Widespread, inexpensive access to technology clearly underlies some of the most important forces driving social, organizational and economic change in our times. As individuals we are now accessible to each other no matter where we might be on the globe 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As a consequence of technological efficiencies, the US economy is ever more productive, even in times of increasing unemployment. And technology- enhanced networks have enabled the creation of "virtual" organizations of all kinds and empowered individuals in ways that our ancestors could only have dreamed.

Not only is the technology genie powerful and omnipresent, it is also cheap. Last month, the New York Times ran an article ("A Boon for Nonprofits with Software Needs," by Laurie J. Flynn) on how software manufacturers literally are giving away their products to nonprofits as a strategy to promote their brands, during a slow economy. Associations are no longer the poor stepchildren to for-profits in having access to the latest in software packages.

So, given the indisputable importance of technology and the fact it is so easily available, why shouldn't associations indulge themselves? Apply enough technology and who knows what good things can happen?

In Good to Great, Jim Collins noted that not one of the execs interviewed for his mentioned technology as a reason for their company's success. In these cases, technology was often used well, but the reasons behind their success were to be found elsewhere. In this regard, Collins echoes philosopher Henry Thoreau in his observation that people all too easily let themselves become slaves to the tools that are meant to serve them. Similar to Collins' "great" corporate examples, for Thoreau, the key to an individual's "success" was in being centered on what is important.

While technology can improve, enhance, speed-up, copy or destroy, it cannot create a new idea, identity, or purpose, or create and espouse values. This is our job.

Well-run associations have their vision, mission, principles and goals in place; then they verify how technology can help in the tactics. Such tactics might include inexpensive and rapid electronic communication with a widespread membership; 24-hour accessibility to a membership in many global time zones; or inter-reactive databases that provide constant feedback on members' likes and dislikes.

The curious thing about technology is that while its absence or misapplication can often be the reason for losing members', it is hardly ever the reason for new members' to join. As with the Good to Great corporations or in Thoreau's reflections on the individual in Waldon, associations succeed and thrive based on their ability to remain centered on what is important.

In wrestling with technological innovation, some execs agonize over where their organization should be on the spectrum of "high tech" to "high touch." With technological costs decreasing, these issues are no longer dominated by budget. Rather, the questions should be: What are our needs where technological solutions might help? And do these technological innovations support or detract from the association's vision, mission, and principles?

Showing a little circumspection about the value of new technology does not necessarily mean you are a knuckle-dragger. It might mean you have your priorities in the right place!

Good to Great is available on-line at the Trends Book Center, www.associationtrends.com