Accounting Reporting On Enterprise’s Information Resources

The topic of this dissertation is proposed under the background that the enterprise managers and investors increasingly need accounting information of information resources in the enterprise. With the scale of information resources purchased or developed by enterprises becomes larger and larger, the performance of the enterprise information systems affect the performance of the enterprise is also increasingly obvious. Information resource has become one of the most important strategic enterprise resources. Enterprise managers and investors pay more attention to the investment and management on the enterprise information resources. Appropriate and effective management and decision on information resource depends on the high quality of accounting information. As the demand on relative and reliability accounting information by the investors become higher, the need for enforcing information resources management in enterprises becomes more urgent. The research on accounting reporting on information resources, especially, on the basic theory and standards, is needed to be carried out and improved.The research on accounting reporting on information resources has high theoretical and practical value. It is the foundation and necessary condition for representing the accounting information on information resources in enterprises fully and properly that carrying out the study on the mechanism of generating accounting information on information resources and establishing basic theory on accounting reporting on information resources. It makes sense on realizing innovation and perfect on theory, micro management technology and method in the field theory in the field of information recourses. Meanwhile, as economic resources creating value, economic activities of information resources, which are reflected by a variety of financial and non-financial information, is a dynamic process and should be managed and controlled continually and dynamically. As an important and formal media, accounting reports can make the investors, regulators, the board of directors and the management coordinate and communicate by transmitted in the internal and external of the enterprises, to satisfy the need of decision-making and control, so as to make the enterprise internal and external resources effectively to be integrated. The establishing of the theory and system of Information resources accounting reporting can guide enterprises to enforce information resources management, improve efficiency and the quality of enterprise accounting information, and provide the government with reference for policies on enterprise information reporting to the internal and external users.The basic research route of dissertation is "theory analysis-empirical test-theory application". On the basis of the literatures review, the research on the foundational information resources accounting theory is carried our. Then the research on the relative theories of the information resources accounting reporting is done, such as the quality requirements for information resources accounting information, the information assets evaluation model, the influence factors on the value of information resources and method for these factors management, the information resource management model. When doing the study on the influence factors on the value of information resources, the author collected the data by investigating in enterprise and using a series of technical method to test the model. When doing the study on the information resource management model, the author uses case study. The adoption of empirical research methods can greatly improve the credibility of the theory research. According to the findings and results of theory study, the author identify various financial and non-financial managerial accounting information related with management control and investment decisions, and then establish management accounting reporting systems for information resources. The standards and context of external reports are determined using comparison method after identification of financial accounting information for disclosure.Referring to the prior studies, this dissertation adopts different research methods for different study objectives, using literature analysis method and cross-subject analysis when doing study on basic accounting theory of information resources. When doing research on theory of information resources accounting reporting, first of all, the author summarizes and review literatures on quality characteristics of information resources accounting information. Then, the author proposes the general and specific quality characteristics of information resources accounting information。Second, current accounting standards regarding information resources accounting information are analyzed, consequently, the evaluation modals for different types of information are set up. Thirdly, on the base of review on literatures, theory modal of information resources use and relative measures is structured and the structured equation modal is developed. Then, using investigation to design questionnaire and collect data from enterprises by face-to-face or phone interview on key users, then using the data to test the modal. The investigation has two stages, pretest and test. The structured equation model is tested and the results are analyzed, using Amos5.0software, and then forming the conclusion. We adopt a case study to do the research on the scope and content of enterprise information asset management, which method is referred to the previous research method, to construct the enterprise information asset management framework. We adopt literature analysis when doing the research on internal management reports system of information resources, to develop enterprise information resources managerial accounting reports system. When we study the internal management reports system of information resources, a case study is adopted, referring to prior research method, to research on comprehensive performance evaluation report of Information system investment projects. It is generally believed that is not suitable to adopt quantitative research methods, such as developing structured model to when research on information resources regulating financial accounting report standards for information resources which is concerned with the establishment of the regulation, the most of prior studies used normative research methods. So we adopt literature analysis method and compare domestic and major foreign related accounting standards regarding disclosure of information resources accounting information and develop new standards on disclosure of information resources accounting information to external users.The context and structure of this dissertation is arranged as followed:In Chapter1, we expound the background, theory and practical value of this topic, and put forward concrete research goals and the corresponding contents, and expound the research routine and the specific research methods for specific research objects.In Chapter2, literatures in recent20years since the first study on information resources accounting and reporting appears are reviewed. The trend of the main features of the research on theory and practice relating with information resources accounting reporting are summarized.In Chapter3, we carried out research on foundational theory of information resources accounting. We summarize and compare the related concepts, and analyze biological and economic characteristics, and have the classification on information resource, then, propose a new definition of information resources accounting. Proposing assumptions and basic principle for information resources accounting and elements of accounting measurement will provide theoretical support for information resources accounting. In Chapter4, the research is concerned with theory of information resources accounting reporting. According to the characteristics of information resources, we propose the general and special quality characteristics of information resources the accounting information. The information assets evaluation model is structured based on value theory in economics. Theory of the information assets value is improved. It is found that the key to determine the value of information system is the efficiency of information systems use. Using the sample enterprise data, we measure the controllable factors that affect the use of information system and influencing degree and importance of each factor. We give some suggestion on the managerial control in enterprise. Information asset management model is developed in this dissertation. The achievements from basic theory research of information resources and managerial reports provide theoretical supporting for the design of financial reports to the external.In Chapter5, the research is concerned with information resources managerial accounting reporting to the internal. By reviewing on the literature regarding performance evaluation and managerial information systems, according to the research findings in chapter3and4, we construct the enterprise information resources managerial reporting systems, including the investment performance evaluation reports on information system, information system operation management reports, information assets safety management reports and information product quality reports.In Chapter6, the research is concerned with information resources financial accounting reporting to the external. According to the research conclusions in chapter3and chapter5, referring to the domestic and foreign accounting standards, we develop information resources accounting information disclosure standards, including standards for accounting identification of information assets, standards for income related with information resource, standards for initial measurement on information assets, standards for follow-up measurement on information assets, standards for retirement and disposal of information assets, the context and form financial statements relating with information resources.In Chapter7, the conclusions for this dissertation are drawn. We give a summary for the whole research, the main innovations and contributions of this research, put forward the weakness and lack of the research, and prospect the research in the future.We draw conclusions as following:First, besides the general accounting assumptions, special assumptions should be followed for accounting identification, including, identifiable assumption, valuable assumption, variable value assumption, measurable assumption, non-consumable assumption, etc. According to the economic characteristics and measured by currency, the information r assets can be classified into four categories, such as data assets, hardware assets, software assets and other information assets (for example, service, enterprise’s reputation, and personnel). We think other information assets cannot be indentified as accounting assets currently since they are hard to be identified by monetary measurement,Second, we think there are eight basic principles for accounting measurement of information resources, including cost-and-benefit, relevance, reliability, prudence, full disclosure, classification by property, individual identifiable and measurable, reasonable evaluable. According to the principle "classification by property ", information assets can be divided into information assents for sold and information assents for self-use, which are measured by different methods. The information assents for sold are inventory assets and can be converted into cash. As the sales completed, the value of the assets is transferred to software or hardware assets outside of the enterprises. So it is appropriated to adopt net realizable value or historical cost as the measurement attributes; Even if be sales, the value of data assets is still left in the enterprise, and can be sales repeatedly, so fair value measurement attribute is the most proper, meanwhile, the influence of using premium of the data should be considered. The information production equipments which are information assents for self-use in enterprises are similar with the traditional fixed assets. So it is appropriate to use historical cost as their measurement attributes; the software asset and data assets which used as management and business information can be used by enterprise again and again, and can create new information assets. These information assets do not participate in market exchange, so the earnings and cash flow related with these assets are difficult to calculate accurately. We think historical cost should be adopted, meanwhile, some measurable system parameter such as sensitivity (including system usage, software complexity, software update difficulty) should be considered, which can demonstrates the assets use value and the intrinsic value. We also find that the key factor for information assets value is the use of information resources. There are three controllable non-financial factors for the management, which can promote more diverse and more frequent use of information system in enterprises. According to the importance in return, benefit apperceiving, training level and technical resources are most important factors. At the same time, we find that in Chinese enterprises, if there are strict laws and regulations, such as accounting, auditing and taxation and other internal control polices, it will reduce the diversity of the use of information system.Third, the information assets management model are consisted with four aspects, which are information systems management, information products management, information production improvement management, the information quality management, covering the entire process of information systems project investment management consisted with plan, analysis, design, implementation and maintenance and personnel knowledge management, system innovation, outsourcing, cost-benefit evaluation, the security management on soft and hardware assets, information quality control, etc. According to managerial reporting system framework and the related theory, information resource management should cover information system investment decision, the system operation, system security and product quality, etc.Fourth, on the basis of the information assets being identified and evaluated, according to the information assets management model, we develop information managerial reports systems, including the investment performance evaluation reports on information system, information system operation management reports, information assets safety management reports and information product quality reports; on the basis of managerial reports systems, disclosure financial accounting information to outside is chosen and standards for accounting identification of information assets, income related with information resource, initial measurement on information assets, follow-up measurement on information assets, retirement and disposal of information assets, the context and form financial statements relating with information resources are developed.The main contributions and innovation of this research are as following:First, develop and improve the information resources accounting theory such as information assets identification, measurement and accounting standards. Put forward specific information resources identification principles, which provide theoretical supporting to information accounting practical theory. On the basis of analysis and classification on economic characteristics of the information resources, we propose information assets accounting definition and identification standards, it is the first time to develop assets evaluation models for different types of information assets, on based of value price theory, utility prices theory, supply and demand theory, which improves the information assets accounting measurement theory and the reliability of the information resources accounting information. Second, develop the information resources reporting systems. On the basis of identification and measurement, find the non-financial factors influences information resource value, constructing the enterprise information resource management model, which provide theory supporting the identification and confirmation other financial and non-financial managerial accounting information and reporting to the internal and external users.The limitations and the shortcomings of the research exist. Firstly, the investigation for collecting enterprise data for the empirical study is thoroughly normal. Secondly, the comprehensive model is not adopted to test all relative variables. Thirdly, in the study of empirical research for factors on information systems use, the survey data is only about subjective opinion of the enterprise users, who tend to provide generally accepted answer. Although this dissertation with test the reliability and validity of the data from investigation, some new factors need to be refined. Fourthly, in the research of information resources accounting reporting theory, we do not cover all relative theories since we mean to concentrate on the significant issues and integrate the paper structure. Finally, in the study of standards for the accounting information disclose, survey data is lack due to financial and energy limit.