Human resource Accounting: A Survey

The subject of my paper is Human Resource Accounting. Human Resource Accounting has received a lot of attention in the past twenty years, and is still under examination by many people. The idea behind Human Resource Accounting stems from the basic assumption that people are the most important resource of a business. I will present the arguments for and against Human Resource Accounting, and the assumptions that underlie its use. Then I will turn to an examination of some of the methods that have been suggested to measure these human resources. Many different methods have been suggested, and in a few cases, businesses have experimented with their use. The most notable of these cases is that of R. G. Barry Corporation. The results of this case show some of the problems and benefits that can be associated with Human Resource Accounting which I would like to discuss. I would then like to turn to a look at where Human Resource Accounting is today. I will try to answer questions such as: Is Human Resource Accounting still a useful tool? If so, to whom is this information useful? Management and shareholders or management only? In conclusion, I will present my views on where Human Resource Accounting is headed and what still needs to be done.