Fulfilling its mission “to identify long-term emerging issues and trends and their impact on...GBA-Member Firms,” GBA’s Emerging Issues and Trends Committee conducted its biennial Crystal Ball Workshop in October 2013. Workshop participants included GBA leadership, committee members, and subject-matter experts who prepared by conducting research into six fundamental issues. They “brainstormed” these issues as the first element of the workshop, then, as the second element, they developed what they discussed into four trends – plus a “wildcard” – most likely to affect GBA-Member Firms over the next three to five years. The Committee decided to provide a summary of the brainstorming session so you can see where the four trends came from.

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