August 1999

AICPA to Send Vision CD to Members

The AICPA has produced a multimedia CD-ROM on the CPA Vision for individuals to use both as a research tool and interactive guide to learn how the vision applies to them.

The CPA Vision is a cooperative effort between the AICPA and state societies to mobilize members to meet the demands of the marketplace in the 21st century. (See the sidebar for the CPA Vision Statement and Core Purpose).

"The CD is designed to be a self-directed tour of the Vision and all of its elements and includes the tools to understand it and make it actionable," said Tom Hood, chair of the Vision Team and executive director of the Maryland Association of CPAs.

Starting with a home page that offers a main menu of five broad categories, as well as active links to other resources and search functions, the CD allows users to browse or focus on topics of special interest. Some topics that users can explore include the Vision's origins, rationale, core research findings, impact on CPAs' professional lives, and how others are living the Vision.

Additionally, users can gain access to a wide spectrum of related information resources. For example, extensive "white papers" examine Vision-related concepts and issues, putting the significance of the CPA Vision findings into the larger context of economic and professional trends and influences.

Other resources in the library include the CPA Vision Report, an executive summary of research findings, and lists of CPA services and organizations throughout the profession. A comprehensive glossary defines key accounting and Vision terminology. Canned presentations also are available through website hot links.

The CD contains a series of interactive self-assessment tests that enable users to analyze their preparedness to assume the principles of the CPA Vision, including their current competencies, client services, comfort with change, and entrepreneurial orientation. It provides practical management and organizational information covering areas such as strategic planning, change management, communication within an organization, structural alignment, and value-chain theory.

Interactive menu options enable users to access text on varying levels of specificity and depth. The CD also contains over 50 minutes of video and audio featuring experts in the profession. Users can access additional text, audio, and video through recurring icons and "hot links" to relevant websites.

The AICPA plans to mail the CD with the October Journal of Accountancy, its publication that reaches nearly all of its members. The AICPA believes that the CD will help CPAs attain a personal understanding of the CPA Vision and that this understanding is critical in making the future success of the profession a reality. *

Vision Statement

CPAs are the trusted professionals who enable people and organizations to shape their future. Combining insight with integrity, CPAs deliver value by:

* Communicating the total picture with clarity and objectivity,

* Translating complex information into critical knowledge,

* Anticipating and creating opportunities, and

* Designing pathways that transform vision into reality.

Core Purpose