Group Discussion (GD)

Can remote working replace office in future?

2022-01-12T12:06:56Z

5 people are having a discussion on the topic (Peter, Mary, Ben, Ed, Emma). The GD topic is Can remote working replace office?

Category: Business, Technology, Social

Group Discussion Starts

Emma: Hi everyone. The topic for todays group discussion us can remote working replace office? I believe that with growing technology, increasing internet connectivity and better solutions, work from home can complete replace office in a few years.

Peter: Hi all. Yes even I would agree to that. With people have access to laptops and smartphones along with good internet speed, people can use tools like Zoom, Team Viewer, Skype etc. and can conduct their work from home itself. Earlier, even for small meetings or work which could be done on a laptop, people had to travel to their workplace. But with better technology, people are empowered to do the tasks from home.

Mary: Hey all. Yes, while work from home is a solution with growing technology, it cannot replace office. There are several reasons. Only job related to industries like Information Technology, Internet, Online Services etc. can be carried out from a work from home scenario. On the other hand, in industries like real estate, automobile, tourism, banking, government etc., work from home will never be able to replace office work.

Ben: I would agree with Mary. It would never be possible to replace office work with people working from home. People working at home have to arrange for all the infrastructure like internet, software, tools etc. Also, jobs which require people to go on field and meet & network with others cannot be done sitting at home. Sales jobs, retail businesses, mom & pop stores can never completely go online. Yes, some aspects can definitely be streamlined but a core office location will always remain.

Ed: That's a valid point. However, some job roles can definitely go online. Various business domains like marketing, branding, finance, legal, HR etc. can permanently work from home as their inputs do not require their physical presence. People working in engineering, sales, front desk jobs however will have to go to office.

Emma: I agree that certain industries cannot go entirely online. But there are several jobs which can operate from home, which is beneficial for an employee for a work life balance, and for a company as it reduces their cost at workplace.

Peter: There is a valid point, but then people is real estate, banking etc. can always use video conferencing tools to do some work which other wise could have been done only in person. The number of personal meetings can definitely reduce with the use in technology.

Mary: But only to a certain extent. Working from office always gives the human touch to business, which cannot be achieved from home. Employees meet in office, have casual business discussions, have quick brain storming sessions etc. These are good for business as well as personal growth.

Ben: Yes. And also in office the turn around time to complete tasks is much quicker as compared to people at home. People at home can become lethargic, unresponsive and also delay activities which otherwise could be done quickly.

Ed: Well it seems there are pros and cons for both work from home and work from office. The best for any business, manager and employee would be to find the best balance between job role type, key objectives, return on investment, type of tasks associated with the job etc.

Emma: I agree. There needs to be a right balance. Some job roles can definitely be work from home but teams can catch up physically and interact once a month to build and strengthen their team bond. On the other hand, instead of having huge offices, companies can call in employees on a roster schedule.

Peter: In fact, a lot of companies are also taking co-working spaces instead of huge office campuses. This helps companies cut down huge costs on real estate, employee management, physical security.

Mary: Yes in that sense, work from home empowers people to save money and energy on travel. Also, they can plan their day better and also balance their personal life better along with work.

Conclusion:

Work from home and remote working has several benefits for both companies and employees. Employees save on travel time & manage their personal lives, and companies can save costs of office space, security etc. The drawbacks of remote working are employees can become lethargic and lose skills which can hamper the business. Also, not all jobs can be suitable for work from home. Industries like IT, internet, online businesses can continue from home but real estate, tourism, retail etc. do need to have physical customer touchpoints. Hence, the way forward for businesses is to have the right balance between work from home and from office.

Facts related to the group discussion

1. A pandemic like Covid forced companies to enable employees to work from home remotely

2. While industries like IT, internet, online services prospered, real estate, automobile, tourism etc. were impacted.

3. 80% company leaders intend to permit remote working some of the time as employees return to the workplace.

4. Areas like tele-medicine, online education grew significantly during the lockdown

5. Video conferencing market is expected to surpass $50 billion by 2026.

6. Employee productivity increased for 75% startups who enabled work from home

Will the movie business shift from Theatres to OTT Platforms?

2022-01-12T11:56:00Z

5 people are having a discussion on the topic (Leo, Sophia, Tom, Jennifer, Brad). The GD topic is Will the movie business shift from Theatres to OTT Platforms?

Category: Technology, Social

Group Discussion Starts

Leo: Hi everyone. Our topic for todays group discussion is Will the movie business shift from Theatres to OTT Platforms? Well in my opinion, while OTT platforms have made significant inroads, movie theatres and stage theatres are here to stay.

Sophia: Hi all. I agree to what Leo says. Even though a lot of movies are being released on OTT platforms, specially during the pandemic, eventually people are going to prefer going to movie theatres. That is because people go there for socializing, ambience and spending time with friends.

Brad: Hey all. I think differently. I feel OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hotstar, Hulu etc. would eventually replace the concept of movie theatres. OTT platforms give the viewers flexibility to watch the content of their choice at the comfort of their home. Also, it is cheaper that buying movie tickets everytime.

Tom: Even I feel the same. You can watch the latest movies, shows, sports etc. all as per your convenience. In movie theatres, you are bound by show timings, ticket availability, car parking etc. You have take that extra effort to go there.

Jennifer: That's true, but watching movies on the big screen cannot give that experience on your mobile screen or TV. Movies theatres have state of art Dolby stereo as well as immersive infrastructure.

Brad: But the wide range of content available on OTT platforms round the year is any day better than going out. With lockdown restrictions, people will also be skeptical to step out.

Tom: In fact, such is the positive impact of OTT platforms, some of the most prominent movie production banners have released their movies and shows online rather than in theatres. Even they understand the changing business trend.

Leo: Yes, OTT has changed the way content is released. But going to theatres is an experience. All leading cinema brands offer luxury seating, food courts, special 3d effect viewing etc. The ambience and charm of being with people celebrating a movie can never be matched at home or on a mobile screen.

Sophia: That is true. Considering the vast population of people interested in cinema, the demand supply requirement will always ensure people are enjoying latest movies in theatres. In fact, OTT can be called a good substitute to cable TV but not movie theatres.

Tom: For production houses, OTT is better as the return on investment is immediate. As soon as an OTT brand purchases the rights, the producers get their money. Also with exponential growth of internet and smartphones, the reach of OTT platforms is significantly higher than movie theatres.

Jennifer: Well it appears both OTT platforms and movie theatres have their own pros and cons. And there seems to be constant demand for content across both channels and it will continue so.

Conclusion:

OTT platforms and movie theatres have their own pros and cons. While OTT is cost effective and convenient, it doesn't offer the experience and socializing entertainment of movie theatres. On the other hand, theatres have a huge operational cost, high investments in infrastructure, staff, limited reach, but OTT platforms are accessible round to clock to a much larger audience.

Facts related to the group discussion

1. Netflix Revenue approximately $25Bn & 200 million subscribers in 2020

2. Prime video revenue $25 billion & w00 million users in 2021

3. In 2020, global smartphone penetration exceeded 75% i.e. more than 6 billion people

Do's and Dont's in a Group Discussion

2015-08-05T04:34:08Z

Here are some important DO's and DONT's which can help improve a Group Discussion from a candidate's perspective.

Group Discussion is a process which enables companies to shortlist or evaluate the candidates who participate to apply for a vacancy to become a potential employee.

Are Driverless Cars Safe?

2021-01-23T07:58:28Z

6 people are having a discussion on the topic (Gaurav, Amrusha, Juhi, Sarvesh, Bhavin, Khushbhu). The GD topic is Are driverless cars safe?

Category: Science, Technology, Social

Group Discussion Starts

Bhavin: Hi all. The topic for todays group discussion is "Are driverless cars safe"? There a lot of companies which are investing heavily and it seems that they will take all precautions to make the cars safe.

Sarvesh: I agree. Companies like Tesl, Toyota, Honda are investing billions of dollars as they see a massive opportunity in this field. With good roads, GPS navigation, high speed internet, self driving driverless cars seems to be a good business idea.

Juhi: I beg to differ. While the concept is good, there are certain elements which a machine or software can never predict. What is there is a malfunction in the program or loss of internet or a sudden failure of car parts? All these cannot be predicted and can be catastrophic.

Image:pexels

Amrusha: I totally agree with Juhi. While it is a business proposition, it not be considered safe. Even a plane which works on auto-pilot must have a human in the cockpit to ensure a sensible, rational decision. There is a huge difference between being automated & being autonomous.

Khushboo: Thats true. An automatic car is where functions like navigation, gear changing, speed control, viper, headlights, airconditioning etc are automated but still requires a human intervention. On the other hand, an autonomous car is where car will travel without any human in it. While an automatic car can be improved, the idea of autonomous vehicles is certainly not safe.

Gaurav: All those concerns are fine but then that is why companies are investing & testing. As per a report, more than 94% car accidents happen because of human error. A fully automated driverless car can also help reduce crashes by human error.

Sarvesh: Financial experts say that by reduction of car accidents more than $200Bn can be saved in USA alone.

Bhavin: More than money, globally 10million lives can be saved by preventing human errors while driving.

Amrusha: These might be statistically true, but then if there is an accident or death in the case of a driverless car, who will be responsible & accountable? The car owner or the car company? And how will justice be served to the victim?

Juhi: Also, if it is a software or program, it will always be vulnerable to hacks or security breaches or software malfunctions.

Khushboo: In the concept of driverless cars, there will always be an ambiguity in terms of human life.

Conclusion:

Leading auto companies as well as tech giants like Uber, Nvidia, Microsoft have been investing billions of dollars in having self driving cars. There are several benefits, including elimination of human errors while driving a car. However, since these cars would be prone to hacks or malfunction, that is a valid concern. Also, in case of an accident by a self driving car, who will be held responsible?

Facts related to the group discussion

1. In 2021, Microsoft invested $30Bn in the driverless car project.

2. The top driverless car making companies are Cruise, Waymo, Voyage, Swift Navigation, Embark Trucks, CARMERA, Zoox.

3. Tesla, Toyota, Honda automobile companies have all been linked to self driving car projects.

4. Tech giants like Nvidia, Uber have also started exploring this area of business.

5. As per a US traffic report, 94% car accidents happen because of human error.

6. Autonomous cars can save 10 million lives worldwide & $200Bn in US from car crashes.

Group Discussion - A Company's Selection Perspective

2015-08-05T04:31:16Z

Companies often get a huge number of applications for every job profile opening. But it is next to impossible to personally interact or interview every single candidate. Hence, companies use the method of group discussion to filter down to candidates who can be potential employees of the organisation.

Is virtual office & online education a new world order?

2021-01-19T05:17:55Z

5 people are having a discussion on the topic (Amanda, Ben, Chris, David, Emily). The GD topic is Is virtual office & online education with new world order?

Category: Science, Technology, Social

Group Discussion Starts

Chris: Our group discussion topic for today is "Is virtual office & online education the new world order?" Well, to a certain extent this is how the world will now operate.

Ben: The year 2020 has seen the world go into lockdown owing to the pandemic. Because of this all offices, schools & colleges were shut down. However, to ensure business continuity & continuation of studies, all leading institutions went online, which was a correct thing.

Amanda: I agree. The use of video conferencing tools has enabled educational institutions, government offices & private companies to come online. This ensured work continued.

David: Hey all. While some companies & educational institutes could go online with virtual offices & online education, this was only possible with people would owned a laptop or a smartphone. Also, businesses based on technology like IT companies, ecommerce platforms etc. could continue online but not all businesses.

Emily: David is correct. Manufacturing companies, service sector companies, hotels, tourism etc. are all people centric businesses, and cannot be run online. While other companies can survive online, not all businesses can thrive working from home.

Ben: That is true too. Those companies which can thrive online have tried to do so. But others will have to open up. Consider the example of an hotelier. He will have to ensure that the hotel staff is available & is at workplace everyday, because they have to serve the customers.

Amanda: Similarly, bus drivers, truck drivers, cab owners, airline pilots etc. all have to be out for work.

David: Exactly my point. Some industries and sectors which can work online, can utilize that and function from any location. Even educational institutions for that matter. Apart from big cities across the world where people have access to internet & devices, schools will either remain closed or students will have to go to school.

Emily: Less privileged & developing countries like South East Asia, Central Africa or Latin America will continue to face serious issues and remain disconnected.

Ben: Daily wage workers, craftsmen, local business owners will continue to move out for earning their bread.

Chris: Thie however has presented the world an opportunity to relook at things. Companies, schools & colleges who have the equipment & ability should continue to function online. This will be beneficial for government & medical authorities to provide solutions because the pandemic will stay for a long time.

Amanda: Also, all other organizations must have protocols to create a either a bio-bubble or has a roster to ensure over crowding and maintain social distancing.

Ben: Some supermarkets have also made sure limited number of people enter the stores one at a time. This way, the retail stores can function and also make sure people & staff are safe.

David: Hence we all agree that work from home and virtual classes have become a new normal, but not everyone can either afford it or flourish their business with it. Manufacturing, hospitality, services etc. are sectors which will have to find safe ways to operate.

Conclusion:

The pandemic has forced people into lockdown, because of which companies, schools & colleges have gone online. While this can continue for those who are in the technology business, it will also depend on socio-economic factors. Daily wage workers, industry workers, service sector employees etc. which are people-centric physical businesses, will have to find newer, innovative & safer ways to run their businesses, as they cannot be taken online.

Facts related to the group discussion

1. Schools & colleges have utilized online resources to continue education.

2. Competitive exams have been taken online through computer aided solutions.

3. Leisure, tourism, hospitality, transportation are the most affected industries, which cannot be taken online.

4. Businesses like information technology, banking, ecommerce can thrive by having virtual offices & increase online business transactions.

Artificial Intelligence - Pros and Cons

2018-03-19T17:46:30Z

5 people are having a discussion on the topic (Max, Emma, Peter, Adrian, Stacy). The GD topic is Artificial Intelligence - Pros and Cons.

Category: Science, Technology, Social

Group Discussion Starts

Max- Hi everyone. The gd topic for discussion is Artificial Intelligence - Pros and Cons. Artificial Intelligence is a concept which refers to the programming which can make machines intelligent. In simpler terms, the program or machine is made in such a way that it keeps on learning with whatever output the machine creates. In my opinion, artificial intelligence is a boon to humanity as it can vastly create more opportunities for people.

Emma- Hi everyone. As far as my opinion is concerned, the use of machine learning or artificial intelligence should be restricted and should not be made a way of life. It can have serious repercussions if machines become more intelligent than humans. In a limited environment, machines can prove beneficial but human intelligence should also remain in control on machines.

Peter- Well, that holds true for everything that there should be a balance. But improvements in artificial intelligence can create a world of opportunities. Consider the example of driverless cars which are being created by the leading tech companies in the world. With the sheer use of machines, programmed software, AI etc driving cars would become automated. If all cars are running on AI it could cause reduction in traffic accidents, speed control and there would be no human errors. People often get tired or exhausted or lose concentration while driving. But with driverless cars, there would be no such situation. Hence there is definitely a strong merit in artificial intelligence.

Stacy- Hi. In a few scenarios, it may seem a good option. But what about unemployment? Increasing machines and technological advancements have always created unemployment. The work which was earlier done by 50 people if it is done by a single AI based machine, it would create lack of jobs. And if this is expanded across business sectors and is increased over years, it could create a massive problem for the human race as there would unemployment and hence more poverty, hunger and related issues.

Emma- Exactly. All the jobs which humans do if done by machines would lead to mass unemployment and eventually destabilise economic growth of countries.

Max- I beg to differ. What the technological advancements which has been created because of artificial intelligence. For eg websites which help users search online or relevant ads on websites etc have helped boost business and sales. In fact, a lot of new opportunities have also been created because of AI in businesses. Efficiencies have gone up, errors have reduced, timelines of deliveries have shortened, and all this was possible because of machine learning.

Adrian- There has to be a good balance between how and where to use artificial intelligence. Eventually I fee that humans should have the final control over whatever machine learning or artificial intelligence program is being created. Because no machine can ever have feelings or passion as a human possesses.

Peter- Healthcare has vastly been benefited by AI. There has been better forecasting, trend analysis, symptom reading etc which has enabled the doctors to take much by critical decisions within a curable span of time. Also, use of machine learning in banking has enabled to reduce frauds as irregularities can be caught urgently and bank staff can intervene on priority.

Emma- These interventions are fine. But can a machine replace the human touch and be compassionate? A machine can solve technical queries but can it resolve issues dealing with human stress?

Adrian- Currently the answer is no but it can be developed in the near future. As we are aware the robot named Sophia was given the citizenship of Saudi Arabia. The robot was able to interact with humans based on basic conversations. If moulded properly, it can create a great opportunity.

Max- As much as we deny, even today we are surrounded by Artificial Intelligence. Websites suggesting best products or placing orders for pizza over call with IVR or asking a program about weather is all a sign of machine learning. If we look at it from a development perspective, humans and machines are together solving problems and that too at a faster rate.

Peter- Thats true. Companies and governments are investing billions of dollars in ensuring more machine learning based tools which would calculate, evaluate and give the best solutions to human problems, which can help streamline things like water, electricity etc distribution.

Adrian- The drawback however of more artificial intelligence would be devaluing the human brain. Because a human would always make mistakes, get exhausted and would forget things. Whereas a machine would never face these issues and would eventually replace people.

Conclusion

Artificial intelligence is a piece of science which focuses on making a machine more intelligent by programming it for constant learning. There have been several innovations in this field which have reduced human effort and help give accurate & quick solutions to human problems. However, the drawback is that too much dependence on machines would eliminate the need of humans in business, and could lead to serious issues like unemployment, poverty, economic instability etc.

Facts related to the group discussion

1. Artificial Intelligence in the healthcare industry would be worth $6.7 billion by 2021

2. Market Value of Alexa would be approximately $10billion

3. Hangzhou in China, with a population of 9 million, is the world's first AI powered smart city and has a "City Brain" which helps in water, gas, electricity etc services

4. As a field of study, Artificial Intelligence was created in the year 1956

5. Sub fields of AI include robotics, neural networks, machine learning etc

Global Warming and its Effect

2017-03-25T07:52:24Z

5 people are having a discussion on the topic (Alex, Bertha, Cathy, Damien, Emily). The GD topic is Global Warming and its effect.

Category: Social, Environment

Group Discussion Starts

Alex: Hi friends. Our group discussion topic is global warming and its effects on our world. Well we all know that global warming is happening due to various activities done by man. We also know that it is creating a problem. But can actually anything be done?

Bertha: Hi everyone. Yes we all know that deforestation, industrialisation, car pollution etc have increased CO2 & other greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, which is causing depletion of ozone layers and hence the temperatures are rising globally. Global warming is a serious issue and something needs to be done urgently to fight it.

Cathy: Hi. We all know global warming is a serious issue. But again can we actually do something about it? It seems difficult. We live in a world where industries are prospering, people are driven by profits, everyone owns a car, people fly by plane etc. Such is human life now that inevitably we would destroy nature if we want to live a prosperous life.

Image: pixabay

Damien: Hi. You have a valid point but I beg to differ. Yes, these are the things defining human life today, we cant keep this as an excuse and let things like global warming destroy our nature. We have to look at alternate solutions like recycling, using solar or hydro energy, hybrid cars etc. Simply by saying that this is how the world works and doing nothing would damage nature beyond repair.

Bertha: I agree with Damien. Nothing can justify the overuse of resources and things that adversely affect nature. Strict laws must be in place to ensure that companies follow guidelines and doing enough to save the environment.

Emily: Yes that needs to be done but it difficult as billions of dollars are riding on companies and they cannot fulfil every need to save the environment.

Cathy: That is my point exactly. Even though we know the ills of global warming, there is nothing much that can be done.

Alex: Well there are several things that can be done. Governments should strictly follow policies where they define green zones where no business activity would ever be permitted. Secondly, companies should be forced to plant trees double in number that they are uprooting. Forest reserves, sanctuaries, national parks etc should become the priority for everyone. Criminal cases against all those who break these rules should be pursued. Simply having meetings and conference would not help, but actual actions would be beneficial. That would truly help in saving the environment from things like global warming.

Cathy: It is much easier to debate and discuss but ultimately people and companies are profit driven. Thats what keeps them motivated. And since saving the environment is neither a priority nor profitable it is practically difficult to curb things like global warming, deforestation etc.

Bertha: As per geologists, the earth's majority glaciers would melt away by 2035, increasing the water levels and flooding sea facing cities. Cities like New York, London, Mumbai, Tokyo etc would become extremely vulnerable affecting millions of people staying in these low lying coastal areas. If something isn't done now, it can have serious repercussions.

Damien: With such industrial activities, the greenhouse gases get trapped increasing the temperatures in the atmosphere. Already temperatures in certain places have started exceeding 50 degrees celsius. If this continues it would make it difficult for plants vegetation etc to survive, therefore making life survival very difficult.

Alex: From where we see we must take actions now so that we can still give our planet a fighting chance to prosper and save the nature.

Conclusion

Global warming due to increasing temperatures as a result of industrialisation, human activities, deforestation etc is a serious issue for planet earth. People, companies and governments should look at these issues seriously and immediate actions must be taken to avoid serious natural calamities like flooding, melting of glaciers etc. All these can be done by afforestation, using renewable clean energy, avoiding wastage of natural resources etc.

Facts related to the Group Discussion Topic

1. Since 1880, the average temperature has risen by 1.4-Fahrenheit degrees.

2. The Arctic is one of the worst places to be effected by global warming.

3. Due to global warming and pollution, coral reefs are suffering the worst bleaching with the highest dying record since 1980.

4. Sea levels have risen about 7 inches in the in the last 100 years, which is more than the previous 2000 years combined.

5. More than 1 million species have become extinct due to disappearing habitats

Is MBA necessary to be a Successful in Business?

2016-03-08T15:23:28Z

6 people are having a discussion on the topic (Albert, Beckham, Charles, Daniel, Eva, Fred)

Category: Business, Social

Group Discussion Starts

Albert: Hi all, the topic given to us is: “Is MBA necessary to be a Successful in Business?” Before stating my point, I would like to give some idea about the MBA degree i.e. Master of Business Administration. And these programs cover various areas of business like Marketing, Operation, Finance, HR and Accounting etc. And which help candidate to excel in doing management analysis and corporate strategy making. Now if I talk about India, then I feel it is highly over-rated. Now a day’s everyone wants to do MBA. Because they feel MBA will help them to get awesome packages and reputation in market.

Beckham: I agree with the point made by Albert. Increase in number of private MBA colleges is very good indicator of this. India is home to around 3500 institutes offering management education, and of those only a few B-schools are with excellent quality education, churn our leaders and which are worth joining.

The point I wanted to make is, if there won’t be over-hype about this course then there won’t be sudden increase in MBA colleges all around the world.

Image: pixabay

Daniel: Well, it depends on the students that what kind of job prospects they want to have in future. If someone wants to do job in India, then he can get into any of the premier institute of India. But if somebody wants to work globally then he must keep pace with the global economy. Many reputed Indian business tycoon of our nation have done their higher education from abroad like Albert Ambani, Anand Mahindra, Ratan Tata, Dr. Manmohan Singh etc.

Charles: Even I believe the same. Students and parents believes that in current era of cut throat competition, one must have Post-graduation degree. After doing graduation from any field one can think of doing MBA. Increase in number of engineers opting for MBA every year is also another indicator of this over-hype. One common answer you get from and engineer during interview process of MBA is – I want to MBA because I have technical knowledge and I want to get managerial skills to get edge in corporate market.

Daniel: Guys, I think we are slightly deviating from the point. Our topic is for global perspective and not just about India. And just talking about India won’t give us proper perspective towards the topic. And I also think MBA from India is not compared to other part of the globe because the curriculum fees of foreign universities are much higher compared to India.

Eva: I believe that MBA is not over-rated. I agree with some views of people with different point of view than mine. But I thought these thoughts are bit extremists. For example: MBA grads fail to perform is because they don’t have enough practical experience. And most business schools in world rely on outmoded teaching methods. This is valid at certain point; but, the most common mistake that MBA aspirant commit is doing MBA immediately after completing their graduation. And then there are people with lots of knowledge and zero experience. B-schools are not successful in creating curricula that help their students face the business challenges because B-schools themselves are models of business success.

Fred: Very true. Some B-schools are just models of another business. These type of B-schools have forgot what MBA degree represents. And they are more focusing on their own benefits – which created gap between requirement and need. One another issue with this is, many students don’t do an exhaustive research before choosing the business school and feel dissatisfied with the MBA program and B-school.

Eva: I truly believe that MBA open doors for wonderful career opportunities. In today’s world it is definitely a requirement and it will definitely help people to get good career advancement in future compared to those who have just a graduation degree. Also we must have seen an example that if someone has degree from premier institutes then he/she will be recruited for top management position, where employees cannot get even after having more numbers of years of experience.

Albert: Yes. It is definitely better to do something then to do nothing. Many believe that they need to update their knowledge through degree to upgrade their career opportunities. But on the other side one should not do MBA just because there is nothing more to do. And having MBA degree is great point to show-off in their Curriculum Vitae.

Daniel: I have somewhat different point of view on that. Even managers who have MBA’s from among the world’s top B-schools don’t think too highly of this degree. David Zwiner, who graduated from Kellogg school of management, stated that, “An MBA opens that first door for you. After that, it's up to you.”

Conclusion

If we think globally then we can definitely say that MBA is one the most preferred post-graduation degree among students. It seems to be over-rated because everyone wants to do it considering higher salaried job opportunities, future career growth etc. But there are several problems with student base and B-schools as well.

But overall, MBA degree plays vital role to open great career opportunities and very much important for career advancement in future.

However, there have been several businessmen who by their sheer knowledge, experience and practicality have become successful even without having a degree or formal education in management.

Facts related to the topic

• As per BusinessWeek research: Fewer than 1 out of 3 executives, who reach to top management, do so with the help of an MBA.

• As per business week ranking: Only half of the executives with MBAs went to the top 10 business schools of the world. And only about one in every 4,000 alumni of the top 10 MBA programs were among the highest-paid executives.

• India is home to around 3500 institutes offering management education

• Michael Dell, the founder of Dell, did not have a MBA degree

• Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin group, was not an MBA

• In India, Ratan Tata, Dhirubhai Ambani did not have a management degree and yet became successful

Technology creates Income Disparities

2016-03-08T15:12:35Z

6 people are having a discussion on the topic (Alia, Betty, Celine, Daniel, Eric, Ferdinand)

Category: Business, Economy, Technology

Group Discussion Starts

Betty: Hello friends. Today we are going to have a discussion on Technology creates income disparities. In a competitive era where survival of the fittest is the motto of well-being, I feel Technology is no more a royalty; it is the basic need for any nation to be technologically sound to be fit and hence to survive. Technology brings us a lot in our plate than its flip side. And talking about income disparities, it’s not that it didn’t exist before in India. Hence I don’t find it suitable to blame technology for income disparities.

Ferdinand: I would like to shed some light on how important Technology is. It’s Technology that provides simple ways of doing things effectively. For example, its technology that has facilitated a lot of business opportunities and no more is it necessary to have a business meeting in a closed room. A Skype chat can have the same effect of traditional meetings plus saving time and money. Thereby generating more profits for organizations. Technology has made nations richer and less dependent on other nations.

Alia: Yes, I agree with the fact that Technology brings in more effective ways of doing work but it serves only the organization and the people working for it. Technology reduces the dependency on manpower thereby bringing in inflation which directly affects a major sector of our society and thus bringing in income disparities.

Image: awdnews

Celine: I agree with Andrew. In India specifically a large portion of the population is rural India. Urban areas are far exposed and ahead in terms of technology and as the country is becoming more technology oriented, organizations prefer the technically sound urban sector for various jobs. This leads to a big income disparity in the rural and urban section.

Betty: I would like to differ here. There was a study by economists at Deloitte consultancy regarding the relationship between rise in technology and job opportunities. The results clearly says that the rise of machines has clearly been a job creator rather than making working humans obsolete. Machines have replace humans only for tasks that are laborious and repeatable, like agriculture, washers and launderers. But on the other hand sectors like teaching, home care, business etc. have seen two fold increase in employment. So overall technology has led to economic boost rather than inflation.

Eric: If we go by that stats then around 500 million population of India is involved in labour work. And since the study result says that technology cuts jobs in this sector of course it will effect Indian economy in a negative way. And hence comes poverty, unemployment and income disparity. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Daniel: But why would you blame technology for that. I believe the main concern here is the lack of awareness and proper education. All of us would agree to the fact that technology benefits only the individual who knows how to use it. So there will be income disparity between a technically sound person and an illiterate. Technology has nothing to do with inflation or poverty.

Ferdinand: I agree with David. I would like to explain this with an example. Consider two countries USA and India. Why USA is the most developed country and India is still developing? It’s because USA has technological superiority. In USA even the lower strata of the society is well aware of the benefits of technology. In India a lot of farmers have incorporated technology in farming and they are using hybrid seeds and modern equipment to increase crops yield and the results are in their favour with increased production and thereby increased income. So if the rural sector is exposed to technology as in USA I’m sure India can stand at par with USA. So I believe it’s not technology that creates income disparity but its lack of education that gives rise to disparity.

Alia: Consider a case of two lecturers who have same theoretical knowledge but the person who is able to project his knowledge using technical skills like ppt and internet will be considered a skilled teacher in comparison to the person who uses traditional ways of teaching. And tech savvy lecturer will be paid more for this. Thus although having the same theoretical knowledge, technology is the deciding factor in terms of their income and hence Technology creates income disparity.

Celine: Having talked a lot from economic perspective I would like to add a social side to this disparity too. People with technical awareness are looked upon with high esteem in our society. It’s the uneven distribution of technology in the nation that adds to income, economic and social disparities. Different gadgets, mobile phones and automobiles with innovative technologies has surely revolutionized our living but at the same time created differences and disparities among people.

Betty: But even when technology didn’t exist; when kings ruled there were still rich and the poor, right? People in the king’s family were considered upper class people and the labourers were downtrodden. The workers were looked down upon as the lower community of people. So the social disparity arises because of the same mind-set of people here and not because of the uneven distribution of technology.

Conclusion

Technology is basically making use of the tools, equipment, techniques and methods to perform a given task effectively and efficiently. The economic disparity of the rich and the poor or the urban and the rural exists because of the access and proper utilization of technology in the urban/rich sector and not because of technology in general. Studies of economists also points to the fact that overall technology gives rise to employment. With proper awareness and uplift in education standards the problem of income disparity can be addressed well rather than not relying on technology. In this modern era survival without technology is next to impossible and hence we can either overlook these disparities or have constructive mechanisms to address it well by looking at the root cause: Education.

Facts related to the topic

• Income equality is measured by the gini coefficient in which India has a score of 32.6

• The gini score has remained flat for the past 10 years

• Estimates say that the average income of a person living in a urban area may be up to 4 times higher than his counterpart living in the rural parts of India

• India has 17.5% of world’s population but 20.6% share of world’s poorest