The theme of the World Economic Forum had much been dominated by the global warming which has been the major contribution of rapid industrialization and the devastating wars of Iraq and Afghanistan. The collective conscience was jolted by a short documentary presented by Algore (Ex-US presidential candidate), has spurred concern and speculations in the intellectual circles about any pragmatic contingency measures and steps in this regard. Since then the theme has been furthered and adopted by several other regional and international organizations, alliances and networks.
The agenda of the Davos session also included the
· Global Warming
· Shift of super-power to Asia
· Peace in the middle-east
· Poverty in Africa
· The role of Not-for-Profit Organizations
In its nature, it has nothing to do with the political interventions and moreover, with the prosperity of the world at large. What the forum actually is interested in is the conduciveness of the environment for business and trade. It serves as the link networking business tycoons accosting political magnates as means towards achieving their ends. So no high hopes can be achieved from any of these sessions, regarding the plight of oppressed nations.
The agenda of the Davos session also included the
· Global Warming
· Shift of super-power to Asia
· Peace in the middle-east
· Poverty in Africa
· The role of Not-for-Profit Organizations
In its nature, it has nothing to do with the political interventions and moreover, with the prosperity of the world at large. What the forum actually is interested in is the conduciveness of the environment for business and trade. It serves as the link networking business tycoons accosting political magnates as means towards achieving their ends. So no high hopes can be achieved from any of these sessions, regarding the plight of oppressed nations.
Davos and after – beyond the conversations
ReplyDeleteNandan M. Nilekani
Co-Chairman, Infosys Technologies Limited
Davos, January 26, 2008
Taking time off for a short post near the end of a busy Davos schedule.
It is becoming clear that even as we work together to address global issues, the recent events in the capital markets show that the world is becoming increasingly multi-polar.
Growth is now more distributed and broad-based with the emergence of multiple centers of growth spearheaded by countries such as India and China. As emerging economies continue to grow, they must be involved in the process of global governance. We need a more equitable representation of countries in global institutions for a constructive discussion on issues of trade and the environment.
At Davos, we are seeing the interconnectedness of our world across our panel discussions. Take, for instance, the dialogue on clean energy. We discussed bio-fuels as one of the alternatives. However, bio-fuels as a solution need to be seen in the light of sugarcane, corn and maize – a repository of agricultural produce – becoming sources of energy. This will affect the agrarian economy, the labor situation and burden the food supply chain.
But I think there is a growing realization that while there is the issue of equity with the developed nations about who contributes how much to the transition to a low-carbon economy, there is also a realization that it is in India's own strategic interest – since India is at a critical point of growth – to provide direction to that growth and create a system of incentives to create a low-carbon economy.
All these conversations we have at Davos have a subliminal effect – we absorb them, take them with us, assimilate them and revitalize our intellectual toolkit… I think that then starts flowing into academic pursuits, into business decisions, policy decisions… They manifest in the most unexpected ways.
Qin Min's reports on China and India
ReplyDeleteChina and India are no doubt this year's highlight. I went to a workshop today for a scenario-based discussion on business prospects in these two Asian giants for the next 20 years. The views expressed on China interested me a lot.
According to most participants, IPR protection is one of the biggest concerns for western businesses in China. Interestingly, the scenario designer is no optimist either, as a reasonably quick fix of IPR is absent in even the best scenario case for China.
I totally agree on the importance and urgency of the IPR issue. In a sense, you can never overemphasize it. Piracy and counterfeiting are counterproductive not only commercially--as they cost lawful business money, but also strategically--as they may cost China its image and credibility. At the commercial level, those violators do not make distinction between foreign and domestic IPRs, which also harms the interests of China's domestic businesses. In short, IPR abuse is NOT in China's interest.
However, I cannot reconcile myself with the seemingly prevalent gloomy mood in the room. It is precisely out of recognition of the gravity and urgency of this issue that the Chinese government has acted in a very determined and almost ruthless fashion against IPR violation. The political will is there, and there is real improvement on the ground. Check the newspapers and you will be surprised at the large numbers of piracy factories being stormed and IPR pirates prosecuted every day in China. After the compulsory introduction of copyrighted software in the government, now the campaign is extending to the corporate sector.
The IPR issue is a complicated one, as it involves not only enforcement but also education and broader matters such as economic development and social inclusion. Moreover, given China's size, it is no easy job for any government to ensure the same forceful implemention in each and every province or city. But let's have confidence in China. With a right attitude and cooperative approach on the part of western businesses and governments, I believe there will be an even quicker solution of IPR problems in China.