human capital

Definition

Health, knowledge, motivation, and skills, the attainment of which is regarded as an end in itself (irrespective of their income potential) because they yield fulfillment and satisfaction to the possessor. In an organizational context, human capital refers to the collective value of the organization's intellectual capital (competencies, knowledge, and skills). This capital is the organization's constantly renewable source of creativity and innovativeness (and imparts it the ability to change) but is not reflected in its financial statements. Unlike structural capital, human capital is always owned by the individuals who have it, and can 'walk out the door' unless it is recorded in a tangible form, or is incorporated in the organization's procedures and structure.