AAA Presidential Address

A speech by John K. Simmons at the 1989 annual meeting of the American Accounting Association (AAA) as the incoming president is presented. This is a unique opportunity to share selected personal and professional insights and to comment on current factors affecting accounting education and the activities of the AAA. Simmons believes that anticipated and effectively managed change can be both exciting and rewarding. Change that occurs without proper anticipation and management is not. Major changes in the business world include an increasing trend towards globalization, the creation of complex financing schemes, the development of an international investment market and the explosion in the use of computers and sophisticated information systems. Many of the changes in accounting practice are being driven by the underlying changes in the business world. While trends clearly favor an emphasis on broader education, some accounting programs may want to consider their potential role in providing additional specialized education.