 2008, in which, 44 answered it. To analyze the information from the questionnaires, a descriptive analysis of these data was made. In this analysis, graphics were used to demonstrate with details the answers of each assertion. Also the average ranking was used to the affirmations that compose the instrument to collect data using the Likert scale of 6 points. After, it was made a factorial analysis using the statistical software package for the social science (SPSS). Through these analyses it was possible to verify that Brazilian Companies do not adopt the practice of external management costs with the same rage and deepness as said on the literature which describes the relevance of these practices on the company´s strategic management. Besides that, it was verified that few professionals have experience with external management costs. Just 25% of the research sample confirmed to have experience in this field In other words, these results suggest that external management costs is giving the firsts steps in Brazil. It was also possible to identify that the practices most used by companies related to external management costs are: a) stock control and delivering of certain materials directly to client’s assembly line; b) setting cost reduction goals for clients; c) information about competitors’ sales prices.