Firms Financial Performance and Human Resource Accounting Disclosure in Nigeria

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between firms financial performance and human resource accounting disclosure of companies in Nigeria. Five years financial data from 2005-2009 of fifty two companies across all sectors as listed on the Nigeria stock exchange fact book of 2005-2009 were extracted using simple random sampling techniques. Descriptive, correlation and regression statistical techniques were used in analyzing the data. Our findings show that the combined effect of Firm Financial Performance accounted for 75.9% of the variation in Human Resource Accounting Disclosure (HRAD) with an F- ratio 3.581 being significant at 5% confidence level. The positive correlation between Retum on Equify (ROE) and Human Resource Accounting Disclosure (HRAD) supposes that an increase in retum on equify encotirage firm in reporting human capital information so as to establish trustworthiness with stakeholders; enhance extemal reputation, appear legitimate in the public eye and avoid cost for non legitimacy. The study concludes that human resource accounting information of an organization is very important factor for decision makers in an era of knowledge based economy. There is growing evidence of the interest and demand among stakeholders for information from firm in relation to human capital. Based on this, the study recommended among others, regulatory intervention in the accounting standard setting process for human capital reporting in Nigeria. Standard should be created for human resource identification and measurement. This will enhance valuation of human capital, ensure a higher degree of utilify to stakeholder, uniformify in disclosures and will allow reliable comparison of human capital values.