[2013-15] Baroda Manipal School of Banking GD~PI Thread

PUYS… Congratulations to all who have cleared the written test. But the final battle is yet to start… Hence starting this thread to discuss major topics in GD/PI to have various information and also to share current affairs among the aspiran…

PUYS... Congratulations to all who have cleared the written test.
But the final battle is yet to start.. Hence starting this thread to discuss major topics in GD/PI to have various information and also to share current affairs among the aspirants..... Please find some of the major GD topics and lets start....

1. FDI in retail and its impact on Indian economy and society.

2. MNCs. Are they devils in Disguise ?

3. Protest is the best way to fight corruption. Do you agree ?

4. Are women safe in India ?

5. Solution to rising inflation and commodity prices......

6. Steps to restore economic stability in India.
7. How to stabilize Rupee vs. Dollar situation ?
8. Steps to improve India's economic situation in International Market ....


Pls ensure to follow PG GK forum on daily basis -





Remember CEO names of all PSU & major pvt banks....
Remember Cabinet ministers, CMs ,
Remember Director of IMF, ADB, World Bank, .....

PUYS... I know its hard to cover all current affairs... but Success does not come in easy way...
All the best PUYS.....


@cool_purabhi @Pratham.kamina Need your help as always....


Topic 1: FDI in retail, should it be allowed?

Definition - Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) involves the injection of foreign funds into an enterprise that operates in a different country of origin from the investor. This is different from Foreign Institutional Investor (FII) which involves investment in the markets of a foreign nation.

Context – The topic is a burning question considering the tumultuous time that our country is growing through. Some of the recent events are 1) The FDI bill is put up for vote in parliament 2) It is an election issue in many campaigns 3) Government has cleared IKEA's entry into Indian government etc

Analysis 1 – Pros and ConsThis topic can be approached very easily in a pros and cons faction.

Pros·FDI has potential for job creation and employment in the retail sector which can lead to higher wages. Government estimates that 10 million jobs to be created in a span of 10 years.·FDI will revive the growth our country. Supporting points 1) More funds injected into our economy 2) Positive investor sentiments will spur investment 3) More jobs and higher wages will increase consumer spending.·FDI will increase competition in the retail industry. Competition will in turn increase the efficiency of the system.·FDI is good for consumers. It will give better quality, variety and value to the consumers.·FDI will promote knowledge and technology transfer. This is extremely important for the growth and maturity of Indian retail economy. This may lead to possibly lead to positive improvement in Back end services, infrastructure, logistics, transportation (which includes cold chain) etc.·From past cases, multi-brand retailers prefer to source directly. This will have a positive impact on the farming community who will get better value for their products.

Cons·Allowing multi-brand retailers will adversely affect the Indian retailers (both organized as well as unorganized). Retail industry employs close to 8% of Indian population and hence the impact is huge.·There is a possibility of these retailers gaining a monopoly in the market. This can give them an undue advantage while sourcing products from farmers. Farmers may have to sell their products at a lower price point if such a scenario arises.·At the end of the day a foreign firm is entering the country for profits. Despite the capital transfer in terms of money, employment, wages etc it will definitely try to maximize its profits. This will cause a new outflow from India. Unless the local competition can scale up and match the growth, our country will be at a disadvantage. Encouraging FDI in retail can remove the present limitations in Indian Retails such as :

1. InfrastructureThere has been a lack of investment in the logistics of the retail chain, leading to aninefficient market mechanism. Though India is the second largest producer of fruitsand vegetables (about 180 million MT), it has a very limited integrated cold-chaininfrastructure. Storage infrastructure is necessary for carrying over the agricultural produce from production periods to the rest of the year and to prevent distress sales. Lack of adequate storage facilities cause heavy losses to farmers in terms of wastage in quality and quantity of produce in general. Though FDI is permitted in cold-chain to the extent of 100%, through the automatic route, in the absence of FDI in retailing; FDI flow to the sector has not been significant.

2. Intermediaries dominate the value chainIntermediaries often flout mandi norms and their pricing lacks transparency.Wholesale regulated markets, governed by State APMC Acts, have developed amonopolistic and non-transparent character. According to some reports, Indianfarmers realize only 1/3rd of the total price paid by the final consumer, as against2/3rd by farmers in nations with a higher share of organized retail.

3. Improper Public Distribution System (“PDS”)There is a big question mark on the efficacy of the public procurement and PDS setup and the bill on food subsidies is rising. In spite of such heavy subsidies, overallfood based inflation has been a matter of great concern. The absence of a 'farm-to-fork' retail supply system has led to the ultimate customers paying a premium forshortages and a charge for wastages.

4. No Global ReachThe Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector has also suffered due tolack of branding and lack of avenues to reach out to the vast world markets. WhileIndia has continued to provide emphasis on the development of MSME sector, theshare of unorganised sector in overall manufacturing has declined. This has largely been due to the inability of this sector to access latest technology and improve its marketing interface.

Analysis 2 - PESTA more complex analysis will be the PEST analysis. Such an analysis will help you in getting additional points as well as increase the depth of your analysis.

PoliticalAll political parties have a stake in this FDI game. Both the principal parties Congress and BJP have approached this issue from either sides of the table. Presently it is Congress supporting and BJP opposing the motion. The left is traditionally against such a move and this reflects the stand of both Trinamool Congress as well as Left parties. Even though SP and BSP are against FDI in principal, they will most probably side with Congress for other opportunity gains. The bill is a game changer for Congress and a lost vote can potentially cause the dethroning of the present

government.

Economical FDI in retail will definitely help to spur the India growth story except for the potential threat of net outflow to foreign countries. All points are discussed above in Pros and Cons analysis.

SocialThis bill has a huge social implication. It will in hindsight adversely affect the retail community while benefiting the farming community and consumers. The country as a whole will also benefit from increases growth and employment opportunities. There is a general sense of distrust for such big firms in India and many societies see them in a bad light because of the same reason.

TechnologyThe technology transfer is one of the biggest advantages of FDI in retail. It will directly affect some of the common plagues of Indian retail like 1) Non conformity with global standards 2) Ineffective supply chain management 3) Poor infrastructure and transportation capabilities. It is imperative for India to modernize its retail and FDI in multi retail will definitely help. Possibilities in this include: 1)Close integration with the organized retail chains will also help small-time producers in gaining access to the latest technologies, systems and processes, hence, enabling them to maximize their profits. 2)Improvement in the supply chain will help farmers as well. For many, cost of shipping products to cities is higher than wholesale mundi prices. If FDI retail allows farmers to off load directly, it will be better for farmers. Tangents which can be explored in this topic

30% sourcing·Huge benefit to SME's. But government has diluted the norm in Single brand retail and there is threat of the same in multi-brand retail as well.·The rule is very hard for certain categories to follow like luxury products, perfumes etc

Minimum investment of 100mn and 50% of investment in back end·This will achieve the objective of improving infrastructure, SCM capabilities etc.·Decreases adoption rate since all foreign firms might not be able to confirm with this plan·This will help our country and make sure that it is not flooded by cheap foreign goods. The stress is on modernizing the retail in India and these riders play an important role in that.

Only cities greater than 1 million populations·Makes the impact on retailers especially Kirana stores very less.

States can choose·More of a political implication·Big players will find it cumbersome.

FDI in E-commerce not allowed·Big disadvantage to players like Amazon who have been waiting for the clearance.

Examples that can be used

It is very important to watch out for the tone of your language while giving examples. There are cases where FDI have been beneficial and there are cases where it has played spoilsport. While examples can support/empirical evidence for your point, it cannot be treated as a basis for any conclusion.

Pros example:China & FDI: One of the main reasons for the meteoric growth of china is the huge capital influx which was made available by allowing FDI in China.

Cons example:Wal-Mart story in USA: Wal-Mart entered in Austin neighbourhood of Chicago in 2006. And by 2008, some 82 of the 306 small shops had closed down. The Economic Development Quarterly study found the closure rate around Wal-Mart location at 35-60 per cent. Even farmers haven't benefited that much from Wal-mart. Walmart does not buy, or pay, over the counter. It buys the nation's next harvest in futures market and fixes farm prices. It also imports cheap goods — from China — and destroyed local production in the US.

Analogies that can be used

Same advice goes with Analogies as it is with Examples·Delhi metro – Auto waala example by avneeshmunjal is a really good analogy favouring modernization·IT revolution in in India which was opposed by left citing loss of Jobs actually contributed massively to employment creation and growth.It is a good analogy to counter the job loss point if raised.

Jury's final take on the topic:

No one can predict how FDI would change India. In hindsight we have evaluated lots of Pros and Cons which just gives us an idea of what to expect. At the end of the day modernization of Indian retail is absolutely necessary and FDI, which might be a necessary evil, is essential for this purpose. Any candidate who remained open in his thoughts and was logical during the delivery has a high chance to clear the GD.


Courtesy My GD leaders - @Mukulspock & @visionIIM-ACL

What do the panelists assess?

Interpersonal Skills: People skills are an important aspect of any job. These are reflected in the ability to interact with other members of the group in a situation. Emotional maturity and balance promotes good interpersonal relationships. The person has to possess good interpersonal skills and has to be less self-centered.

Communication Skills: Candidates will be assessed in terms of clarity of thought, expression and aptness of language. One key aspect is listening. It indicates a willingness to accommodate others' views.

Leadership Skills: The ability to take leadership role and be able to inspire and carry the team along is an essential requisite for a job seeker.

Persuasive Skills: The ability to analyse and persuade others to see the problem from multiple perspectives is also an important aspect sought by the employers.

Knowledge Base: GD is a test of your ability to think, analytical capabilities and your ability to make your point in a team-based environment. Making a good impression while speaking in GD is the basic skill every professional should have.

Following are 10 simple ways to crack a GD:

Maintain eye contact: Do not look at the evaluators only. Try to ignore their presence at all times. Keep eye contact with every team member while speaking. Begin speaking to the person sitting diagonally opposite to you.

Initiate the GD: Initiating the GD is a high profit–high loss strategy. Initiate the GD only when you have understood the topic clearly and have knowledge about the same. Speaking without proper subject knowledge will creates a bad impression. If you are not sure about the topic of discussion, it is better not to initiate. Instead, you might adopt the wait and watch attitude. Listen attentively to others. This might help you to come up with a point or two later in the discussion.

Speak clearly: Confidence and coolness while presenting your viewpoint are necessary. Do not keep repeating a point. Do not use more words than necessary. Do not be superfluous. Speak politely and clearly. Use simple and understandable words while speaking. Don't be too aggressive if you are disagreeing with someone. Express your feelings calmly and politely.

Allow others to speak: Do not interrupt anyone while speaking. Even if you don't agree with his/her thoughts do not snatch his/her chance to speak. Instead make some notes and put them across when it's your turn. Every GD provides you with an opportunity to question the others.

Positive attitude: Do not try to dominate anyone. Your body language should indicate positivity. Show interest in discussion. A formal posture (back straight), hands together in front/on the edge of the table creates a good impression. Body language must reflect enthusiasm. Be natural.

Bring discussion on track: If the group is distracting from the topic or goal, then take an initiative to bring the discussion on track. Indicate the group members about the fact that you all need to reach a conclusion at the end of the discussion. Stick to the topic.

Don't go into much detail: Some basic subject analysis is sufficient. There is no need to mention exact figures while giving any reference. You can use approximate figures and data at macro level (for instance population) but you need to give an exact number when it is micro level (like States in India). You have limited time. Try to be precise and convey your thoughts in short and simple language.

Listen carefully to others: Non-verbal gestures, such as listening intently or nodding while appreciating someone's viewpoint give a positive impression. Speak less and listen more. Pay attention while others are speaking. This will make coherent discussion and you will get involved in the group. You will surely make people agree with you.

Speak sensibly: Language use should be simple, direct and straightforward. Do not speak just to increase your speaking time. Your thoughts should be sensible and relevant. Power to convince effectively is another quality that makes you stand out among others.

Formal dressing: You must demonstrate the fact that you are capable and inclined to work. Do not take it casually. You should be comfortable while speaking in group. Positive gesture and body language will make your work easy.

Points to remember

Most students consider GD to be a debate which is not true

Participants akin it to a wrestling match and try to score points over the other participants

What is actually expected in a GD is participation in a systematic way on a particular topic

The purpose of a GD is to help you come across as a person with sound, logical reasoning who respects the viewpoint of others

Most of the institutes conduct a GD because, as a manager, you will be required to attend and conduct innumerable meetings. Their aim is to train you for the future

As part of your preparation for a GD, participate in few mock discussions

Whenever you come across fellow aspirants, don't look upon them as competitors

Maintain a positive attitude

Maintain eye contact

Be the first to begin proceedings during a GD if you possess knowledge about the subject

Be confident while expressing your views

Do not interrupt a person if he/she is in the middle of saying something

Do not let the group digress from the point of discussion

Stick to the basic points

Non-verbal communication like a nod while someone else is speaking is a good sign

Most students consider GD to be a debate which is not true

Keep your language straight and simple

Dress in formals to create a good impression.

how many of u are having GD/PI on 26th,PANEL 2 HYDERABAD 😃

yaar ye BMSB numbers kab display krega?