The Annual Meeting programme comprised more than 150 panel sessions attended by leaders from business, government and civil society from more than 100 countries. The programme was built around a number of sub-themes including the Emergence of China and India, the Changing Economic Landscape, new Mindsets and Changing Attitudes, Future Direction of Europe, Jobs of the Future, Erosion of Trust in Public and Private Institutions, the Need for Effective Leadership, Innovation, Creativity and Design Strategy.
Wednesday 25 January
Thursday 26 January
Friday 27 January
Saturday 28 January
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Wednesday 25 January
Update 2006: Global Economy
In partnership with Time magazine, TheWorld Economic Forum hosts the Time Board of Economists for a discussion of the issues and themes likely to dominate the global economy in the next year.
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Update 2006: New Mindsets and Changing Attitudes
This session will draw attention to how new mindsets and changing attitudes are reshaping the global agenda including the health of democracies worldwide, the rise of fundamentalism, the response to extremism and the expectations of new generations.
Update 2006: Tough Choices 2005 -- Did We Make a Difference?
At the Annual Meeting 2005 Town Hall participants chose the top six issues on the global agenda for the year. These were poverty, equitable globalization, climate change, education, Middle East and global governance.
Update 2006: Banking on China's Banks
The vast majority of commercial finance in China (more than 90%) is done by large domestic banks. Though the level of non-performing loans has recently been reduced and corporate governance standards are now higher, more changes are necessary.
Update 2006: The Emergence of China and India
This session will examine the significance of the emergence of China and India for the Asian region and the world over the next 12-18 months.
Update 2006: Innovation and Design Strategy
This session willl look at the ways business, government and civil society are applying creative and design capabilities in response to a rapidly changing global landscape.
Update 2006: Jobs of the Future
A billion workers from emerging economies joined the global labour market over the last five years, creating both disruptions and opportunities.
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The Big Debate: Setting the Business Agenda
The co-chairs will launch the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2006 with a review of the themes. Focusing on seven key issues, the Big Debate will lead participants through an innovative voting process and a series of lively table discussions to jointly map out the concrete actions needed to tackle the most pressing challenges facing business and society today.
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Business and Human Rights
As global companies establish new markets across the world, they are often confronted by regimes known for their lack of respect of human rights. A UN Business and Human Rights Representative has now been appointed to highlight the pitfalls and solutions.
What Is Your Cultural IQ?
As more businesses establish a truly global presence, being attuned to finer cultural differences will increase in importance.
Breakthrough Ideas for 2006: China as a Green Lab
China's transformation into a market economy is creating a large and affluent middle class. However, policy-makers will have to move swiftly to take on a more sustainable approach to development if it is to curtail the environmental damage associated with this rapid development.
The Role of Corporate and Private Philanthropy in Effective Development
As they become increasingly involved in development objectives, corporations and philanthropists are potential untapped sources of innovative approaches to tackling poverty.
Privacy: It Was Nice While We Had It
Public fear over the loss of privacy has only increased with the rise in identity theft and the vulnerability - perceived or real of personal financial data.
Why I Bring My Office to the Beach
With technology making it ever easier to stay connected, many seem to find it impossible to switch off - literally and figuratively.
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Thursday 26 January
The First 100 Days
The first 100 days in a new position are critical to setting the right tone and direction. Early successes or mistakes can affect what follows in the months and years ahead.
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Security in an Always-on World
As the flow of information among billions of users continues to increase, so do the risks. Credit card and identity theft, concerns over biometric data and conflicting regulatory approaches require an urgent and concerted response.
Chinese Companies, Global Champions
A few high profile bids by Chinese companies for overseas assets have triggered speculation that China is about to embark on a major acquisition spree.
Making Global Institutions Work
2005 may go down as an annus horribilis for many international institutions. Although the challenges they face are different, this workshop will explore how global institutions will have to be creative in adapting to today's threats and opportunities.
Global Risks 2006: Societal Change and Reputational Risk
"We can afford to lose a lot of money. But we cannot afford to lose one shred of our reputation." Warren Buffett's first commandment is easy to appreciate, but hard to execute in the face of complex societal risks like emergent diseases, shifting values and the backlash to globalization. In this workshop, participants will tap into collective wisdom and expertise to identify risks and study best practice cases from organisations that have successfully protected their social licence in the face of some of these issues.
Digital Inclusion: To 'e' or Not to 'e'
For several years, closing the digital divide was assumed to be a key to to social and economic development, particularly in the area of education and employment.
The Challenges of A Changing China
Behind the current enthusiasm for China's rapid economic growth, Chinese leaders face difficulties that even the most robust economies would find challenging.
Labour Migration: How Far Is Too Far?
With countries opening their borders, it has become easier for both individuals and companies to relocate. Although today we are afraid of increased competition for jobs, tomorrow we will not have enough people to do the work and to cover the increasing social costs due to demographic changes.
Social Production Delivers Disruption
Wikipedia, open source software, blog services -- products based on so-called "social production" -- are becoming serious competitors to traditional for-profit goods and services.
China and the World: Scenarios to 2025
During this launch session, participants from business, civil society and government will discuss the future of China using scenarios developed in consultation with over 100 experts and leading institutions around the world. Executive summaries of the scenarios will be made available to participants.
Executing Business Strategies OR Long-term Ambitions in a Short-term World
As the average tenancy of a CEO shortens, and quarterly figures are the barometer of success or failure, business leaders have to balance longterm strategy with short term results.
Making the Global Labour Market Work
Corporations must be able to find talent when and where they most need it. But obstacles, such as public concerns about immigration, security and possible job losses, encourage governments to restrict labour movement.
Not If, But When: Business in Natural Disaster Response
Business often holds the expertise necessary to enable governments and civil society to respond faster and more effectively to a disaster.
Breakthrough Ideas for 2006: Doubt and Decision-making
A core responsibility of any CEO is to identify the risk and opportunities available and decide on the best course of action.
Merger and Acquisition Heatmap
Over $2.3 trillion of mergers and acquisitions have been announced in 2005, up over a third from the same period in 2004. It's clear given the backlog, seen by investment banks, if current trends continue, 2006 will be even better than 2005.
"If you're the seller of a business or a division, this is the time to move."
Where Have the Managers Gone? OR Is There a Manager in the House?
The term manager has been marginalized and belittled in the past decade as executives and business school students alike aspire to be considered as entrepreneurs and visionary leaders.
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Friday 27 January
The Global Talent Tap
In the emerging economic environment where creativity is at a premium, the competition for talent is increasing fierce.
Whither the Global Corporate Citizen?
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become engrained in modern corporate life, however, sceptics question whether CSR is more about public relations than action.
CEO Series: Shifting the Centre of Gravity towards Asia
The emergence of China and India is compelling global corporations to adopt new strategies and designs in response to the shift in economic to the region.
Join your peers in a collaborative workshop to look into the future, exploring the implications for your organizations as the world shifts towards Asia.
A New Breed of Giant: Emerging Market Multinationals
There are already more than 1,000 emerging market-based companies with sales in excess of US$ 1 billion. Many may be market leaders in the future.
Moving into Reverse Migration
Developing countries with good governance and robust growth are now starting to entice the most talented of their workforce to return home.
Outsourcing Everywhere: Externalizing Your Innovation and Creativity OR Externalizing Innovation and Creativity
Innovation remains a critical and strategic component for businesses. To stay ahead, organizations are increasingly stepping outside their organizational borders to accelerate their capacity to innovate and create value.
A New Democracy in Digital Rights Management
The promise of the next generation of convergence technology and mobile platforms puts gadget makers at the centre of the debate on digital rights management.
Convergence and the Customer
The integration of data, voice and video across networks and devices should open the door to a wave of new products and services. But usability and identifying the right applications remain barriers to widespread adoption.
Who Has Time for Strategy Anyway?
Reconciling tension between tactical flexibility and long-term objectives is key to sound business strategy. As product lifespans shorten, some companies are recasting their approach to strategy.
Global Risks 2006: The Connected Economy
Risks such as oil price uncertainty, asset bubbles and the rise of China can no longer be considered in isolation. Business needs sophisticated models of risk analysis and pricing.
The Future of Healthcare
Healthcare cost are already as high as 15% of GDP in many developed economies and are set to rise as new treatments become available and populations age.
Beyond the 30-Second Brand
New technologies are radically changing the way people consume media and information and, in turn, how companies reach target audiences.
Digital 2.0: Powering a Creative Economy
New technology designs are enabling a wide range of consumer and business products while creating the foundation for tomorrow's "disruptive" forces.
CEO Series: Building a Culture of Innovation
An economy driven by creative capabilities brings a new imperative for empathy, experimentation and collaboration. Global corporations must connect to customers in new ways, react to constantly changing business context, bring innovation to market faster, and break down silos to better leverage the capabilities and knowledge of the organization.
Join your peers in this collaborative workshop that takes a 'learning by doing approach' to understanding the power of design thinking and the fostering of a culture of innovation within global business.
The Myth of the Zero-Risk Business Environment OR The Myth of the Zero-Risk Regulation
As trust in business continues to erode, governments are increasingly using regulation as a blunt instrument with which to allay the public's fears.
Moving Up the Technology Value Chain
Corporations, universities and governments all share a common interest in collaborating so to increase the technological development infrastructure of economies. New approaches and partnerships are springing up in unlikely places.
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Saturday 28 January
The Foreign Policy of M&A
Whether it's American opposition to Chinese firms acquiring energy assets, German unease with investments by private equity firms, or furore in France at the possible takeover of a national champion, cross-border mergers are still meeting political resistance.
Innovating in Innovation
Firms are increasingly cutting their spending on in-house R&D in favour of open, networked approaches to developing new products, processes and business lines. In this workshop, participants will explore the following questions:
1) What are the new innovation models and how are they being implemented?
2) Is it better to be a fast follower than a radical innovator?
3) What risks are associated with open innovation models?
Global Risks 2006: Risky Business -- Conflation, Resilience and Cooperation
To make their organisations more resilient, CEOs will need to understand what risks to watch and who to partner with to turn mitigation challenges into business opportunities.
Finance and Growing Pains
As more companies emphasize innovation strategies as a means of product differentiation, their need to balance short-term performance with long-term investments becomes critical.
Making Innovation Real
Despite agreement on the importance of innovation, few organizations have a clear understanding of how to convert the desire to innovate into tangible results. This workshop has been designed to close the gap. Participants will be able to explore state-of-the-art innovation practices and tools, and develop a customized action plan for innovation in their organizations.
Innovation Everywhere...Except in Management
Management Innovation: The Ultimate Advantage
In the past decade, companies have revamped logistics, supply chains and R&D. Yet the majority have failed to innovate in the area where it most matters: management.
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