The Accountant of the Future : The effects of digitization on the accounting and audit industry

Change is a timeless phenomenon. There are different catalysts for change, a significant catalyst is digitization that affects society, organizations and individuals. An industry where digitization has been discussed a lot is the accounting and audit industry, where the foundation lies in creating, validating and reporting financial information. Current technological developments change the way in which the industry operates, thus managing the financial information. Digitization is an organizational change in the industry and thus also examined how this change affects the professional role. The purpose of the study is to contribute to a deeper understanding of the effects of organizational change that arises from digitization and how specific factors can contribute to a successful change process. In addition, we wanted to identify the working methods of the future and how the professional role in the accounting and audit industry will develop. What has been shown in the study is the positive attitude towards digitization and changing working methods. This can be explained by the adaptability of the individual, the company's success in its implementation of digitization and the age factor in the company. Digitization has resulted in a more flexible way of working which contributes to reduced physical contact. Consulting and analysis are identified as significant competencies as digitalization's development of the industry. Additionally, a seventh success factor, Customer Relationship, is added