Management of Human Resources at INFOSYS
“Our assets walk out of the door each evening. We have to make sure that they come back the next morning” (as stated by Narayana Murthy former, CEO of INFOSYS.) At a time when organisations are debating the strategic importance of their human resources, Infosys, a consulting and software services organisation, includes its human resources on its balance sheet to affirm their asset value. The rationale for this is as follows: “The long term success of a company is usually examined on certain financial and non-financial parameters. Human resources are among these new non financial parameters that challenge the usefulness of evaluating corporate success solely on traditional measures. Human resources represent the collective expertise, innovation, leadership, entrepreneurial and managerial skills endowed in the employees of an organisation.” As a knowledge intensive company, Infosys recognises the value of its human assets in maintaining its competitive position. It realises that these assets can easily walk away, as competitors in India and abroad covet its IT talent. Consequently, the challenge facing Infosys is how to attract, retain and develop its human assets in a highly competitive and dynamic environment? Most of the current human resource practices at Infosys result from the vision of the leaders and the culture that they have created. Narayana Murthy, known for his leadership and vision is the public image of Infosys. His leadership style is humble and straight-forward, quite uncommon in the world of Indian business. He believes in sharing wealth with his employees and in leading by example. In a knowledge-based business like Infosys, he sees the importance of consistency in rhetoric and action in empowering employees. He is credited with creating a culture of closeness and empowerment at Infosys. His management style, rare among Indian business leaders, is based on western management.
Where does Infosys include its human resources to affirm their asset value?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Balance Sheet
Option (1) Balance Sheet — Correct. The passage says so directly, and the choice follows from what an asset is. A balance sheet shows what a business owns and what it owes on a given date. Anything treated as an asset must appear there. By placing the skill and experience of its employees on that statement, the company is saying that its people are capital of the business, to be valued along with its buildings and machines.
Option (2) Profit and Loss statement — Incorrect. It records income and expenses over a period, not what the business holds. Salaries appear there as a cost, which is the opposite of treating people as an asset.
Option (3) Cash flow statement — Incorrect. It shows the movement of cash into and out of the business. It carries no list of assets at all.
Option (4) Ratio analysis — Incorrect. This is a method of studying figures that have already been reported. It is not a statement in which anything can be shown.
Note: The passage is the NCERT case study ‘Management of Human Resources at INFOSYS’, which has been reproduced by NTA in the exam. NCERT (2026-27 Edition): “Management of Human Resources at INFOSYS … At a time when organisations are debating the strategic importance of their human resources, Infosys, a consulting and software services organisation, includes its human resources on its balance sheet to affirm their asset value. The rationale for this is as follows: “The long term success of a company is usually examined on certain financial and non-financial parameters. Human resources are among these new non-financial parameters that challenge the usefulness of evaluating corporate success solely on traditional measures. Human resources represent the collective expertise, innovation, leadership, entrepreneurial and managerial skills endowed in the employees of an organisation.”” |