For those who like this sort of thing, Davos is going to be WAP enabled. Those with WAP phones will be able to get CNN, Dow Jones and Reuters headlines, and the entire programme will be available through WAP. The Europeans reckon they’re showing the Americans something about technology.
***Only in Davos
Question 1 for everyone here this morning is what does the Microsoft announcement mean for our programme. The immediate answer is “nothing”. We will still have the two Bills in Davos — Clinton and Gates. For a good sense of what it means for Microsoft, you’re better off looking at Scripting News.
I’ve written about how we work hard to create out-of-the-ordinary sessions. Our working motto is, “Only in Davos!” The Blair/Dell conversation on leadership should certainly qualify under that criterion. Another session that promises to do the same is the “hypothetical” on Thursday 27 January.
“Are corporations hostages to fortune?” has five panelists “playing” roles, in a scenario designed by Australian philosopher Simon Longstaff. Here’s the setup: “You have been warned that ‘extremists’ might target your company for direct action. However, nobody anticipated that the local government would fail to protect your operations in an environment in which your company’s adversaries have thrown away the rule book. And who invited CNN to cover your every move?”
Rick Menell, the dynamic young CEO of Anglovaal Mining, will have the role of CEO; Michael Elliott, editor of Newsweek International, is the media player; Richard Edelman of the eponymous PR company is the corporate advisor; Geoff Mulgan, who advises Tony Blair, is the fictional government’s voice; and Princeton bioethicist Peter Singer plays the NGO role. I expect few sessions will get participants thinking as deeply.
***Technical note
Quite a few participants have contacted me about getting access to the private area of the Forum website. If your password doesn’t work, try the Forum webmaster. You should understand, however, that everyone is incredibly busy here and response times are slowing down.
There has also been confusion about what you can do on the official website before the meeting. You can register your credit card details (and you should, password permitting), but you cannot sign-up for any Davos sessions before 8.30 am on Thursday 27 January.