On presenting human resources in the balance sheet

Article type: Short Communication

Authors: Bloom, Robert

Affiliations: School of Business Administration, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23185, U.S.A.

Abstract: Human resources accounting is concerned with the identification and measurement of investments in human resources by the firm. Alternative valuation methods could be used, all of which have drawbacks. The question of whether human resources represent assets in the accounting sense remains unresolved. This paper considers whether human resources are accounting assets and the problems of measuring human resources.

Keywords: Accounting, acquisition cost, asset, benefits, current cost, current replacement cost, discounting, enterprise, expected cash flows, final statements, human resources

DOI: 10.3233/HSM-1981-2309

Journal: Human Systems Management, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 214-216, 1981