Executives at Davos claimed their firms were tapping the Net’s potential, and that it was changing the way they do business. Peter Bijur, CEO of Texaco USA, said the Web was forcing companies to dramatically increase their dialogue with shareholders and groups pressing for greater attention to human rights, the environment and social responsibility. “NGOs have grown tenfold in the last decade–empowered and networked by the Web,” he noted.
But Forum CEOs weren’t entirely at odds with the survey. When it comes to corporate Web sites, “there’s a need for a shift from a broadcast mind-set to a conversational mind-set,” argued John Hagel, chief strategy officer of 12 Entrepreneuring, USA, a company that helps to develop IT start-ups. That means more interactive sites, and a willingness to allow unfiltered information all the way up to the top brass.
Net boosters claim that the increased transparency will be good for business. A vintage Davos message–even if CEOs elsewhere aren’t rushing to embrace it.
