Thanks, the tech conference comparison is a great example. I don't have a problem with organizations charging a small entry fee to cover costs, but I do have a problem when awards go to the biggest sponsors or when they're not transparent about the judging criteria.
There are so many conferences where sessions and panels primarily are filled with speakers from companies that sponsor the event. The implication is clear, but they're rarely explicit about it - and that vagueness makes the whole thing feel even more disingenuous.
Very interesting. Huge conflict of interest indeed. Unfortunately, so common in all fields.
Absolutely. This has become standard across industries. What's unusual here is that the vertical integration is so obvious.
Thanks, the tech conference comparison is a great example. I don't have a problem with organizations charging a small entry fee to cover costs, but I do have a problem when awards go to the biggest sponsors or when they're not transparent about the judging criteria.
There are so many conferences where sessions and panels primarily are filled with speakers from companies that sponsor the event. The implication is clear, but they're rarely explicit about it - and that vagueness makes the whole thing feel even more disingenuous.