The Future Responsibilities of Accountants in the Context of Digital Transformations: A Theoretical Review

Abstract

Today, many technological developments ensure that an organization and accountants are powered by the digital infrastructure. Imparting a process-oriented and controlling character to the accountants, on the one hand, technological transformations eliminate many routine activities such as recording, referring, controlling, and classifying on the other. Nevertheless, the technological advances achieved by accounting and business over the transitional period have some associated risks. Moreover, when accountants or both accountants and other employees working in accounting processes are no longer linked to the organization only by the production of financial information, it would be misleading to determine the job categories in a limited and narrow sense. In this way, they will generate added value to other people in all stages of the processes such as carrying out complex tasks, giving consulting services, and establishing practical and effective structures. With these responsibilities, accountants of the future will be responsible for the efficiency and legitimacy of the activities on an absolute basis.

Accounting has become a profession with wide-ranging importance in the development of the information society. In particular, technological innovations in the information age provide significant advantages to accounting applications and accountants in their professional practices. However, as a potential risk of these developments, digital transformations blur the professional responsibilities of people working in accounting processes. In this context, accountants will influence decisions and activities of people in order to create an administrative, process-oriented, and controlling infrastructure for an organization. The only way for accountants to add unique values to the organization lies in developing competencies of expertise in the area of administration and management.