Group Discussion GD Complete Guide

GD - Group Discussion Guide for freshers, students appearing for placement papers, MBA Aspirants for IIMs - Indian Institute of Management or other Indian and Foreign Management Institutions. Latest / Recent and Previous Years 2006, 2007 experiences of real candidates and experts' knowledge helped make this guide complete for a student.

GD Topics Questions Answers and Helpful Tips
GD Essential Personality Traits for MBA / Placement Papers 2008
GD Latest Topics for Placement 2008
GD Latest Political Topics 2008
GD Latest World Topics 2008

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GD Topics Questions Answers and Helpful Tips

A group discussion can be categorically divided into three different phases:

i. Initiation/ Introduction

ii. Body of the group discussion

iii. Summarisation/ Conclusion

Let's stress on the initiation and summarisation:

Initiation Techniques

Initiating a Group Discussion is a high profit-high loss strategy.

When you initiate a Group Discussion, you not only grab the opportunity to speak, you also grab the attention of the examiner and your fellow candidates.

If you can make a favourable first impression with your content and communication skills after you initiate a Group Discussion, it will help you sail through the discussion.

But if you initiate a Group Discussion and stammer/ stutter/ quote wrong facts and figures, the damage might be irreparable.

If you initiate a Group Discussion impeccably but don't speak much after that, it gives the impression that you started the Group Discussion for the sake of starting it or getting those initial kitty of points earmarked for an initiator!

When you start a Group Discussion, you are responsible for putting it into the right perspective or framework. So initiate one only if you have indepth knowledge about the topic at hand.

There are different techniques to initiate a Group Discussion and make a good first impression:

i. Quotes
ii. Definition
iii. Question
iv. Shock statement
v. Facts, figures and statistics
vi. Short story
vii. General statement

Quotes

Quotes are an effective way of initiating a Group Discussion.

If the topic of a Group Discussion is: Should the Censor Board be abolished?, you could start with a quote like, 'Hidden apples are always sweet'.

For a Group Discussion topic like, Customer is King, you could quote Sam (Wal-mart) Walton's famous saying, 'There is only one boss: the customer. And he can fire everybody in the company -- from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.'

Definition

Start a Group Discussion by defining the topic or an important term in the topic.

For example, if the topic of the Group Discussion is Advertising is a Diplomatic Way of Telling a Lie, why not start the Group Discussion by defining advertising as, 'Any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services through mass media like newspapers, magazines, television or radio by an identified sponsor'?

For a topic like The Malthusian Economic Prophecy is no longer relevant, you could start by explaining the definition of the Malthusian Economic Prophecy.

Question

Asking a question is an impactful way of starting a Group Discussion.

It does not signify asking a question to any of the candidates in a Group Discussion so as to hamper the flow. It implies asking a question, and answering it yourself.

Any question that might hamper the flow of a Group Discussion or insult a participant or play devil's advocate must be discouraged.

Questions that promote a flow of ideas are always appreciated.

For a topic like, Should India go to war with Pakistan, you could start by asking, 'What does war bring to the people of a nation? We have had four clashes with Pakistan. The pertinent question is: what have we achieved?'

Shock statement

Initiating a Group Discussion with a shocking statement is the best way to grab immediate attention and put forth your point.

If a Group Discussion topic is, The Impact of Population on the Indian Economy, you could start with, 'At the centre of the Indian capital stands a population clock that ticks away relentlessly. It tracks 33 births a minute, 2,000 an hour, 48,000 a day. Which calculates to about 12 million every year. That is roughly the size of Australia. As a current political slogan puts it, 'Nothing's impossible when 1 billion Indians work together'.'

Facts, figures and statistics

If you decide to initiate your Group Discussion with facts, figure and statistics, make sure to quote them accurately.

Approximation is allowed in macro level figures, but micro level figures need to be correct and accurate.

For example, you can say, approximately 70 per cent of the Indian population stays in rural areas (macro figures, approximation allowed).

But you cannot say 30 states of India instead of 28 (micro figures, no approximations).

Stating wrong facts works to your disadvantage.

For a Group Discussion topic like, China, a Rising Tiger, you could start with, 'In 1983, when China was still in its initial stages of reform and opening up, China's real use of Foreign Direct Investment only stood at $636 million. China actually utilised $60 billion of FDI in 2004, which is almost 100 times that of its 1983 statistics."

Short story

Use a short story in a Group Discussion topic like, Attitude is Everything.

This can be initiated with, 'A child once asked a balloon vendor, who was selling helium gas-filled balloons, whether a blue-coloured balloon will go as high in the sky as a green-coloured balloon. The balloon vendor told the child, it is not the colour of the balloon but what is inside it that makes it go high.'

General statement

Use a general statement to put the Group Discussion in proper perspective.

For example, if the topic is, Should Sonia Gandhi be the prime minister of India?, you could start by saying, 'Before jumping to conclusions like, 'Yes, Sonia Gandhi should be', or 'No, Sonia Gandhi should not be', let's first find out the qualities one needs to be a a good prime minister of India. Then we can compare these qualities with those that Mrs Gandhi possesses. This will help us reach the conclusion in a more objective and effective manner.'

Summarisation Techniques

Most Group Discussions do not really have conclusions. A conclusion is where the whole group decides in favour or against the topic.

But every Group Discussion is summarised. You can summarise what the group has discussed in the Group Discussion in a nutshell.

Keep the following points in mind while summarising a discussion:

Avoid raising new points.
Avoid stating only your viewpoint.
Avoid dwelling only on one aspect of the Group Discussion.
Keep it brief and concise.
It must incorporate all the important points that came out during the Group Discussion.
If the examiner asks you to summarise a Group Discussion, it means the Group Discussion has come to an end. Do not add anything once the Group Discussion has been summarised.

1. always be the initiator and concluder of the Group Discussion then being a participant.
2. But if you are particaipant always try to be the most vianl/key participant.
3. put points firmly and always try to get others support too.
4. if you find that the discussion os going offttrack then never loose an oppurtunity to bring it back to straem this is the best point to score max.
5. try to keep latest information on the topic .
6. be very polite , people may try to provoke you to to get more points but try to keep cool.
7. most important don't wait for your turn to speak when discussion is on. inturrupt politely if you want to put forward your points.
8. last but not the least keep atab on the time given for discussion. score points by wrapping up the discussion if you feel that the discussion is heating but the time is going to be over.
9. during clonclusion, do end with the conclusion note. that shows your leadership quality.

Best scoring points are:

1. initiation of discussion,
2.always keeping/trying tokeep discussion on track
3. conclusion on time
4. your capability to keep your cool and listen as well as putting your points.

Group Discussion basically means searching your team player, leadership, communication capability.

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GD Essential Personality Traits for MBA / Placement

GD Preparation for management students / admission for 2008 to Prestigious management institutes / IITs / IIMs / Multinational Companies Group Discussions.
The required and essential Personality Traits for clearing the Group Discussion / GD. These qualities are watched out for in candidates.
Students commonly ask - What the HR looks for in candidates while the GD is going on?
Read below to know:

Have you ever seen a football game?

Or been a part of a football team?

These questions might seem awkward and absurd when talking about How to crack a Group Discussion to get into a top B-School.

But they are relevant to understand the nuances of a Group Discussion.

Just reiterating the cliché that a Group discussion, or Group Discussion, as it is commonly called, is a group process or a team building exercise does not help students.

As in a football game, where you play like a team, passing the ball to each team member and aim for a common goal, Group Discussion is also based on team work, incorporating views of different team members to reach a common goal.

A Group Discussion at a B-School can be defined as a formal discussion involving ten to 12 participants in a group.

They are given a topic. After some time, during which they collect their thoughts, the group is asked to discuss the topic for 20 to 25 minutes.

B-Schools use the Group Discussion process to assess a candidate's personality traits.

Here are some of the most important personality traits that a candidate should possess to do well at a Group Discussion:

1. Team Player

B-Schools lay great emphasis on this parameter because it is essential for managers to be team players.

The reason: Managers always work in teams.

At the beginning of his career, a manager works as a team member. And, later, as a team leader.

Management aspirants who lack team skills cannot be good managers.

2. Reasoning Ability

Reasoning ability plays an important role while expressing your opinions or ideas at a Group Discussion.

For example, an opinion like 'Reduction in IIMs' fees will affect quality' can be better stated by demonstrating your reasoning ability and completing the missing links between fees and quality as:

'Reduction in IIMs' fees will result in less funds being invested on study material, student exchange programmes, research, student development activities, etc.

'Moreover, it costs money to attract good faculty, create good infrastructure and upgrade technology.

'With reduction in fees, less money will be available to perform these ,activities which will lead to deterioration in the quality of IIMs.'

3. Leadership

There are three types of situations that can arise in a Group Discussion:

~ A Group Discussion where participants are unable to establish a proper rapport and do not speak much.
~ A Group Discussion where participants get emotionally charged and the Group Discussion gets chaotic.
~ A Group Discussion where participants discuss the topic assertively by touching on all its nuances and try to reach the objective.

Here, a leader would be someone who facilitates the third situation at a Group Discussion.

A leader would have the following qualities:

~S/he shows direction to the group whenever group moves away from the topic.
~S/he coordinates the effort of the different team members in the Group Discussion.
~S/he contributes to the Group Discussion at regular intervals with valuable insights.
~S/he also inspires and motivates team members to express their views.

Caution: Being a mere coordinator in a Group Discussion does not help, because it is a secondary role.

Contribute to the Group Discussion with your ideas and opinions, but also try and steer the conversation towards a goal.

4. Flexibility

You must be open to other ideas as well as to the evaluation of your ideas: That is what flexibility is all about.

But first, remember: Never ever start your Group Discussion with a stand or a conclusion.

Say the topic of a Group Discussion is, 'Should India go to war with Pakistan?'

Some participants tend to get emotionally attached to the topic and take a stand either in favour or against the topic, ie 'Yes, India should', or, 'No, India should not'.

By taking a stand, you have already given your decision without discussing the topic at hand or listening to the views of your team members.

Also, if you encounter an opposition with a very strong point at the 11th hour, you end up in a typical catch-22 situation:

~If you change your stand, you are seen as a fickle-minded or a whimsical person.
~If you do not change your stand, you are seen as an inflexible, stubborn and obstinate person.

5. Assertiveness

You must put forth your point to the group in a very emphatic, positive and confident manner.

Participants often confuse assertiveness with aggressiveness.

Aggressiveness is all about forcing your point on the other person, and can be a threat to the group. An aggressive person can also demonstrate negative body language, whereas an assertive person displays positive body language.

6. Initiative

A general trend amongst students is to start a Group Discussion and get the initial kitty of points earmarked for the initiator.

But that is a high risk-high return strategy.

Initiate a Group Discussion only if you are well versed with the topic. If you start and fail to contribute at regular intervals, it gives the impression that you started the Group Discussion just for the sake of the initial points.

Also, if you fumble, stammer or misquote facts, it may work against you.

Remember: You never ever get a second chance to create a first impression.

7. Creativity/ Out of the box thinking

An idea or a perspective which opens new horizons for discussion on the Group Discussion topic is always highly appreciated.

When you put across a new idea convincingly, such that it is discussed at length by the group, it can only be positive.

You will find yourself in the good books of the examiner.

8. Inspiring ability

A good group discussion should incorporate views of all the team members.

If some team members want to express their ideas but are not getting the opportunity to do so, giving them an opportunity to express their ideas or opinions will be seen as a positive trait.

Caution: If a participant is not willing to speak, you need not necessarily go out of the way to ask him to express his views. This may insult him and hamper the flow of the Group Discussion.

9. Listening

Always try and strike a proper balance between expressing your ideas and imbibing ideas.

10. Awareness

You must be well versed with both the micro and macro environment.

Your awareness about your environment helps a lot in your Group Discussion content, which carries maximum weightage.

Caution: The content or awareness generally constitutes 40 to 50 percent marks of your Group Discussion.

Apart from these qualities, communication skills, confidence and the ability to think on one's feet are also very important.

GD Latest Political Topics 2008

GD Preparation for 2008 - Social, Management Topics, Economic Topics, Creative Topics for Latest Group Discussion for Placement Papers / Interviews :
1.Are Big Dams Necessary?
2.Films are corrupting the Indian Youth
3.A Gandhian State selling liquor is an anomaly
4.Bride burning and dowry may look bad, but are an integral part of India.
5.Our Culture is Decaying
6.We are not serious about saving Wildlife/Environment
7.The education system needs serious reforms
8.The impact of MTV on our psyche
9.Showing Violence and Crimes should not be allowed in films and on television.
10.Let us legalise gambling
Management Topics:
1.Is management an art or a science?
2.The Rush for MBA is really a rush for big money
3.Ethics in Business are just a passing fashion
4.The objective of Management is to maximise profits
5.Do professional managers have a chance in our family run businesses?
6.The Internet is an exercise in hype
7.Is an MBA necessary to succeed in life?
8.Family owned business vs professionally run businesses
9.Smaller businesses and start-ups have more scope for professional growth.
10.Dot com or doubt com?
Creative Topics:
1.The Wheel is Turning Round and Round
2.If I was the Finance Minister/Prime Minister
3.There is no right way to do a wrong thing
4.Group Task: How can we have Mount Everest in India?
5.Do Beauty and Brains Go Together?
6.When I woke up in the morning I saw?
7.A ship docked in harbour cannot face the storms
8.Up the Down Staircase
9.Just as we have smoke free zones, we should have child free zones
10.Marriage is a social trap
SOCIAL TOPICS:
1. The Internet chains have come on the wings of science and
technology but are no less restrictive for all that.
2. Secularism has become a tool to justify the wrongs done by the minorities.
3. Media is a mixed blessing/How ethical is media?
4. To fight AIDs, stop being coy about sex education.
5. What should India strive for- Westernization or modernization?
ECONOMIC TOPICS:
1. Developing countries need trade, not aid.
2. Why do we lag behind China?
3. Capitalism is a very flawed system but the others are so much worse.
4. Flexibility of labour laws is the key to attracting more Foreign Direct Investment.
5. Is the business of business only business?

GD Latest World Topics 2008

GD Preparation for 2008 - World Topics for Latest Group Discussion for Placement Papers / Interviews - World, Hot and Current Topics:
World Topics:
1. US war on iraq-justified or not.
2. Role of UN in peacekeeping.
3. Position of Women in India compared to other nations.
4. Environment MAnagement.
5. Is China better than India in software.
6.Should SONIA gandhi be made the PM
7. BPOs in INDIA
8. Govt contribution to IT
9. will punch lines rule the Advt
10. premaritial sex
11. is china a threat to indian industry
12. india or west , which is the land of opportunities
13. water resources should be nationalised
14."BALANCE BETWEEN PROFESSIONALISM AND FAMILY"
15. Effect of cinema on Youth
16. Education in India compared to Foreign nations
17. Is it necessary to ban COCOCOLA in India.
18. What is the effect of movies on youth.(is it good or bad)
19. Are studies more benifitial in India or in Abroad.
20."UN's peace activities" and "America's war on Iraq".
21."Environment-Whose Responisibility".
22.Is China a threat to the indian software industry.
23.Role of UN in Peace keeping
24.War on Iraq
25.About Hockey being the primary game in India.
26.Can america occupy iraq
27.Cricket shud be banned or not.
28.IS CHINA A THREAT TO INDIA
29.Present state of Indian Cricket team.
30.Love marriage/Arranged marriage.
31.Advantages of Co-education.
Hot Topics:
1.How to deal with international terrorism.
2.Should we pursue our policy of dialogue with Pakistan?
3.Is peace and non-violence outdated concepts?
Current Topics:
1.A Unipolar World spells disaster for underdeveloped countries like India.
2.Is Globalisation Really Necessary?
3.What shall we do about our ever-increasing Population?
4.Corruption is the price we pay for Democracy.
5.Foreign Television Channels are destroying our culture.
6.What India needs is a Dictatorship.
7.With media publishing and telecasting trivia, censorship is the need of the hour.
8.Kaun Banega Krorepati is less about knowledge but more about money and personality.
9.Beauty contests degrade womanhood
10.The rise of regional blocs threatens independent nations like India
11.Six billion and one bronze!
12.Is dependence on computers a good thing?
13.Should the public sector be privatised?
14.China and India are similar nations with contrasting ways
15.Is India a Soft Nation?
16.Value based politics is the need of the hour
17.Religion should not be mixed with politics
18.How to deal with high oil prices
19.Our cricketers are not to blame for match fixing
20.Why cant we be world players in industry as we are in software?
21.Multinational corporations: Are they devils in disguise?
22.Should there be limits on artistic freedom (the controversy on Fire).
23.Should there be private universities?
24.Does banning fashion shows and New Year parties save our culture?

See more Latest and previous SAS Interview expert, common, basic, important, advanced questions asked in technical interviews for 2007, 2008 january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, october, november, decemberfor leading IT Companies in India, USA, UK, Norway, China. Reputed MNCs testing job interview questions for Wipro, Infosys, TCS, Satyam Computers, HCL, IBM, Cisco, Microsoft, Keane, Flextronics, Accenture, Cognizant, T Systems, SAP, Oracle, Texas Instruments, Quark, Patni Computer Systems, Mastek, BT, Dell, BPO, ITES companies, Software Companies. Freshers and on campus interview held in delhi, mumbai, bangalore, chennai, madurai, noida, gurgaon, chandigarh, mohali, pune, hyderabad, kolkata, thane, ahmedabad, etc. Recent, latest reasoning, multiple choice questions, verbal, non verbal, mathematics questions with solutions / solved / answer keys, booklet. GD topics for leading campus placement interview, placement drive, HR Interview Questions and answers, how to behave, Tips, preparation, most recently asked / important software testing interview, java, oracle, c, c++, networking, web designing, windows 2000, vista, etc. questions. Keep Watching Previouspapers.blogspot.com for more stuff!