27.06.2013 Views

Proceedings of the 3rd European Conference on Intellectual Capital

Proceedings of the 3rd European Conference on Intellectual Capital

Proceedings of the 3rd European Conference on Intellectual Capital

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

Krishanthi Ganga Vithana et al.<br />

still act as a limitati<strong>on</strong> in discovering this through <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> empirical analysis some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> which are reviewed<br />

below.<br />

Elias (1972) revealed that in general <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> company choice by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> resp<strong>on</strong>dents is associated with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

experimental treatment for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> HC in annual reports though <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> degree <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> associati<strong>on</strong> measured was<br />

not very str<strong>on</strong>g. Specially, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> inclusi<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> human asset statements have affected <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> decisi<strong>on</strong><br />

behaviour <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> advance accounting and finance students while not so significant for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> intermediate<br />

students. However, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> difference in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> resp<strong>on</strong>se between <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> occupati<strong>on</strong>al groups for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> HC<br />

treatment has not been statistically significant. This implies that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> resp<strong>on</strong>se for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> inclusi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

human asset statement in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> financial statements would not be perceived in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> same way by all <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

stakeholder categories. Fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rmore, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> educati<strong>on</strong> level and discipline might have a significant<br />

influence over <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> resp<strong>on</strong>se to this additi<strong>on</strong>al informati<strong>on</strong> in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> annual reports. One limitati<strong>on</strong> to this<br />

study is identified as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> difference in resp<strong>on</strong>ses being recognised as more attributable to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> income<br />

between <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> firms ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r than <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> inclusi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> HC informati<strong>on</strong>.<br />

Avoiding many inherent limitati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Elias (1973), such as using a student sample, exclusi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

annual report informati<strong>on</strong> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r than abbreviated financial statements, simple decisi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> selecting<br />

<strong>on</strong>e company than different types <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> decisi<strong>on</strong>s and no reas<strong>on</strong>ing behind <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> decisi<strong>on</strong> making;<br />

Schwan (1976) tested <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> effect <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> human resource accounting data <strong>on</strong> financial decisi<strong>on</strong>s by use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

two sets <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> financial reports. In set A, c<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong>al financial report; and in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> set B, human resource<br />

cost has been allocated to expense over a five year period. The findings supported <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> hypo<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>sis<br />

that bankers who read financial statement which report human resource data make significantly<br />

different decisi<strong>on</strong>s about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> firm than bankers who read <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> firms c<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong>al reports. Detailed<br />

analysis emphasised that this was particularly <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> case regarding <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> management’s preparedness <strong>on</strong><br />

challenges and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> opportunities in future than <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> present management situati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />

One comm<strong>on</strong> limitati<strong>on</strong> for both <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> above studies is that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> research is c<strong>on</strong>ducted to discover <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

practice <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> HC accounting from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> point <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> view <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> limited stakeholder groups and particularly<br />

external. However, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> multiple stakeholder perspective <strong>on</strong> financial disclosure demanded this issue<br />

be explored both from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> internal and external stakeholder point <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> view. Never<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>less, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

experimental approach might be suitable to research <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> practice HC accounting treatments in a<br />

ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r c<strong>on</strong>trolled atmosphere which is not <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> case in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Schwan (1976) and Elias (1972) studies.<br />

C<strong>on</strong>sequently, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> validity and generalisability <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> findings become questi<strong>on</strong>able.<br />

Maher (1996), discovering <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> inadequacy in attempts to formally evaluate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> cost and benefit <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

different human resource management practices proposed that a “business like” approach needs to<br />

be adopted to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> management <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> people if <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y are to gain any strategic credibility. The study<br />

c<strong>on</strong>cluded that “in order to evaluate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> human resource management decisi<strong>on</strong>s not <strong>on</strong>ly will human<br />

resource people need to familiarise <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>mselves with accounting practice but <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y will also need <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

support to setup informati<strong>on</strong> systems that will enable <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m to identify <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> outcomes <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> specific human<br />

resource investments” (Maher, 1996 p. 31). “..Majority <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> pers<strong>on</strong>nel people d<strong>on</strong>’t get involved in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

pr<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>itability <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir business… and to me that’s a must. I think <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y should be numerate, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y should<br />

understand business accounting and should understand <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> effect that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir acti<strong>on</strong> can have <strong>on</strong> that<br />

business…”. This statement fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r emphasises <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> importance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> practice <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> HC accounting and<br />

moreover, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> vital importance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> linking HC accounting with employee performance in a more formal<br />

way.<br />

Moving away from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> individual perspective <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> calculati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> HC <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> firm, Flamholtz (2005) has<br />

suggested a different approach which attempts to capture <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ec<strong>on</strong>omic value <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> HC <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> three<br />

kinds. The research posits three distinct and related comp<strong>on</strong>ents <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> ec<strong>on</strong>omic value <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> HC in firms<br />

termed as, value <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> individual competencies, incremental value <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> synergetic terms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> people in<br />

relatively small groups and incremental synergetic value <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> human organizati<strong>on</strong> as a whole as<br />

distinct from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> value <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r two comp<strong>on</strong>ents (Flamholtz, 2005 p.79). Studies revealed that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

HC <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> third kind (corporate culture) can be measured as well as it does have a statistically significant<br />

impact up<strong>on</strong> financial performances. In this approach <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> incremental value <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> synergy <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> human<br />

organizati<strong>on</strong> as a whole has been taken in to account under <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> company’s cultural paradigm i.e. “<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

way we treat our people affects <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> way our people treat our customers, and in turn, our success,<br />

which includes financial performance.” (Flamholtz, 2005 P. 82). However, restricti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> sample to<br />

a single organizati<strong>on</strong> (medium sized industrial enterprise) and measuring <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> HC <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> third kind using<br />

558

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!