The Way We Meet The Way We Travel

The Way We Meet, The Way We Travel When Technology and Guilt Collide Anthony Judge Union of Imaginable Associations www. un-imagine. org Presentation in a session on the Future Consumer Wired in Travel in Asia Singapore, 29 -30 November 2007

Discussion framework • Vital role of meetings and travel • Pressures for change • Conscience-based market segmentation • Strategic postures: defensive vs proactive – Stage I: Palliative strategies – Stage II: Proactive strategies • Stage III: Reframing the challenge – Mode A: – Mode B: – Mode C:

Vital role of meetings -- personal background biases • Information systems: for international meeting organization (1970 -2005) – – Missionary for “computer conferencing” (1975 -1985) UIA Associate Members meetings (1980 -2005) International meeting statistics Bid for management of. ORG web domain (2002) • Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential – Global Strategies Project – Ecoylnx – environment (1997 -2000) • Futurist, notably focusing on future of dialogue (1975 >) – International Congress on Congress Organization (Copenhagen 1967, Barcelona 1970, Kyoto 1975) – Augmenting collective intelligence (Douglas Engelbart) • Meeting participation at a wide variety of events

Pressures for change • • Energy shortages: Oil prices / Fuel prices Environmental impacts Pressure groups & campaigns Public relations image – Corporate response (“Greenwashing”? ) – Political uptake (“Legislative directives”? ) – Pressures on meeting organizers (“Justification”? ) • Market reconfigruation • Individual conscience (Guilt? Shame? )

Conscience-based market segmentation • Hypocrisy? My own travel? • According to popular understanding: – travelling to conferences is not commonly associated with a guilty conscience – “development set” poem – skilled in personal “guilt management” • But they are subject to PR pressures – irrespective of comments on expensive meals and starvation – problem of image for the organizers • Guilt for some, but in marketing terms – lots of guilt-free enthusiasts to replace them

“Conscience sensitivity” Conscience-based behaviour -- “ethical” -- precautionary Diffusion of innovation theory: Everett Rogers Denial-based behaviour -- “indulgent” -- carefree

Caracterization of evolution of meeting participant behaviours Combination of two separate tables developed by Nadia Mc. Laren and Peter Harper "Cringe" Harm avoidance; behavioural inhibition Self-directedness Individualism Unenlightened Short-term Narrow view "Binge" "Whinge" Reward dependence; Novelty-seeking: behavioural activation maintenance Self-serving complaints Blame others Impulsive, and often overwhelmed by "Stinge" Persistence continuity, consistency Denial Abstinence Stick to rules Depression Projection of problems onto others Avoid strangers Seek material reward Selfishness / greed Conspicuous consumption Indulgence Scrooge Minimalism "Do just enough to get by" Cooperation I My family / Our mob Reluctant reformism Tokenism Avoidance Reduction Respect for authority Stress Procrastination End justifies means Personal improvement Personal gratification "Keeping up with Jones" Protest NIMBY Experimental "No pain, no gain" Prudence Routine Accept others weaknesses Cooperation II Selective philanthropy Enlightened conservatism Presustainability Protection Reflection Apology "Do unto others…" Dematerialization, Reuse, Recycling Repair Activism "Put money where mouth is" Austerity Stay within means Accept own weaknesses Self- transcendence Global community Sustainability Long-term Broader view "Bite the bullet" Implement tough decisions Mending damage Act according to conscience Personal fulfilment Spiritual nourishment Affirmation Celebration Initiation Instigation Open to change Test the limits Multitasking Discipline events

Caracterization of evolution of policy options & indicators Combination of two separate tables developed by Nadia Mc. Laren and Peter Harper "Cringe" Harm avoidance; behavioural inhibition "Binge" "Whinge" Reward dependence; Novelty-seeking: behavioural activation maintenance "Stinge" Persistence continuity, consistency Self-directedness Individualism Unenlightened Short-term Narrow view Blanket restriction "No exceptions" Scorched earth "The pain is worth it" Mutual reinforcement Disinformation Fanaticism Zealotry Anti-establishment Hidebound status quo "Business as usual" Cooperation I My family / Our mob Reluctant reformism Tokenism "Tough love" "This hurts me more than it hurts you" Spin Cosmetic “Growth is good for us” Unrealistic Eccentric "Blue sky" Historically determined Precedent Incrementalism Cooperation II Selective philanthropy Enlightened conservatism Presustainability Facing up to the truth Sharing the load "We'll tighten our belts together" Vision Image building Imaginative Exploring alternate models Favour variety Test all possibilities Proven link Experimentally tested Self- transcendence Global community Sustainability Long-term Broader view Remediation Sharing responsibility Precautionary principle Internalisation of environmental costs Vision embodiment Collective fulfilment Shared celebration Intragenerational equity Creativity Risk taking In touch with minority views Reconciling existing with emergent Carrying the load Intergenerational equity

Principles of the Conscientized International Meeting Participant political correctness in international initiatives http: //www. laetusinpraesens. org/musings/prinexp. php • • • 17. Resource conservation: I will only participate in meetings or projects which make deliberate efforts to counter the wastage of natural resources normally associated with such activities. 18. Meeting budget: I will only participate in meetings or projects in which the total budget for the preparatory meetings (including travel, accommodation, and cost of work lost) does not exceed a reasonable percentage (say 33 %) of the total annual operational budget (i. e. excluding administrative overheads) of the project. 19. Smoking: I will only participate in meetings or projects in which smoking in any form is not tolerated. 20. Alcohol consumption: I will only participate in meetings or projects enlivened by receptions, banquets or entertainment in which alcoholic beverages are not tolerated. 21. Meat consumption: I will only participate in meetings or projects in which the meals provided, available or recommended, do not involve consumption of animal flesh. 22. Energy use: I will not participate in meetings or projects in which the use of energy (for air conditioning, central heating, lighting, etc. ) is inconsistent with the internationally recognised need to conserve energy resources.

Realistic “Post-conscience” strategic challenges “Negative” attractors Consciencebased guilt shame prudence Inconvenience disruptions security bioterrorism health hassle scheduling risk “Positive” attractors Service substitution New attractors new meeting modes higher value meetings better communication technologies

Market impacts • blame / finger-pointing / negative public relations • reduced face-to-face attendance – – eccentric venue locations (costly aggregate travel) focus on essential travel accompanying person(s) joy riding / junkets incentive travel / junkets • reconfiguration of existing market – limited “high conscience” market shifts to virtual – mass “low conscience” replacement market continues to “meat” • separate massive evolution of new virtual market

Types of events especially vulnerable to critical PR • Davos • Porto Alegre • Summits (UN, G 8, etc) • Olympic Games • Large scale (Rotary, etc)

Probable negative framing of PR slogans • “Meat world” vs ……“Virtuous world”? • Meetings framed as “Meatings” – “Meating Participant”? – “Meatings Industry”? • MICE: Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Events • “MICE” – consuming non-renewable resources? • KL reframing **** – “Meating Organizer” ? • Old-style meetings – for the elderly? – participant obsolescence?

“Meating” substitution trends? -- loss of conventional travel-meeting market Future Mass “membership” meetings Present Social networking “meetings” Past Present Past Future Eminent / Prestige meetings Present Past Present Expert / Specialist meetings Future

Strategic postures: defensive vs proactive • Stage I: Damage limitation: palliative defensive strategies – – Competitive “greenwashing”? Will the challenges be contained? Will the problems get worse – and be more damaging to business? Will the travel industry be bypassed by alternative meeting modest ? • Stage II: Proactive reframing: leadership vs followership – creative development of alternative models? – offering possible eco-sensitive options to clients • Stage III: Proactive reframing: more fruitful attractors – reframing the “travel-meeting” concept

Stage I: Palliative strategies Token adaptation? • Competitive analysis of eco-footprints – energy, carbon emissions, policies – per participant, organizer, or venue • Competitive ratings and positioning – eco-ratings, star system (5 eco stars? ) • Competitive presentations – venues, meeting types – catchment mileage – energy cost (per meeting, per participant)

Stage II: Adaptive strategies • Meeting cost reduction strategies • Benefitting from precursor initiatives • Participating in development of models • Developing industry-specific new models

Meeting cost reduction strategies • fewer meetings? • optimization strategies? – scheduling chains / tours of different events – cost sharing between venues – longer (less-frequent) events – clustered events / multi-meetings – maximizing opportunities in venue vicinity • promoting creative mix of virtual and face-to-face

Benefitting from precursor initiatives • Industry experiences: – – oil industry “greenwashing” models corporate social responsibility models hotel industry responsiveness EU CAP – paying farmers “not to grow” • Carbon Disclosure Project

Participating in development of models • Carbon credits trading models • Carbon emission compensation strategies

Creative development of new models • travel/convention industry: emission offset fund • "one child policy" -- "one trip policy“ • ethical investment model proposing ecosensitive portfolio of a range of formulae (as with risk-sensitive investment portfolios)

Strategies based on carbon credits • Creative reframing of of air mileage arrangements – – – – "air" miles speaking e-mission airtime airline mileage model >> carbon credit model trading in travel-related carbon credits conversion: mileage <> carbon credits emission credit sharing (as with costs) bursary/discount(ed) travel (reframe subsidies as ecosubsidies) • contribute discounted "mileage" to a pool Carbon credits trading • "Banking" energy-emission credits

Carbon credits Accumulating carbon credits – forfeiting travel to accumulate credits for later use – model of farmers paid not to grow Funding carbon credits – by venue – by carrier – by venue country, region, city

Stage III: Proactive reframing of the challenge “product innovation” cultivating new attractors • • “Travel” “Meetings” “Contacts” “Productivity” • • “Viability” “Quality” “Marketing” “Relevance” IBM’s « typewriter problem? »

Mode A: Market reconfiguration: virtualization & dematerialization • • • Conference industry lost business New business Not investing in Proactive Social networking

“Meating” substitution trends? -- loss of conventional travel-meeting market Future Mass “membership” meetings Present Social networking “meetings” Past Present Past Future Eminent / Prestige meetings Present Past Present Expert / Specialist meetings Future

Meeting virtualization: substitution & surrogates • recognize the extent to which meetings have • avatars • meeting market statistics • second life • social networking • "meat world"? -- eco-glutton world

“Teleconferencing”: why? why not? Past Present Future « computer conferencing » who: uptake? rejects for what? when? video conferencing who: uptake? rejects for what? when? virtual environments who: uptake? rejects for what? when?

Mode B: Enhancing value of “meatings” • • • Cultural preferences Psychological preferences Age-related sensitivities Security Low key networking Other senses

Meeting innovation • Carbon-based replacement – Silicon-based meetings – Second Life (Wired) – Tele-presence • Reframe meatings to increase their value – Feng shui – Recontextualizing face-to-face • Hybridization – Face-to-face AND Virtual, rather than OR – Transformations between both

Enhancing meetings as “strange attractors” Vital expectation of meeting participation Emergent / Enabling / Fruitful: – Insight – Opportunities / Priorities – Order / Organization – Resources – Contacts – Reframing / Recontextualizing – “Re-creation”

Meeting alternatives and willingness to risk

Order Conferencing and risk Congress session Low participation Crowd Disorder Caucasing High Participation Spontaneity (“corridor”)

Stakes and risk (High stakes) Average congress Caucasing High stakes / Low risk Low stakes / Low risk Crowd Low risk High stakes / High risk Low stakes / High risk Spontaneity (“corridor”) (Low stakes) High risk

Mode C: Anticipating future meeting styles what are we failing to recognize? What will this meeting look like in » 10 years? » 30 years? » 50 years? » 100 years? » 500 years? » 1000 years? And why should we care?

Future of Meeting? • Open Handset Alliance ? – 33 large corporations convened by Google • Mobile devices – as primary means of accessing information – migrate the information to other screens such as our televisions, automobiles or displays in our workplaces. • Open Social platform: social network computing – unite applications on the web into a social operating system – emphasis on organizing and developing relationships instead of just managing information.

“We are our own metaphor” ”Wired in Travel” • “Travel”: geographical vs intersectoral – Generating business from other forms of travel – Risk of core business being contextually reframed – “Carpet pulled from under the feet” • “Wired”: hard-wired vs soft-wired – Connectivity: wiring « pattern that connects » – Cultivating “songlines of the noosphere”” – “Re-wiring”? ? ? ?

Fundamental challenge • Enhancing the value of meeting – New forms of: • Integrative understanding for global initiatives • Management of diversity and disagreement – Not: • Physical vs virtual • Error: simplistic virtual replication of physical • Ultimate “environmental” irony – more effective (communication) environments – more sustainable (communication) environments – higher quality (communication) environments

Dynamic conference mind-mapping

Representation of “wired in travel” in a global society? Syntegration? Cultivating the “Songlines of the noosphere”?

Collective self-consciousness in meetings individual-collective interface Introduction of a self-reflexive dimension (cf Douglas Hofstadter, Gödel, Escher, Bach; I Am a Strange Loop)

Reframing through new metaphors Influence of new thinking on meetings – > New problems – > New strategies – > New technologies – > New theories – > Non-western cultures – >New generations …. and ensuring their relationship to the old

Meeting metaphors from new technologies? Reframing the energy challenge -- in psychosocial terms Lessons from nuclear fusion as the hope for a technological response to the carbon-based energy crisis (cf ITER: a joint international research and development project that aims to demonstrate the scientific and technical feasibility of fusion power) “Cognitive fusion” as a new way of thinking about the essential psychosocial role and operation of meetings? (cf Cognitive Fusion Reactor (ITER-8): Imaginal Transformation of Energy Resourcing) Meetings as generators of “human energy”

Meeting Metaphors -- based on long-lasting cultural metaphors? Towards Another Order of Conferencing: Insights from the Chinese Book of Changes http: //www. laetusinpraesens. org/docs/ching/achngcot. php New Asian Meeting Metaphors ?

Anthony Judge Union of Imaginative Associations http: //www. un-imagine. org anthony. judge@gmail. com This presentation Tiny URL ? ? Other documents relating to meeting http: //www. laetusinpraesens. org/themes/azdialo. php