Arguments to invest in accounting information systems (AIS) are multiple, but two key themes have emerged in the literature: the potential for cost saving from improved efficiency and the capacity to support business strategies. This chapter examines the latter of these two themes, taking as its starting point Porter’s two generic business strategies: cost leadership and differentiation. Two approaches to AIS acquisition are considered: bespoke development and off-the-shelf purchase. These two dimensions – generic business strategy and software acquisition mode – provide a framework for analysis of AIS support for firms, and the four quadrants of the framework provide the basis for this chapter. A key contribution of the chapter is the identification of the critical factors involved in the choice of AIS to support the business strategy. The chapter also considers the implications for AIS of new forms of business competition afforded by platforms, networks and ecosystems and new modes of transferring and recording value through cryptocurrencies and blockchains.