Group Discussion

• Definition
• Traits
• Group behavior
• Approach
• Dos
• Don’ts
 Definition
Communication (small no. of people)
Face-to-face
Free oral interaction
Exchange information
Make decisions
 Individual Traits
Ideas (originality)
Articulation (clarity)
Listening
Body Language
Initiative
 Group Behavior
Participation
Leadership
Timesharing & orderly
conduct
Handling turbulence
Handling Bull dozers
 Participation
• High
• Low
• Shift
• Silent (how treated)
• Consistent
• Who talks to whom
 Leadership Qualities
Constructive participation
Rational arguments
Convincing others
Building support
Logically weakening opponent’s point of
view
 Leadership styles
• Driver (imposes, evaluates, blocks)

• Amiable (eagerly supports, avoid

conflicts)

• Democrat (includes everyone, tries to

control
 Orderly conduct
• Dominate without
bullying
• Listen & react
• Be a gate opener
not closer
 Turbulence

Restore order

Activate inert

participants
 Bull dozers
Silence them
• Vocally
• Physically
• Rationally
 Evaluation
• Personality
• Knowledge
• Communication Skills
• Leadership
 Personality
• Appearance
• Temperament
• Posture and
Gesture
• Mental state
• Overall Impression
 Knowledge
• Depth
• Range
• Analytical ability
• Organization of ideas
• Overall Impression
Communication Skills
• Listening Skills
• Fluency
• Language
• Phonetic Ability
• Overall Impression
 Leadership
• Initiative
• Team spirit
• Endurance
• Decision Making
• Overall Impression
 Approach
Topic GDS
Interpret correctly; explore adequately
Case studies
Understand situation, work out
alternatives, explore pros and cons,
make decision, work out
implementation, contingency plan
 Dos
• Seat comfortably
• Keep track of time
• Listen to topic
• Share time fairly
• Organize ideas
• Maintain eye
• Speak at the earliest contact
• Identify supporters • Take notes
opponents
• Aim for conclusion
• Allow supporter to augment not consensus
 Don’ts
• Be in a hurry • Move excessively
• Be silent • Throw all ideas at one shot
• Dominate • Speak fast
vocally/physically
• Digress
• Assume role of chairman
• Indulge in ill conversation
• Introduce topic
• Pay attention to bull
• Take extreme stance
dozers
• Look at faculty
• Use slang
• Shut down inert
participants • Get emotional
 Case Study
• A case is a statement of conditions, attitudes
and practices
• Describes a situation the company is facing /
has resolved some challenging problem
• Interesting business situations – helpful in
illustrating a specific set of management
issues
• Provides some information, not all – about
the challenging problem
 Case Study
• Includes data on alternative courses of
action
• An attempt to reconstitute the real situation –
written in a manner that needs
rearrangement of facts and interpreting
them, evaluation of opinions, behavior and
interaction
• Many facts may be relevant; some irrelevant
• Generally no single or correct answer
• Only choices – some better, some worse
than others
 Business Case Analysis
Systematic process of
examining the available data
Mental skills – thoughtful effort,
regular, systematic practice for
proficiency
No defined recipe or formula
But sequence of steps for logical
systematic approach
 Analysis
• Students – decision makers – read
through the situation, identify the
problem, examine causes,
consider alternative courses of
action – to come to a set of
recommendations
 Steps for Case Analysis
• Put the case information together –
mind mapping
• Evaluating the actions and plans of the
company and identify, describe
business opportunities and problems
• Recommend a coordinated plan of
action to correct business problem or
to take advantage of opportunities
• Provide justification for the
recommended action
• Try to get a quick sense of the
whole case – title, heading, outline,
introduction, conclusion if any
• Does this require a decision? Who
is the decision maker? What
decision does she have to make?
What are her objectives? What
other actors are there? Their
objectives?
• At this point reread the case carefully;
underline key facts
• Note the key problems on paper; go
through the case again for relevant
information. What are the resources /
constraints?
• What are the possible courses of
action? Rank alternatives; likely short
and long term consequences .
 Tips
Be prepared to present ideas with conviction. Listen;
keep an open mind
Grab the earliest opportunity to get involved
If you have a totally new idea wait
Be alert for constructive solutions
Try to give space to others
Don’t hesitate to admit confusion, ask for clarification,
Keep the group focused
Accept a critical atmosphere and be willing to submit
Your conclusions to rebuttal; accept the risk of stating
your conclusions; overcome the fear of making and
admitting a mistake
 Suggested Structure
• Introduction ( very brief)
• Problem –definition
• Analysis
• Recommended actions