Intellectual Capital in Terms of Regional Development of the Republic of Serbia

Abstract Empirical research of intellectual capital in term of regional development of the Republic of Serbia aims to show and explain the function of intellectual capital in the regional development of the Republic of Serbia, and point out the disparities of national regions in terms of economic development and intellectual capital resources. Intellectual capital today is one of the most important social subsystems, which, by its scope and influence, is gaining an increasing importance in the development of modern society. As a complex, dynamic human process of knowledge use, intellectual capital is tied to the notion of “new knowledge-based economy”. Intellectual capital at the macroeconomic level is a new area of research that focuses on understanding, measuring, and reporting on intangible assets that may have an impact on the creation of national wealth. The concept of intellectual capital is abstract, unambiguous and complex, which leads to numerous differences in the interpretation of this economic category. The results of empirical research confirmed that intellectual capital is in a significant linear functional relationship with economic growth in the Republic of Serbia - in 63.5% of cases, economic growth is explained by intellectual capital resources in the period 2012-2018. Also, the research confirmed significant inequalities in the development and available resources of intellectual capital in the regions of the Republic of Serbia.