You work as an accountant for a small land development company that desperately needs additional financing to continue in business. The president of your company is meeting with the manager of a local bank at the end of the month to try to obtain this financing. The president has approached you with two ideas to improve the company’s reported financial position. First, he claims that because a big part of the company’s value comes from its knowledgeable and dedicated employees, you should report their Intellectual Abilities as an asset on the balance sheet. Second, he claims that although the local economy is doing poorly and almost no one is buying land or new houses, he is optimistic that eventually things will turn around. For this reason, he asks you to continue reporting the company’s land on the balance sheet at its cost, rather than the much lower amount that real estate appraisers say its really worth.
Required: Comment on the following questions. Why do you think the president is so concerned with the amount of assets reported on the balance sheet? What accounting concept relates to the presidents first suggestion to report Intellectual Abilities as an asset? What accounting concept relates to the presidents second suggestion to continue reporting land at its cost? Who might be hurt by the president’s suggestions, if you were to do as he asks? What should you do?