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In my last column, I wrote that to embrace change simply isn't enough in today's disruptive environment. The key is transformation, and transformation means doing something utterly and radically different.
How accounting firms and small businesses view technology requires transformative thinking. It is no longer enough to think internal, local and linear. One must think outside the firm and profession; think exponentially and globally. Exponential growth and innovation occur when multiple disciplines are brought together to brainstorm. This happened during the Renaissance and is often referred to as the period between the Middle Ages and modern history. Frans Johansson wrote an excellent book, The Medici Effect, on intersectional versus directional innovation.
The second important point about today's world is that there are three primary digital accelerators currently converging: processing power, bandwidth and storage. Couple this with the convergence of technology in multiple disciplines (networks and sensors, infinite computing, artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing, drones and genomics) that put us in a world of rapid change.
Individual and organizational thinking needs to be based upon abundance rather than a scarcity mentality. In other words, to transform the accounting profession, we must think differently and specifically when it comes to technology. Many have viewed technology as overhead in the past, rather than as a strategic asset. This reflects a scarcity mentality and will only result in increased frustration and commoditization going forward. I often hear that clients aren't asking for something different. Dan Burrus in Flash Foresight states, ?The truth is that clients don't know what they want, because most don't yet know what is possible. Give your clients the ability to do what they can't currently do, but would want to if they only knew it was possible.?
With this introduction, let's look at a sample technology capability model that considers:
* The client;
*...