An Extension of the REA Framework to Support Balanced Scorecard Information Requirements

Abstract

In this paper, we propose extensions to the resource-event-agent (REA) framework to encompass the information requirements of the balanced scorecard and other management systems that incorporate nonfinancial measures. The REA conceptual accounting framework was designed to describe the information architecture related to an organization's economic activity (e.g., McCarthy 1982; Dunn et al. 2005). Geerts and McCarthy (2001b, 2002) extended the original REA to include value-chain level configurations, task-level configurations, and encompass a broader array of business economic phenomena. Yet, the REA framework remains closely tied to its accounting roots, with a focus on economic events and financial resources. A substantial number of organizations are adopting strategic management systems that include both financial and nonfinancial measures to overcome known limitations of systems based on traditional financial data alone (e.g., Said et al. 2003; Eccles et al. 2001; Ittner et al. 2003). We therefore examine whether the REA framework supports the information requirements of this broader domain and propose extensions to fill the gaps identified.