Non‐disclosure of human capital‐based information: theoretical perspectives

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss a framework of accounting theoretical bases that could promote research into little understood areas of human capital accounting.Design/methodology/approach – The possible forces that hinder greater disclosure of human capital‐based information are analyzed by reviewing several theoretical viewpoints that offer a framework of different possible reasons for the low frequency of human capital‐based disclosures.Findings – The paper explores several possible reasons for the reluctance of firms to disclose greater amounts of human capital‐based information, from the perspective of relevant theoretical bases. The predominant reasons may differ in different circumstances, industries and environments.Research limitations/implications – The paper explores theoretical bases that explain the barriers to widespread reporting of human capital‐based information. The theoretical bases discussed are not empirically validated.Practical implications – The validation of the ...