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The Firm of the Future: A Guide for Accountants, Lawyers, and Other Professional Services | 
 enlarge | Authors: Paul Dunn, Ronald J. Baker
Publisher: Wiley
Category: Book
List Price: $60.00
Buy New: $43.59
You Save: $16.41 (27%)
New (16) Used (9) from $39.97
Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 227489
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 360
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 10 x 7 x 1.3
ISBN: 0471264245
Dewey Decimal Number: 658
EAN: 9780471264248
ASIN: 0471264245
Publication Date: April 18, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New, Perfect Condition, Please allow 4-14 business days for delivery. 100% Money Back Guarantee, Over 1,000,000 customers served.
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Product Description
Praise for The Firm of the Future "In The Firm of the Future, Paul Dunn and Ron Baker create an intellectual challenge for firm leaders. They are truly two of the best critical thinkers today. Together they provide the reader with a wealth of thought-provoking ideas. This is an intellectual masterpiece."
-August J. Aquila, PhD
Managing Director, American Express Tax and Business Services
Coauthor, CPAs That Sell and CPA Firm Merger Strategies That Work "Paul Dunn and Ron Baker have done it again. Living up to their reputation for challenging conventional wisdom, Dunn and Baker present a new paradigm for the professions to understand the dynamic forces at play in the professional practice of the twenty-first century. The Firm of the Future is a brilliant work that adds a new dimension to the old formula for success in a professional service firm. Dunn and Baker clearly lay out a new road map to help leaders understand the differences between leveraging people and leveraging knowledge; between billing for time and pricing for value; and between doing things right and doing the right things. This new paradigm for the firm of the future will help professionals more accurately plan and structure their firm in a way that acknowledges and capitalizes on today's marketplace, technological opportunities, customer expectations, and human capital needs. Any practice leader who wants to ensure success for their organization should be compelled to read The Firm of the Future."
-Michael Platt
President and CEO, AccountingWEB
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| Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
A truly paradigm-shifting work May 14, 2006
David A. Spray (Houston, TX USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Ron Baker is doing for the professional services firms what Columbus and Pythagoras did for the "Earth is Flat" proponents! "Paradigm-shifting" has become so over-used in our culture, but it is not mere hyperbole when describing this book. The work is quite thorough, implementing excerpts, quotes, and philosophies from dozens of well-respected scholars, economists, and management consultants. The work reminds me a lot of Tom Peters' seminal book, "In Search of Excellence" in the way in which the author sprinkles in so many great examples from other successful organizations and industries. In addition, he has many real-world examples (from firms around the world) of professional services firms that have successfully tranformed their practices. I whole-heartedly recommend this book to any professional who is trying to transform a professional services organization or who is wondering if there might be a more effective and profitable way to run a professional services firm.
The Essential Reference for Law Firm Leadership February 7, 2006
Michael D. Sherman (Mobile, AL USA)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I first read this book about 2 years ago. I keep it within arm's reach of my desk and refer to it often, still.
I've read one reviewer who stated that this book was the modern almanac of best business practices. I agree completely.
I run my own small law firm. We have implemented many of this book's practices with great success and profitablilty. Primary among them is fixed fee agreements. Yes, we are a law firm that has trashed its time sheets, due in large part to the inspiration and impetus of this book. And, we will never go back.
An earlier reviewer suggested that this book would be more useful for CPA's and not for lawyers. I disagree. Though I'm certain the message of this book is critical for CPA's, I think that any person in law firm leadership must read this book. I think it is particularly suited to small firms and solos who will have the ability to immediately take action in implementing these ideas and making them a reality in their practice.
However, if you are one of my competitors forget everything I said above and do not touch this book. My firm and my family will thank you.
Extremely helpful, well documented. November 14, 2005
Luis Lopez Portillo (San Salvador)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a very well-documented guide for any service firm. It's also very well written, very insightful and very well researched. It's real deep, complete and full of advice and wisdom from several great minds. I run a corporate reputation consulting firm in El Salvador and this is the most advice-rich book I've encountered in the last five years. I also recommend "the trusted advisor" by David Maister and specially "Managing the Profesional Service Firm" also by Maister.
Permission to Believe December 13, 2004
Thomas A. Finneran
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
The Firm of The Future coordinates both the theory and practical application of pricing concepts AND business service models in such a complelling manner that Baker & Dunn give Professional services organizations permission to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
While the Firm of The Future is geared to the legal and accounting professions the message and vision is applicable to Advertising agencies, Consulting Organizations, Marketing service firms and professional service providers of all shapes and sizes.
Cost plus pricing is short sighted and intellectually flawed.The intense pressure on increasing billable hours and driving down costs is destroying the creativity and core capabilities of Professional Service companies.Baker&Dunn explain the flaws of cost plus and hourly schemes and identify a road map which outlines how to move a professional services organization and it's customers to a healthier, happier, more productive and more mutually profitable business process
A great read---Inspirational and practical
Tom Finneran
Executive Vice President
American Association of Advertising Agencies
Must reading for the professional service provider! December 4, 2003
Joe Gallardo, CPA (Arcadia, CA USA)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
After reading this book, you'll need to place it alongside your desktop dictionary, Thesaruas and Ron's first book "The Professional's Guide to Value Pricing. This is how strong of an impact their message has made on me.After reading the first two editions of Ron's book, I didn't think he would be able to improve much on the message of switching to Value Pricing. Boy, was I wrong! He and Paul Dunn have done an amazing job of getting the reader to think differently. As with the radical theme of trashing the timesheet in "The Professional's Guide to Value Pricing", they do a masterful job of convincing you why the old "Revenue Equation" must be replaced with the forward-thinking "Profit Equation". They go on to introduce other new topics not found amongst professional services firms such as developing your Intellectual, Structural and Social Capital, emphasizing effectiveness over efficiency and of course Value Pricing. As is typical of Ron's writing style, and complemented by Paul, their reasoning for making this paradigm shift is well supported and well reasoned. I've been using practicing Value Pricing for about 5 1/2 years now and I can tell you that it works. In my own firm, I've slowly begun implementing some of their new concepts but with a new perception. I'm convinced these principles will work for me and they can for you as well. After reading this book, you'll definitely want to keep it handy as a useful reference guide!
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