1.

About Campus Placement

Management graduates are hired for roles in business development, IT consulting, business
analysis, customer relationship management, HR roles, sales, marketing, finance etc.

Before a student brace himself to face the arduous task of appearing for the campus selection
procedure, there are a few points that he has to bear in mind –

1. Interact with senior students who have been hired into different organizations. Taking
a cue from the seniors would effectively help a student to know the areas that would
require extensive preparation and the ones that wouldn’t.
2. Interact with the faculty and understand how the subject specific interviews could be
facilitated.
3. Understanding the profile of the job and the opportunities for growth within the
organization, besides the CTC offered would benefit the students to narrow down their
choices.
4. Study and understand the philosophy, culture and values of the companies that recruit
college graduates.

Campus Recruitment Procedure:

Most colleges that offer campus recruitment facilitate the recruitment through a special
department known as the placement department. The placement department is steered by a
placement officer who oversees the entire recruitment process.

The various stages that are involved in a typical campus recruitment program are as follows-

1. Pre-placement talk
2. Aptitude tests
3. Group discussion
4. HR Interview.

1. Pre-Placement Talk:

The pre-placement talk is a presentation that is given by the recruiting company’s HR and
recruiting team. Various aspects of the company such as its profile, history, milestone
achievements, organizational goals, its vision, mission, the job profile, products, services,
product lines, customers, locations, branches, organizational chart, senior management etc. The
role of the job offered as well as its description along with the selection criteria, CTC,
designation etc. are also explained in detail. Generally, the pre-placement talk is presented by
a senior member of the delivery or the HR team.

The general format of the selection process remains the same across companies that hire
campus graduates. Minor variation may be present. Selection happens in the following stages.

2. Aptitude Test:

Aptitude test is conducted to evaluate how effectively a student could respond to a task or a
situation and their communication skills. In short, this area tests a candidate’s problem-solving
ability. The areas that are normally tested are numerical or quantitative ability, logical
reasoning, verbal ability and data sufficiency.

a. Quantitative Aptitude:

Numerical ability entails multiple choice questions that are from the topics mostly
covered in high school along with some advanced topics. The various topics from which
questions may be asked are Number theory, Averages, Ratio and proportion, Time and
Distance, Percentages, mixtures and allegation, permutations, combinations,
probability etc. The purpose of this test is to assess the problem-solving ability of a
candidate under constraints in time. This area can be effectively countered if a student
prepares sufficiently beforehand.

b. Verbal Ability:

This area tests the communication skills, reading ability and also the grammatical
knowledge of a candidate. The type of questions that may be asked in verbal ability
include grammar-based questions (sentence correction/ error identification),
vocabulary-based questions (para jumbles, synonyms, antonyms, fill in the blanks,
cloze passages), idioms and phrases, reading comprehension and occasionally
descriptive writing (essays, formal/informal letters, analytical/ issue writing section). It
is mandatory for a candidate to have basic rules of English in place before he or she
appears for the campus placement process.

c. Analytical and Logical Reasoning:

This section tests the logical reasoning and the analytical ability of a candidate. The
questions are generally given in the form of puzzles and a set of questions follow the
 puzzle. It is required by a candidate to rationally approach the puzzle by interpreting
the logic. Verbal based reasoning questions such as cause and effect, assertion and
reasons may also be asked.

d. Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency:

Data is presented in various forms such as bar graphs, pie charts and data should be
interpreted accordingly. In data sufficiency, a problem is presented with some data
and a candidate has to determine if the given amount of data is sufficient for problem
solving.

The aptitude round cannot be underestimated because it is a process of eliminating

candidates who do not have enough problem-solving abilities, reasoning skills or
acceptable levels of communication. While a few companies may lay more emphasis
on communication and numerical abilities, a few others may stress upon analytical
abilities. Regardless of how well a candidate fare academically, he or she should
prepare sufficiently for the aptitude test as this stage in an inevitable phase of any
campus selection process.

3. Group Discussion:

Those selected in the aptitude test will be called for group discussion. Group discussion is a
process of selection rather than a process of elimination. The recruiting team will evaluate
certain personality traits like confidence, communicating with the team, participation,
ability to present one’s views in a clear and concise manner, interpersonal skills, leadership
skills etc. These are the traits that the employers would want to see in their potential employees.
The main intention of group discussion is to assess the behavior of a candidate in a group. In
the GD round, there are usually a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 10 candidates. The topic
of the discussion is normally related current topics, hypothetical situations, problematic
situations, abstract topics etc. Students who are confident, have a clear thought process and
are able to articulate their thoughts lead the group discussion. Hence, students need to be
positive, confident and dynamic in their attitude in this round. They should also develop
effective listening skills that would enable them to listen and understand others perspective.
Students are advised to keep abreast of current affairs and are expected to familiarize
themselves with the popular topics in news. They are advised to form small groups and discuss
various topics which would bolster their efforts to successively participate in the group
discussions.
4. HR Interview:

The HR interview is more of a two-way process. A student is assessed for his communication,
attitude, confidence, flexibility, enthusiasm, behavioral skills etc. The company HR will market
their company through the HR round. A student should be confident, but not over confident in
the HR round. He or she should be honest and polite in answering the questions and also ask
questions to the company HR regarding basic policies, procedures and of course, the CTC.
Many a time it is quite common for technically strong candidates to fail to get through the HR
round. This may happen if the candidate has poor presentation skills, is overconfident or is rude
or extremely timid in his or her attitude. Self-grooming is very important for a candidate to
clear this round of the campus selection.

• The recruitment process weighs heavily on the attitude of a candidate. A candidate

should exhibit positive thinking, learn-ability, proper body language, confidence,
clarity of thought, interpersonal skills, future goals etc. This segment has about 75%
weightage.
• Academic knowledge has a weightage of about 10%. This test the student’s
fundamental knowledge of the core subjects in his or her branch and also its
practical use.
• Communication skills carry a weightage of about 10%.
• Preparing a good resume is equally important while bracing for the campus
selection process. The resume is the first impression a recruiter has of the candidate.
The resume should be prepared in such a way that it reflects a candidate’s
capabilities, his strengths, achievements and areas of interests. Hence sufficient
efforts should go into preparing a good resume. For further reading, refer to
‘Resume’ section of this book.
• Knowledge about current affairs and extra-curricular activities carry about 5%
weightage. These areas should also be concentrated upon to increase the chances of
making it through the campus interviews. Thus, a thorough and systematic
preparation in each of the areas mentioned above would go a long way in ensuring
that a candidate gets through the right company.

*****
 2. Group Discussion Topic with their solution.

Group Discussion is a process of selection rather than elimination. Group Discussion refers to
the process where by a topic or a situation is presented to a group of candidates. It is a
systematic exchange of ideas and information among a group of people. In a Group Discussion,
a topic is given and each member is given about 10-15 minutes to think about the given topic.
The members are then allowed to present their views and opinions to the other candidates in
the group. The Group Discussion facilitates objective thinking, systematic presentation of
ideas, interacting abilities, problem resolution, leadership abilities, ability to take initiatives,
ability to work within a team, flexibility and assertiveness skills.

Why GD is a part of the selection process?

The primary reason for conducting the Group Discussion is to evaluate how effectively
a candidate would perform as a member of a team. When more than one person is
involved in problem solving, ideas have to be brainstormed, collaborated and a
conclusion should be reached such that the organizational goals are met along with
creating a win-win situation for every member of the team. Thus, apart from
participation and contribution, team behavior and attitude of a person are the traits that
a company would be evaluating in the Group Discussion.

The written test evaluates aptitude in Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability and
Reasoning Ability; These areas to judge the analytical, logical, numerical and language
abilities but they do not test the personality traits or group behavior of the individual.
The ability to deal with people, individually or in a group, is vital for success in the
corporate world. Therefore, a group discussion is included in the selection process. A
group discussion allows the selectors to judge the individual's performance and
behavior in a group. Different aspects of group discussion include communication
skills- both verbal and non-verbal, Ability to make decisions and co-operate with
people.

Types of Group Discussions

The classification is based on the type of the topics that are chosen for group discussion. The
topics could be:

1. Current Affairs - Topics related to current news items related to business, technology,
politics, education and social activities etc.
2. Argumentative Issues - A topic is given to the candidates that they have to analyze
and critically present their views on the topic.
3. Factual topics – The topics are which may directly or indirectly affect a person in his
day-to-day life.
o Women’s reservation bill
o Lokpal bill
o Status of women in India
o Global warming.
4. Controversial topics – Topics in which candidates can take a stance – for or against
the given topic thereby leading to a bit of disagreement among the participating
members of the group.
For example,
o We are becoming too dependent on computers.
o Video games contribute to youth violence.
o Reservation system should be removed.
5. Abstract subjects – These types of topics generally include imaginary or hypothetical
topics. For example,
o What would happen if the Earth would stop rotating?
o What would happen if you were given a chance to rule the country?
6. Case study – instead of a topic a case study will be given in this category. They need
to resolve the situation. The objective the case study is to think about the situation from
different angles. Generally real-life situations are given in case study. A complex and
problematic situation and information about that situation is given to the group.
Some websites which can be used for the Group discussion preparation:

https://www.groupdiscussionideas.com/gd-topics-on-current-affairs-with-answers/
https://www.mbarendezvous.com/group-discussion/
https://www.mbauniverse.com/group-discussion/topic.php

a) Current affairs Topic

I. Evergrande crisis
II. What if Bitcoin crashes to zero?
III. BRICS vs Quad
IV. Bad Bank in India: Is it good solution to wipe off NPAs?
b) Argumentative Issues.
I. Impact of Technology on Jobs: Will Automation & Artificial Intelligence
reduce or increase Jobs?
II. Banks Merger in India: Is it good for Indian Economy?
III. One Nation One Election: Benefits are more for India
IV. Bullet Train: Does India really need it?
c) Factual Topics.
I. Union Budget 2021: Key Highlights, Analysis, Pros & Cons – GD Topic
II. Gig Economy: Statistics, why is it growing, Pros & Cons, Impact of Covid
19
III. $5 Trillion Economy: The Vision, Challenges and Roadmap for India
IV. Is FDI Good for Indian Economy?
d) Controversial Topics.
I. Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019: What, why, When and Whom;
Relationship with NRC explained
II. Article 370 Abrogation: Correcting old folly or thrusting nationalistic
agenda?
III. EVMs Vs Paper Ballots: Which one is Better to Use?
IV. Bullet Train: Does India really need it?
e) Abstract subjects.
I. Zero (0)
II. Black or Grey
III. Change is the only constant
IV. Me Too Campaign: Tool to Trap or Breaking Silence to Win the War
f) Case Study.
The Six Steps of Approaching a Case-study based Group Discussion
A participant must approach the case by NOT beginning their thought process by
impulsively thinking of what solution would best answer the question that follows
the case, for we cannot solve a problem that we do not fully understand. Rather, I
recommend the following steps:
Step1: Situational analysis
Step 2: Problem definition
Step 3: Statement of objectives
Step 4: Evaluation of alternatives
 Step 5: Recommendation
Step 6: Plan B, if any

a) Current affairs Topic:

I. Evergrande crisis: Evergrande, the second-largest property developer
company in China is not in a position to repay its debt of $300 billion.
What is the Evergrande crisis:
o Evergrande group has been borrowing money to build its real estate
projects such as houses, residential apartments etc. Recently, it missed
interest payments and halted many projects due to its inability to pay the
suppliers. That means, companies that had to be paid by Evergrande may
also miss interest payments to banks. This created bad loans.
o Many middle-class people paid money beforehand to buy the houses
built by Evergrande’s group. Some of them took loans from banks. At
present, there are 16 lakh houses under construction by the Evergrande
group.
o So, it will be difficult for banks of China to issue fresh loans and has
already held back loans to other property development companies to
prevent the formation of more bad loans. It will be difficult for many of
those companies to operate without loans from banks.
o Everyone is wondering whether China government will step in to bail
out the Evergrande group or will it let the company collapse.

Cause of the Evergrande crisis:

o China’s housing boom was started in the late 1990s. Real estate
companies took this opportunity and started building houses on a large
scale for middle-class people. Local governments started making
revenues by selling land to real estate companies. With time, people
have started buying houses as an investment. This led to the rapid growth
of property prices. So, to leverage this opportunity real estate companies
including Evergrande has been continuously taking debts to construct
houses. This debt-fueled growth model of China is burdening the
country. At present, China’s debt is almost 3 times its gross domestic
product (GDP).
o To control house prices and to improve the financial health of the real
estate sector, China implemented the ‘three red line’s policy, under
which it restricts further borrowings by property developers. To cut
down debt, Evergrande started offering discounts on all real estate
properties. But it could not meet the target and missed interest payments
and is struggling to repay its debt of $300 billion.

Steps taken by China government:

China injected $14 billion cash into the banking system to stabilize the
economy

Possible consequences:

o To prevent the Evergrande financial crisis and its negative impact on

the overall economy, the government of China may step in to bail
out the company. But if it did so, other companies will expect the
same treatment. This will defeat the actual purpose of forcing
companies to reduce their debts.
o China government may protect the investors and may let the
Evergrande company collapse.
o As several construction projects halted, demand for building
materials such as steel may decrease. This effect may impact
countries that export these materials to China.
o A possible economic slowdown in China can reduce its imports from
other countries.

Lessons from the Evergrande crisis:

o The concentration of development in some regions resulted in rapid

urbanization, which caused housing bubbles. This led to high price
rises of houses. To prevent this, development should be distributed.
o Governments should encourage people to invest money in
alternative investments instead of investing in houses.
o Bad loans result in an economic crisis. So, they should be dealt with
from the very start.
 o Countries should not fall into the trap of debt-fueled economic
growth. Its benefits may not last forever.

Conclusion:

The property-driven growth model of China led to the Evergrande crisis.

This may cause an economic slowdown in China. Disperse
development, providing reliable savings options and restructuring the
country’s growth model can prevent the repetition of such incidents.

II. What if Bitcoin crashes to zero?

Several investors including John Paulson, Jeff Schumacher are
predicting that the value of bitcoin will eventually become zero. But
many others are of the opinion that it is impossible, they do believe that
the value of a bitcoin will only increase in the coming days.

Why Bitcoin may crash to zero – possible reasons:

o Bitcoin, the first cryptocurrency was created in 2009. At the time

of launch, the value of a 1 bitcoin was $0. In 2010, the value
became $0.08. It reached $64,863 in April 2021. In the next
months, the value fell to less than $30,000. As of 25th September
2021, the value of 1 bitcoin is $42,705. The value is highly
volatile and is changing based on the demand. When the demand
decreases, the value decreases. So, if no one is interested in
buying bitcoins, the value will eventually become zero.
o At present, only in El Salvador, Bitcoin is a legally recognized
money. In many countries, the legal status of bitcoin is not yet
determined. Some countries including Egypt, Turkey completely
banned cryptocurrencies. Recently, China too banned
cryptocurrency transactions. So, this resulted in the fall of
bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies prices. So, if all the countries
ban bitcoin and make it illegal, then its value will go down to
zero.
 o Other cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin etc.
are giving tough competition to Bitcoin. If investors and
common people are more interested in other cryptocurrencies,
they may pull investments from Bitcoin to invest in them. In that
case, there is a possibility that the value of a Bitcoin may fall to
zero.
o A few famous personalities including Elon Musk, Warren Buffet
made negative remarks on cryptocurrencies. Warren Buffet
shared his views on cryptocurrencies that they are worthless
because they have no intrinsic value. These remarks negatively
impacted the prices. Even though Bitcoin’s intended purpose
was providing access to cheap and instant worldwide payments,
but now it is being used mainly as a form of gambling. Hence,
there is a possibility that the value of bitcoin going down to zero.
o Crypto hacks are now a common thing. This can eventually lead
to a lack of trust in cryptocurrencies. With the next biggest
crypto hack, people may pull out investments in Bitcoin and
other cryptocurrencies.
o In 2018, many investors sold their cryptocurrencies, which lead
to the cryptocurrency crash. So, the possibility of the bitcoin
value becoming zero cannot be ruled out.

Why Bitcoin can never go to zero:

o Bitcoin creators kept some bitcoins with them. Even if all the
other investors sell the coins, creators will not sell them to
prevent the value from going to zero.
o Some companies including Tesla are buying Bitcoins. Moreover,
El Salvador became the first country to make Bitcoin a legally
recognized money. So, the trend may continue and the value will
only increase.
o Many common people prefer not to sell Bitcoins in the hope that
their value will increase. So, people are incentivized to keep the
coins and not to sell them. This will prevent bitcoin from
crashing to zero.
 o Many Bitcoin traders have set algorithms to purchase bitcoins
automatically when the price falls below a specified point. So,
there are just too many people trying to prevent bitcoin from
crashing to zero.
o The underlying technology of Bitcoin, which is blockchain is
revolutionary. Hence many investors believe in the potential of
cryptocurrencies and the new possibilities. So, they may not
pull-out investments even when the situations force otherwise.

Possible consequences if Bitcoin crashes to zero:

o Trust in cryptocurrencies will diminish drastically. It will

become very difficult for other cryptocurrencies to attract
investments. The cryptocurrencies with no volatile value or the
lowest volatile value may survive.
o Many investors including common people will lose their hard-
earned money.
o Investors may divert their investments to Central Bank Digital
Currencies, which are in the progress in many countries.

Conclusion:

Many investors are considering cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin as

bubbles that are going to burst. But many others believe in
cryptocurrencies and will continue to increase their demand. So, if
highly volatile cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin crashes to zero,
investors may start investing in stable or low-volatile cryptocurrencies.

III. BRICS vs Quad

India is a member of both groupings – BRICS and Quad and is attending
summits of both groupings. But China and Russia (members of BRICS) have
openly criticized India’s participation in Quad while being a member of BRICS.

What is BRICS?

BRICS was formed in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa for
cooperation in economic development.
What is Quad?

Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) was formed by India, the US, Japan and
Australia in 2007, but was silent after 2008. It was reestablished in 2017. Quad
countries have a shared interest in countering China’s aggression in the Indo-
Pacific region.

BRICS vs Quad:

o BRICS counters the western dominance of the international system. It is

the voice of developing countries. It was established to cooperate for
economic development. As these countries are the fastest-growing
economies, BRICS nations are expected to become the most dominant
economies by 2050. BRICS membership is important to maintain good
bilateral relations with the member countries. Moreover, India and china
share 3488 km of border, and BRICS is a medium through which we can
engage in bilateral talks on border issues and other things. It is also a
platform for India to engage in talks with India’s all-weather friend
Russia.
o All the Quad countries suffered due to China’s aggression. They have a
shared interest in countering China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific
region and in promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific. Not just this, Quad
countries discussed co-operating in fighting against covid-19,
addressing climate change and many more pressing global issues.
Moreover, China is indirectly supporting the Taliban regime in
Afghanistan, whereas all the Quad countries are abiding by democratic
spirit. China is expressing displeasure about India’s participation in
Quad and its growing relations with the US. But in many issues such as
India’s bid for a permanent seat in UNSC, cross-border terrorism issue
with Pakistan, India’s opposition to China’s Belt & Road initiative, India
got US backing. So, in the present times, the Quad is more important for
India than BRICS.
o Both BRICS and Quad are important for India. So, it is better to balance
both.

Conclusion:
 Both BRICS and Quad are important for India. So, the best way forward is
to balance both. Being in both groupings helps India to play an incremental
role in international affairs.

IV. Bad Bank in India: Is it good solution to wipe off NPAs?

On January 2017, the Economic Survey of India suggested setting up a ‘Public
Sector Asset Rehabilitation Agency’ (PARA). On May 8th 2018, the then
interim finance minister Piyush Goyal hinted towards the possibility of setting
up a “Bad Bank” for which a panel was working to assess its possibility in
India. A “Bad Bank” is basically an Asset Restructuring Company in its
functioning. These steps were taken in light of the increased number of NPAs
in the Indian banking sector. The NPAs amount to ₹10 lakh crore as of 2019.

The term Bad Bank first came into existence in 1988 in the USA. A Bad Bank
is basically an asset restructuring company which takes on the bad loans/non-
performing assets of banks at a discount and sells it off. This provides a clean
balance sheet to the banks which in turn are able to perform better in the
markets. Banks are usually specialized in lending and not in recovery. Bad
Banks, in turn, are specialists in recovery. This division of roles helps in faster
lending and recovery for both the entities and, in turn, helps the economy to be
free from bad loans.

Good Idea or not?

Though the concept looks simply, there are a lot of intricacies that need to be
looked upon.

o The first and foremost problem that arises is that of capital required to
buy the NPAs from the PSB even at discount rates. The Bad Banks
would have to infuse a huge amount of capital for buying off the loans.
The government proposed that the required capital would be arranged
from the cash reserves of the RBI. This again is a cumbersome and risky
proposal.
 o The bad loans are mainly due to 25-30 business houses/promoters in the
economy. They account for about 50% of the total NPAs. So, just to
tackle these 25-30 entities, forming a separate entity would be too costly
a proposition.
o Though Bad Banks have been successful in a lot of countries, India
differs from them in a significant manner. In other countries, the NPAs
are from bankrupt companies mostly, but in India, NPAs are mostly due
to loss-making companies. If given the right financial help and
restructuring, these companies could easily be revived.
o Bad Banks will only be helpful in case of willful defaulters and not for
non-willful defaulters. The Bankers themselves would have to deal with
the non-willful defaulters.
o India has diverse companies and NPAs, depending on a single entity and
its efficiency to get rid of such behemoth of a task would be illogically
optimistic.
o The Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC) already exists in India to
tackle NPAs. A better implementation of the IBC could easily help with
the NPAs. All the steps taken by the government so far have all been
good, but successful implementation of them could really go a long way.

Conclusion: -

In light of the above discussion, it can be seen that the idea of Bad Banks
may not be successful in India.

V. India - the Pharmacy Capital of the World

India is often termed as the Pharmacy of the World. However, given the rise of
Corona Virus Wave 2, from the ‘pharmacy of the world’ to the ‘epicenter of
the coronavirus pandemic’, India’s fall has been dramatic
Numbers associated with the topic
o Indian pharmaceutical sector supplies over 50% of the global demand
for various vaccines, 40% of the generic demand for US and 25% of all
medicines for UK.
o India contributes the second largest share of pharmaceutical and biotech
workforce in the world.
o India’s domestic pharmaceutical market turnover reached Rs. 1.4 lakh
crore (US$ 20.03 billion) in 2019, up 9.8% y-o-y from Rs. 1.29 lakh
crore (US$ 18.12 billion) in 2018. In May 2020, pharmaceutical sales
grew 9% y-o-y to Rs. 10,342 crore (US$ 1.47 billion).
o Indian drugs are exported to more than 200 countries in the world, with
US being the key market. Generic drugs account for 20% of the global
export in terms of volume, making the country the largest provider of
generic medicines globally.
o The Indian pharmaceutical exports, including bulk drugs, intermediates,
drug formulations, biologicals, Ayush & herbal products and surgical,
reached US$ 16.28 billion in FY20. As of October 2020, India exported
pharmaceuticals worth US$ 13.87 billion in FY21.
o Pharmaceutical exports from India stood at US$ 16.28 billion in FY20
and US$ 2.07 billion in October 2020.
o Medical devices industry in India has been growing 15.2% annually and
is expected to reach US$ 8.16 billion by 2020 and US$ 25 billion by
2025.

Government’s Pharma Vision

The Union Cabinet has given its nod for the amendment of existing Foreign
Direct Investment (FDI) policy in the pharmaceutical sector in order to
allow FDI up to 100% under the automatic route for manufacturing of
medical devices subject to certain conditions.

o The drugs and pharmaceuticals sector attracted cumulative FDI

inflow worth US$ 16.86 billion between April 2000 and September
2020 according to the data released by Department for Promotion of
Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
o Some of the recent developments/investments in the Indian
pharmaceutical sector are as follows:
o In December 2020, Piramal Pharma Solutions announced plans to
invest Rs. 235 crore (US$ 32 million) to expand its facility in
Michigan, US, with additional capacity and new capabilities for
 development and manufacturing of active pharmaceutical
ingredients (APIs).
o In November 2020, Indian Immunologicals (IIL) commenced work
on Rs. 75 crore (US$ 10.17 million) viral antigen manufacturing
facility in Genome Valley, Telangana, that will enhance its vaccine
production capacity by 35% by October 2021.
o In November 2020, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay
has stepped up research and development (R&D) amid COVID-19
and researchers are developing products such as a portable
sterilisation device and germicidal cabinet; wheeled sterilisation
unit, especially for hospitals; portable and rechargeable car sanitiser;
eco-friendly sprays, and alcohol-free and bleach-free sanitisers.
o In October 2020, six generic drug makers--Dr. Reddy’s
Laboratories, Zydus Cadila, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Torrent
Pharmaceuticals, Hetero Drugs and Ackerman Pharma signed a deal
with Hidalgo,a state in Mexico, to establish a large pharmaceutical
cluster for production and logistics in Mexico.
o In October 2020, Aurobindo Pharma acquired MViyeS Pharma
Ventures for Rs. 274.22 crore (US$ 37.30 million).
o In May 2020, Jubilant Generics Ltd entered into a non-exclusive
licencing agreement with US-based Gilead Sciences Inc to
manufacture and sell the potential COVID-19 drug Remdesivir in
127 countries, including India.
o Affordable medicines under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi
Pariyojana (PMBJP) achieved record sales turnover of Rs 52 crore
(US$ 7.38 million) in the month of April 2020.
o During December 2019, on moving annual total (MAT) basis,
industry growth was at 9.8%, with price growth at 5.3%, new
product growth at 2.7%, while volume growth at 2% y-o-y.
o In October 2019, Telangana Government proposed Hyderabad
Pharma City with financial assistance from the Central government
of Rs 3,418 crore (US$ 489 million).
 o In September 2020, the government announced production linked
incentive (PLI) scheme for the pharmaceutical industry worth Rs.
15,000 crore (US$ 2.04 billion).
o Under Budget 2020-21, Rs. 65,012 crore (US$ 9.30 billion) has been
allocated to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is. The
Government has allocated Rs. 34,115 crore (US$ 4.88 billion)
towards the National Health Mission under which rural and urban
people will get benefited.
o Government of India unveiled 'Pharma Vision 2020' to make India a
global leader in end-to-end drug manufacture. Approval time for
new facilities has been reduced to boost investment.

From the ‘pharmacy of the world’ to the ‘epicentre of the coronavirus

pandemic’,
o From the ‘pharmacy of the world’ to the ‘epicentre of the
coronavirus pandemic’, India’s fall has been swift and dramatic.
Newspapers across the world have criticised India as the second
wave of the pandemic unfolds.
o During the first wave in 2020, India was better off than countries
such as Italy, the United States, and Brazil. India’s handling of the
pandemic in 2020 won praise and was a pleasant surprise. Thanks
partly to a strict lockdown and perhaps because of its demographic
advantage, India managed much better than even developed
countries. India played true to its strength as the ‘pharmacy of the
world’, sending medicines and vaccines to many countries, thus
winning goodwill and praise globally.
o However, the second wave of the pandemic in 2021 has caught
India unawares. The epic proportion of the tragedy has affected
India’s international reputation at several levels.
o First, the second wave has exposed the limitations of our health
infrastructure (the result of years of inadequate allocation by
successive governments), raising questions about the domestic
capabilities. India spends just over 1 percent of its GDP on public
 health, a far cry from the 16 percent spent by the US and 10 percent
by Japan, Canada, France, Germany, and Switzerland.
o Second, questions are being asked about the advisability of sending
vaccines and medicines abroad without ensuring domestic supplies
first. Third, with India putting restrictions on exports of vaccines and
medicines, other countries may face shortfalls in their supplies and
could accuse India of being an undependable supplier. German
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s rather un-empathetic statement that the
European Union ‘allowed’ India to become such a large
pharmaceutical producer and her concern about what could happen
if supplies do not reach the West reflects the unhappiness of
countries which have relied on Indian supplies.
o Finally, the longest-term damage to India’s reputation will depend
on how badly the pandemic affects India’s economy and its potential
to provide basic needs to its populace. If it fails to do this, it could
say goodbye to its dreams of becoming the next great power. India
has already had to accept assistance from abroad despite its 2004
policy of not taking such help.
o But some positives amidst all this. Perhaps, it is India’s generosity
which has led to the outpouring of help from so many countries with
leaders like the US President Joe Biden tweeting that “India was
there for us, and we will be there for them” recalling India’s
generosity to the US when it was facing a crisis.
o The pandemic should teach India a valuable lesson: the absolute
necessity to prioritise its needs and become the pharmacy capital of
the world – which we are truly capable of becoming.

b) Argumentative Issues
VI. Impact of Technology on Jobs: Will Automation & Artificial Intelligence
reduce or increase Jobs?
Buzzwords such as Industry 4.0, Artificial Intelligence, Automation, Machine
Learning etc. are buzzing around industries and across geographies for some
time. While these technological advancements promise a surreal future,
prediction of loss of jobs due to human replacement is also expected. Proponents
of technological advancements argue that while technology will replace semi
and unskilled jobs but in turn it will herald a new era of innovative jobs. Being
a Business Management aspirant, the talk of future and futuristic jobs becomes
an important subject. Hence, this is a burning topic which is likely to be a part
of group discussions of B-Schools.
Technology intervention is inevitable in any sphere. It does raise the bar of
productivity, efficiency and safety to a level which is not achievable by humans.
Adoption of technology, global reach and faster communication has overhauled
manufacturing, servicing, product delivery and also employment associated
with these sectors. But this is not the first time the world has experienced
significant shifts in employment due to new technology. History states that
technology has been a creator of jobs and has augmented new avenues. The
course this time will be same or not is a debatable issue. The prominent
technologies that are likely to bring disruption are:
Artificial Intelligence: Artificial intelligence (AI) or Machine Intelligence (MI)
is an area of computer science that emphasizes the creation of intelligent
machines that work and reacts like humans. Artificial intelligence includes
programming computers/Robots for certain traits such as: Knowledge,
Reasoning, Problem solving, Perception, Learning, Planning, Ability to
manipulate and move objects etc.
Autonomous and near-autonomous vehicles: Vehicles that can navigate and
operate with reduced or no human intervention. These vehicles are becoming a
concrete reality and may pave the way for future systems where computers take
over the art of driving.
3D printing: 3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three
dimensional solid objects from a digital file.
Industrial Automation: Industrial automation can be defined as the use of set
technologies and automatic control devices that results the automatic operation
and control of industrial processes without significant human intervention and
achieving superior performance than manual control.
Next-generation genomics: Them massively parallel sequencing technology
known as next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized the biological
sciences. With its ultra-high throughput, scalability, and speed, NGS enables
researchers to perform a wide variety of applications and study biological
systems at a level never before possible
Advanced materials: - Materials that are designed to have superior
characteristics such as strength, weight, conductivity or functionality.

Arguments supporting those technological advancements will lead to Job

loss

o Industries across the globe are adopting new technologies for higher
efficiency and performance, lower manufacturing. Machines can reduce
risk and increase effectiveness. This could lead to elimination of a vast
number of semi or unskilled jobs, who make a substantial portion of the
workforce in manufacturing and agriculture sector.
o Automation isn’t just for blue-collar workers anymore. Computers are
now taking over tasks performed by professional workers, raising fears
of massive unemployment.
o Researchers at MIT foresee dismal prospects for many types of jobs as
these powerful new technologies are increasingly adopted not only in
manufacturing, clerical, and retail work but in professions such as law,
financial services, education, and medicine.
o “Jobs Lost, Jobs Gained: workforce transition in a time of automation”;
a research report by Mckinsey Global Institute, provides states that: By
2030, 75 million to 375 million workers (3 to 14 percent of the global
workforce) will need to switch occupational categories. Moreover, all
workers will need to adapt, as their occupations evolve alongside
increasingly capable machines.
o The pace of modern technological change is so rapid that many workers,
unable to adjust, will simply become obsolete.
o According to Joel Mokyr, a leading economic historian at Northwestern
University,“The current disruptions are faster and more intensive.”
 Mokyr says “It is nothing like what we have seen in the past, and the
issue is whether the system can adapt as it did in the past.”

Arguments that Jobs will not be lost due to technological advancements

o According to research firm Gartner, more jobs will be created than lost
by automation. The firm stated that though 1.8 million jobs will be
eliminated by 2020, but 2.3 million new jobs will be created by then.
o It is widely suggested that that worker will have greater employment
opportunities if their occupation undergoes some degree of computer
automation. As long as they can learn to use the new tools, automation
will be their friend. For example; when ATMs automated the tasks of
bank tellers and when barcode scanners automated the work of cashiers:
Rather than contributing to unemployment, the number of workers in
these occupations grew.
o With advent of new technologies industry experts see the need for
skilled workers increasing in the short run and persisting for at least
another decade. The experts call for training programs with a new
curriculum and certifications to standardize emerging job
classifications.

VII. One Nation One Election: Benefits are more for India
The idea of one nation-one election is to synchronize the Lok Sabha elections
conducted pan-India and the State Legislative Assembly elections so that they
take place together once in every five years and saves the nation from being
drained of money, resources and manpower due to frequent elections.
One Nation one Election is not new in India. The first 4-5 elections held in India
after Independence followed this notion and were successfully conducted across
the country. Now to avoid the multiplicity of election dates and expenses for
Parliament and Assembly elections which are conducted separately, presently
the NDA government is thinking to go for practice of “one nation one election”.
Back Ground: Need for One Nation One Election
The idea of “One Nation One Election” is not new for India. India had the
system of One Nation One Election and implemented it during the general
elections held in 1952, 1957, 1962 and 1967.
This practice was discontinued in 1968-69, on the grounds that some Legislative
Assemblies were broken up due to different reasons. From that point India has
been making a decent attempt to embrace the old election system but there is no
consensus among the political parties.
During the past few years, it has been observed that every now and then
elections are happening in one or other state of India. The State Administration
and Election Commission of India have to connect with its assets, labor to
conduct the election. India is known as the largest democratic country of the
world and unless there are mid-term polls due to dissolution of Lok Sabha or
State Assembly for any reason, the general elections of Lok Sabha and state
assemblies are supposed to be conducted after every five years
One Nation One Election: Benefits are More
The greatest rationale in the support of the simultaneous election is the saving
of government money. If the country goes for “One Nation One Election” it will
save huge amount of money. There are 4120 MLAs in the 31 states and UTs the
use limit for assembly election is Rs.28 lacks. It implies that absolute expense
would be somewhere around Rs. 11 billons. Normally around 5 states go for
elections each year.

The idea therefore, promises cutting of expenditure on elections which is

significant considering its context in a country like India where elections
involve an astronomical amount of money.
Improvement in Economy with Money Saved
The money saved will help the Government to keep the focus on improving the
slowing down economy, healthcare, education, condition of farmers and not on
rallies to be conducted for elections which is conducted in half a dozen states
every now and then.
Will Help Speed up Development Work
Code of Conduct during election period is imposed and it happens every now
and then in one or other state. When the Model Code of Conduct is in force,
new projects for public welfare cannot be launched. Accordingly, one time
election will ensure continuity in policies, projects and programmes of the
central and state governments.
Getting Rid of False Promises
Vote bank appeasement becomes the buzz word during elections. With elections
around the corner, most political parties’ resort to contrivances to win or
devastate reputation of different parties. They devise strategies just those which
would win a bit leeway for the vote bank and help in winning elections. People
are sick of this sort of submission as these lawmakers prevent the passage of
long-term useful polices but promote which give them dividends.
Effective Governance
If elections are not held frequently, the administration will go ahead with
worthwhile plans and development-based projects instead of election season
focused plans. Even state and central government need not prepare lucrative
budget with sops every year and they can take decisions for the development of
economy.
Social Welfare Focused Government Functioning
Delays in Government working can be stopped which is caused by repeated
conduct of elections. Exchequer incurs colossal labor and money to conduct free
and fair elections in the country and states. One Nation One Election concept
will help the schools and universities open on time; educators to work without
fear of vacation every now and then. This will have positive on the life of overall
population.
Obstacles in Implementation

o The passing of the bill for one nation one election will require backing
of at least half of the members of both the houses of parliament. If it is
passed in lower house, it needs nod from upper house also.
o Elections are the greatest mediums for the people to get their voices
heard and if the major ones are conducted only once in five years the
masses will fear of being ignored by the executive who will gain greater
power after the system is implemented.
 o Another major drawback will be the need to conduct all the state
assembly elections simultaneously as well, once the Legislative is
dissolved which might prove needless yet mandatory.
o As it can be clearly seen the plan does hold promise but to implement it
successfully the government must fully follow its marketed tagline of
‘Sabka saath Sabka vikaas’ as this system can’t be smoothly executed
without the collaboration of the other parties fighting to save their
identities.

New Government Serious on the Issue

o If there is any government in the recent years that can successfully

implement the idea of one nation-one election by amending the
constitution in the largest democracy of the world it is the present BJP
government which retained power with a tally of over 300 seats in the
recent Loksabha polls 2019.
o The vision of the party in power - Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) under the
leadership of the country’s Prime-Minister Mr. Narendra Modi is also to
set the platform for a development mindset as this system is supposed to
set free politicians, government officials and the state resources from the
hassle of organizing elections in different parts of the country every year
now and then and completely direct the government machinery on solid
groundwork rather than needless formalities.

VIII. Bullet Train: Does India really need it?

The highly ambitious dream of India's first high-speed bullet train which would
run between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is close to becoming a reality. According
to Piyush Goyal, Union Railway Minister, the operations for this project will
commence from 2022. Though bullet trains will usher a new era of growth and
development but the investment capital is humongous. In this backdrop, the
issue becomes highly debatable and may appear in GD of some B-schools. The
article below has been written to throw some light on the project, key statistics
and its pros and cons.
Background:
The Indian Ministry of Railway prepared the “Indian Railways Vision 2020” in
December 2009, and proposed seven routes that are candidates for the
construction of high-speed-railways or Bullet trains. The line between Mumbai
and Ahmedabad (approximately 500 km long) has been declared as the first
high-speed railway section to be planned and constructed.
The High-Speed Railway Line (HSRL) will connect Mumbai, the capital city of
the State of Maharashtra and the second most populous metropolitan area in
India with Ahmedabad which is a metropolis in the State of Gujarat. The
approximately 500 km long line will consist of High-speed Railway vision
running along the Arabian Sea coast side and connecting with Surat and
Vadodara en-route which are the second and third largest city in the State of
Gujarat.

The proposed High Speed Railway corridor between Ahmedabad and Mumbai
aims to improve connectivity between the two business centers and make it
more easily connected.
Key facts and Figures
o On 7 October 2013, India and Japan signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) for joint feasibility study on the construction of
HSR between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
o The estimated Cost for the entire corridor is Rs.1, 08,000 Crore.
o Japan has offered a loan of Rs 97,636 Crore to fund about 81% of the
project at an interest of 0.1%. The repayment period for the loan is 50
years, beginning from the 16th year of operation.
o There will be 12 stations on the route. The majority of the route will be
elevated. A part of it will run through a 7 km long undersea tunnel.
o The Maximum Design Speed of the train will be 350 kmph and
Maximum operating speed of will be 320 kmph.
o The 750-seat train is scheduled to run from August 2022.

Why bullet trains are needed:

High-speed connectivity: India is a vast country and the need to travel faster
has become a necessity. While air transport can cater to such needs, the capacity
that it offers simply cannot match that of the railways. While making
incremental changes to improve existing infrastructure is desirable, it is equally
important to adopt proven state-of-the-art technologies. The High-Speed
Railway Line will be effective in meeting this requirement.

Apart from diverting passengers from road and air, Bullet train generates a new
class of passengers as well. With the average operating speeds higher than 250
km/h, High Speed Railways will make the distance of 500 km reachable in two
hours.

Less stress on the Railways: The conventional Indian Railways lags

substantially in extending, accelerating and modernizing its infrastructure and
services. There is a serious need to segregate its passenger business from freight.
With advent of bullet trains the stress on the railways would be reduced.

Employment: The bullet train project is expected to create 4,000 direct job
opportunities, along with 20,000 indirect jobs. 20,000 construction workers will
also be employed during the set-up period of Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train.

Urban expansion: new bullet train stations set to come up along the route will
attract urban growth. This will again shift the pressure of urbanization from the
existing urban centers.

Environmental: In the backdrop of increasing concerns over environmental

pollution and degradation of fossil fuels, energy-efficient and environmentally
friendly, high-speed electric trains emit an eighth and a fifth of carbon dioxide
as against automobiles and airplanes per passenger km, respectively.

Enhanced Safety: High Speed Railways’ safety record is remarkable. With a

2,500-km network, providing high frequency, up to 14 trains per hour, the
Shinkansen/Bullet train ever since its inception has maintained a unique record
of no fatal accident.

Other avenues: The prime purpose of Bullet trains in India to provide

convenience to commuters. However, it can also make a difference in freight
transportation. Be it courier mail services, perishables, or other items, any fast
 alternative to overloaded lorries should be welcome for businesses as well as
private consumers.

Why bullet train project seems redundant:

▪ A project report by the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad

estimates that at least 1 lakh passengers at fares approximately Rs. 1,500 per
300 km would be required daily for the project to break even. The cost of
air fare between the two cities is around Rs. 2,500. With comparable fare to
air ways the project doesn’t seem to serve the purpose.
▪ The complexity of the project also arises due a variety of socio-economic
implications like land acquisition, rehabilitation, and environmental
concerns.
▪ Bullet train project in India would be a massively expensive involving
enormous public expenditure that India cannot afford as a huge public
investment is needed in social infrastructure and poverty eradication.
▪ With majority of Indian population travelling in sleeper class or lower class
for thousands of kilometers the project will be benefiting only international
corporates, local contractors and a small number of aspirational elites
indulging in luxury travel.
▪ With the advent of new technologies like Hyperloop Transportation
Technologies which propose to make travel as fast as 760 miles per hour,
investing a humongous capital on bullet train seems a cursory and outdated.

c) Factual Topics.
IX. Union Budget 2021: Key Highlights, Analysis, Pros & Cons

Union Budget of a year, also referred to as the annual financial statement, is a

statement of the estimated receipts and expenditure of the government for that
particular year. Union Budget is the account of the government's finances for
the fiscal year that runs from 1st April to 31st March. Union Minister of Finance
and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman presented 2021 Budget on
1.2.2021. Given the impact of Budget on Society, Business and Economy, this
becomes a very important GD, WAT, Extempore, Interview topic for MBA
Admissions and other competitive exams. MBAUniverse.com presents a
detailed analysis of Budget 2021.

What is 'Union Budget'.

According to Article 112 of the Indian Constitution, the Union Budget of a year,
also referred to as the annual financial statement, is a statement of the estimated
receipts and expenditure of the government for that particular year. Union
Budget is the account of the government's finances for the fiscal year that runs
from 1st April to 31st March. Union Budget is classified into Revenue Budget
and Capital Budget.

What is Revenue Budget and Capital Budget?

Let’s understand this basic and important difference. Revenue budget includes
the government's revenue receipts and expenditure. There are two kinds of
revenue receipts - tax and non-tax revenue. Revenue expenditure is the
expenditure incurred on day to day functioning of the government and on
various services offered to citizens. If revenue expenditure exceeds revenue
receipts, the government incurs a revenue deficit. Capital Budget includes
capital receipts and payments of the government. Loans from public, foreign
governments and RBI form a major part of the government's capital receipts.
Capital expenditure is the expenditure on development of machinery,
equipment, building, health facilities, education etc. Fiscal deficit is incurred
when the government's total expenditure exceeds its total revenue.

Union Budget 2021

Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman

presented 2021 Budget on 1.2.2021. She said that India’s fight against COVID-
19 continues into 2021 and that this moment in history, when the political,
economic, and strategic relations in the post-COVID world are changing, is the
 dawn of a new era – one in which India is well-poised to truly be the land of
promise and hope.

The key highlights of the Union Budget 2021-22 are as follows:

6 pillars of the Union Budget 2021-22:

Budget 2021 is based on six key pillars.

i. Health and Wellbeing

ii. Physical & Financial Capital, and Infrastructure
iii. Inclusive Development for Aspirational India
iv. Reinvigorating Human Capital
v. Innovation and R&D
vi. Minimum Government and Maximum Governance

i. Health and Wellbeing: In the context of COVID 19, Health was the
focus of Budget 2021. Here are more details:

o Massive Increase in Health Spending: Rs. 2,23,846 crore outlay for Health and
Wellbeing in BE 2021-22 as against Rs. 94,452 crore in BE 2020-21 – an increase of
137%.
o Focus on strengthening three areas: Preventive, Curative, and Wellbeing
o Rs. 35,000 crore for COVID-19 vaccine in BE 2021-22
o Rs. 64,180 crore outlay over 6 years for PM Aatma Nirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana – a
new centrally sponsored scheme to be launched, in addition to NHM
o Mission Poshan 2.0 to be launched to strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach,
and outcome.
o Universal Coverage of Water Supply. Rs. 2,87,000 crore over 5 years for Jal Jeevan
Mission (Urban) - to be launched with an aim to provide 2.86 crore household tap
connections
o Scrapping Policy announced. Voluntary vehicle scrapping policy to phase out old and
unfit vehicles.

ii. Physical and Financial Capital and Infrastructure

Production Linked Incentive scheme (PLI). Rs. 1.97 lakh crore outlay in next 5 years for
PLI schemes in 13 Sectors to create and nurture manufacturing global champions for an
Aatma Nirbhar Bharat. PLIs to help manufacturing companies become an integral part of
global supply chains, possess core competence and cutting-edge technology.

Textiles: Mega Investment Textiles Parks (MITRA) scheme, in addition to PLI

launched. 7 Textile Parks to be established over 3 years. Textile industry to become
globally competitive, attract large investments and boost employment generation &
exports.

Infrastructure: National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) expanded to 7,400 projects.

Around 217 projects worth Rs. 1.10 lakh crore completed. Measures in three thrust areas
to increase funding for NIP:

o Creation of institutional structures

o Big thrust on monetizing assets
o Enhancing the share of capital expenditure
o Big thrust on monetizing assets: National Monetization Pipeline to be launched.
Important asset monetization measures to be taken:
o 5 operational toll roads worth Rs. 5,000 crore being transferred to the NHAIInvIT
o Transmission assets worth Rs. 7,000 crore to be transferred to the PGCILInvIT
o Dedicated Freight Corridor assets to be monetized by Railways, for operations and
maintenance, after commissioning
o Next lot of Airports to be monetized for operations and management concession
o Other core infrastructure assets to be rolled out under the Asset Monetization
Programme
o Oil and Gas Pipelines of GAIL, IOCL and HPCL
o AAI Airports in Tier II and III cities
o Other Railway Infrastructure Assets
o Warehousing Assets of CPSEs such as Central Warehousing Corporation
and NAFED
o Sports Stadiums
iii. Inclusive Development for Aspirational India

Agriculture:
Ensured MSP at minimum 1.5 times the cost of production across all
commodities.

SWAMITVA Scheme to be extended to all States/UTs, 1.80 lakh property-

owners in 1,241 villages have already been provided cards Migrant Workers
and Laborer’s: One Nation One Ration Card scheme for beneficiaries to claim
rations anywhere in the country was announced. Migrant workers to benefit the
most.

iv. Reinvigorating Human Capital

Education sector was the fourth pillar of Union Budget 2021. Here are the key
initiatives:

o School Education: 15,000 schools to be strengthened by implementing

all NEP components. Shall act as exemplar schools in their regions for
mentoring others. 100 new Sainik Schools to be set up in partnership
with NGOs/private schools/states.
o Higher Education: Legislation to be introduced to setup Higher
Education Commission of India as an umbrella body with 4 separate
vehicles for standard-setting, accreditation, regulation, and funding.
o Skilling: Proposed amendment to Apprenticeship Act to enhance
opportunities for youth was announced. Rs. 3000 crores for realignment
of existing National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) towards
post-education apprenticeship, training of graduates and diploma
holders in Engineering was mentioned.
v. Innovation and R&D
Innovation and RD was the fifth pillar. · National Research Foundation
(announced in July 2019) will have Rs. 50,000 crores outlay over 5 years
to strengthen overall research ecosystem with focus on national-priority
thrust areas.

vi. Minimum Government, Maximum Governance

Finally, Governance was the last pillar. Rs. 3,768 crore allocated for first
digital census in the history of India.
X. Is FDI Good for Indian Economy?
What is FDI?
Foreign direct investment (FDI) is an investment made by a firm or an
individual into business interests located in another country. Generally, FDI
takes place when an investor establishes foreign business operations or acquires
foreign business assets, including establishing ownership or controlling interest
in a foreign company. It frequently involves more than just capital investment.
It may include provisions of management or technology as well. The key feature
of FDI is that it establishes either effective control of, or at least substantial
influence over, the decision-making of a foreign business.
FDI Categorization
FDI is commonly categorized into horizontal, vertical or conglomerate. A
Horizontal FDI is when the investor establishes the same type of business
operation in a foreign country. A Vertical FDI is when different but related
business activities from the investor’s main business are established or acquired
in a foreign country. A Conglomerate FDI is when a company or individual
makes a foreign investment in a business that is unrelated to its existing business
in the home country. It is mostly in the form of a joint venture.
Rising Trend of FDI in India
o India is a developing nation, trying to make its way up the ladder in the
world economy. To achieve its goal, it requires influx of investment,
both national and international. Foreign nations often keep an eye on
fast-growing economies and are keen to invest in markets where they
expect great interests in the future. India allows FDI through two routes-
Automatic and Government. Where in automatic route, no prior
approval is required, the government route cannot be accessed without
approval from Government of India.
o The Government of India amended FDI policy in 2014 to increase the
inflow of FDI. FDI in 25 sectors was increased to up to 100% along with
up to 49% in insurance sector. Following this, India became the top
destination for FDI overtaking China and USA. The sectors that cannot
avail FDI include lottery business, chit funds, casinos, Nidhi companies,
real estate, railways and a few others.
 o According to 2018 data, the main investor in India is Singapore,
comprising 38.3% of the total FDI followed by Mauritius at 18.2%,
Netherlands at 8.8% and USA at 7.1%. Other investors include Japan,
UK, Germany, France, UAE and Cyprus. The main sectors availing
these investments are chemical sector, accounting for 23.5% of the FDI,
followed by services sector at 22.7% and computer software and
hardware at 18.6%.
FDI helping to Boost Economy

▪ Revenue Generation
▪ Sometimes, when a giant venture is to be started, capital is hard to come by. At
such times, FDI comes in handy as a saviour and provides with necessary
revenue to meet the initial infrastructural demands required for a project. For
example, in May 2018, Walmart acquired a 77 per cent stake in Flipkart for a
consideration of USD 16 billion while in February 2018, Ikea announced its
plans to invest up to Rs 4,000 crore (USD 612 million) in the state of
Maharashtra to set up multi-format stores and experience centres.

▪ Employment Generation
India is teeming with a wide work force but not enough jobs. When multi
national businesses are established, it leads to job creation which the indigenous
industries are not able to provide on such a wide scale. According to a report in
the Business Today magazine, between 2000 and 2016, British FDI created
371,000 jobs. 10 per cent of all jobs created by FDI. The total number of people
employed by British companies in India currently stands at 788,000-
representing 5.3 per cent, or one in twenty, of private sector jobs.

▪ Getting Latest Technology

Though India is developing, it still does not have access to cutting edge
technology which comes in handy when working in collaboration with foreign
businesses as they tend to bring in latest technology to maintain the quality of
the products and services provided by them. It helps to get the products with
latest technology. Moreover, it also opens up doorways to research
opportunities in the concerned field on the domestic front. FDI in manufacturing
 sector often helps with the setup as well as better quality of product
manufactured.
▪ Cultural Exchange
Working shoulder-to-shoulder with people from different cultural backgrounds
helps everyone evolve and develop a sense of comfort in any atmosphere if they
have to live in it. Multinational businesses offer an opportunity of a multilevel
cultural exchange which cannot be seen otherwise. It leads to a certain level of
acceptability for the different cultures all over the world.
▪ Infrastructure Development
▪ With International brands pouring in to the domestic country, there is scope for
better infrastructure, be it in the field of education, health care, information
technology, constitutional bodies, construction of rail, road, vehicles among
others. FDI also helps to make the Indian infrastructure at par with the facilities
available in foreign countries.

▪ In June 2018, Idea’s appeal for 100 per cent FDI was approved by Department
of Telecommunication (DoT) followed by its Indian merger with Vodafone.
This merger made Vodafone Idea the largest telecom operator in India resulting
in better overall reach of the company.
o Price Reduction
Better technology may further lead to a reduction in prices of the produced goods
which in turn benefits the consumers. Moreover, when a new product is brought
into the market, new research and development in the field will definitely lead to
better price ranges for consumers in the future. Thus, FDI benefits consumers by
reducing prices of goods and services in the long run.
o Healthy Competition
With addition of a foreign player in the market, each company strives to do its best,
thus increasing the healthy competition in market and in turn benefitting the
customer. This benefit may come in form of a variety of products, reduced prices
or introduction of a product that was not available in the domestic market before.
▪
Harmful Impact of FDI
FDI Hinders Economic Growth so we should not over rely on FDI. Here are some of
the logical arguments:

Foreign Investors are Volatile

Investors run after profit. If they see a better opportunity elsewhere, they may shift their
interests as well as their investment to the better prospect in a heartbeat without any
lieu of the consequences on the economy of the host country unless prior contracts have
already been signed. This brings in the uncertainty factor when looking for FDI. This
cancellation of contracts may in turn lead to devaluation of Rupee and a financial crisis
at hand.

FDI Creates Imbalance

FDI is often concentrated either in the richer states of India or in the high skill sectors.
This imbalance leads to a probable increase in the economic gap between the rich and
the poor. FDI projects are often concentrated to already well-developed states like
Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra while less developed states like Bihar and Jharkhand are
left behind once again thus, increasing the regional economic gap further. Apart from
this, in the current scenario, FDI focuses on service sector where skilled labour is
required, but the brunt of our problems lie in the majority of unskilled and semi-skilled
labour. FDI in sectors like construction, manufacturing and textiles should be further
encouraged in order to create more jobs for them.

Tax Evasion
Profit-shifting behaviour among MNCs is induced by the huge tax arbitrage between
jurisdictions. While the average effective corporate tax rate in China, Brazil and India
ranges from around 17% to 32%, it is much lower in the tax havens of the world like
Bermuda, Luxembourg and Netherlands. Corporate tax evasion is an issue that is even
faced by the developed nations like US and UK and is thus something that India should
take into consideration.

India has committed to the implementation of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting
(BEPS), according to a recent update by Ernst and Young. India has adopted the
“country-by-country" reporting norms, which means that large MNCs will be mandated
to disclose information about the entire group’s operations across the world to check if
the company is shifting its profits to a low-tax jurisdiction to evade taxes

FDI Causes Money Laundering

Sometimes, proceeds of criminal activities may be used in FDI as a front to cover it up
and set up legitimate businesses. The recent case of Air Asia is indicative of how
lobbying can be a major factor that can hinder a business in the long run.

FDI harms Domestic Companies

When foreign companies open their businesses in the domestic market, they often have
lower prices for products than the indigenous product prices which harms the local
businesses to a certain extent. Sometimes, it may even make it hard to survive for the
local businesses among the bounty of cheap products due to well-established
infrastructures. FDI in retail also harms the local merchants.

Possibility of Inflation
There is also a possibility of inflation with prolonged increase in FDI which in turn
causes better incomes, more expenditure by consumers. If this expenditure is balanced
in form of an increased supply of goods required according to the demand, the inflation
caused will be indicative of a progressing economy where as if the incomes increase
without any change in availability of products for consumers, the inflation will be
detrimental to the economy. For example, if the foreign borrowings were in the form
of armaments, which are of no use to the common man, the economy may suffer.

Increase in Dependency
When FDI is availed, the host country often works on the foreign timeline and is
dependent on the investing country for almost all of its operations from initial capital
to laying of infrastructure to the way the business is to be carried forward. This increases
dependency on foreign players and is often detrimental to the host country’s economy.
For example, looking at the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project, major funding
is to be provided by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). JICA till now had
released only Rs 125 crore for the project out of the Rs 80,000 crore to be provided by
JICA for the project. The project would cost roughly 1 lakh crore. This delay in funding
is one of the causes for the delay of the project.
Political Involvement
Political parties often try to direct the inflow of FDI for personal benefits which leads
to obstacles in the nation’s development and create controversies that if not resolved
hamper the rate of economic progression. The most recent case of such a controversy
is the Rafale Deal with France’s Dassault Aviations. The opposing party claimed that
the ruling party (NDA) has made the deal at triple the price. Although the Supreme
Court gave a ruling in favour of NDA, the deal is still a matter of immense controversy.

A Cautious Move Needed

Though FDI is a very good option to move forward but it has its demerits and these
should be taken into consideration when designing policies for FDI. Over dependence
on foreign investments should not be encouraged. Other alternatives like FII, venture
capitalist and Indian innovation must also be promoted to improve the foundations of
the domestic economy. Care should be taken to utilize the increase in foreign money
inflow. FDI would lead to a more comprehensive integration of India into the
worldwide market where India can also make a strong position in global market by
exporting their quality products and services.

d) Controversial Topics.
XIII. Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019: What, why, When and Whom;
Relationship with NRC explained
Citizenship Amendment Act amends the definition of illegal immigrant for Hindu,
Sikh, Parsi, Buddhist and Christian immigrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and
Bangladesh, who have lived in India without documentation. This has led to
Nationwide student-led protests. Some students from IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad
and other B-schools have also joined protests. Since this is a big Political development,
it may appear in GD and Essay Topics for MBA Admissions 2020. MBAUniverse.com
presents a discussion on key aspects.
The President of India gave his assent to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, on
December 12, a day after it was passed by the Rajya Sabha. The CAB bill was passed
in the Indian Parliament on December 11, 2019 with 125 votes in favor and 105 votes
against. Hence the CAB Bill became the CAA Act. Soon after the protests have broken
out across India against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019. In response, the
Government has shut down the Internet and issued Section 144 in many cities, that
prohibits a gathering of four or more people in a place.
Let’s understand Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA 2019 in detail.
What is Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019?

The Act seeks to amend the definition of illegal immigrant for Hindu, Sikh, Parsi,
Buddhist and Christian immigrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who
have lived in India without documentation. They will be granted fast track Indian
citizenship in six years. The legislation applies to those who were “forced or compelled
to seek shelter in India due to persecution on the ground of religion”. It aims to protect
such people from proceedings of illegal migration. The cut-off date for citizenship is
December 31, 2014 which means the applicant should have entered India on or before
that date. Indian citizenship, under present law, is given either to those born in India or
if they have resided in the country for a minimum of 11 years.

What is Government’s rationale?

Centre says these minority groups (Hindu, Sikh, Parsi, Buddhist and Christian
immigrants) have come escaping persecution in Muslim-majority nations. However,
critics say that the logic is not consistent, and bill is discriminatory – the bill does not
protect all religious minorities, nor does it apply to all neighbours. For example, the
Ahmedia Muslim sect and even Shias face discrimination in Pakistan. Rohingya
Muslims and Hindus face persecution in neighbouring Burma, and Hindu and Christian
Tamils in neighbouring Sri Lanka. The government responds that Muslims can seek
refuge in other Islamic nations.

What is the Opposition's objection?

According to Opposition Parties and Critics, the CAB discriminates against Muslims
by declaring India a welcome refuge to all other religious communities. They say that
it seeks to legally establish Muslims as second-class citizens of India by providing
preferential treatment to other groups. This violates the Constitution’s Article 14, the
fundamental right to equality to all persons.
So, what next?
While the President gave his assent to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, on
December 12, the Home Ministry has yet to notify the rules to “operationalize” the law.
The notification of rules may now have to wait as a decision in this regard will be taken
after seeking experts’ advice since the matter is sub judice before the Supreme Court.
The petitions against the Act are listed for hearing on January 22.

NRC and how is it related to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019?

A state-specific exercise, National Register of Citizens (NRC) identified illegal
immigrants from Assam on the Supreme Court's order. But, as soon as the Citizenship
Amendment Bill was given Presidential assent making it a law, speculations started
about another move - the National Register of Citizens or NRC. What is NRC and does
it relate to CAA? Let’s find out.

What is National Register of Citizens?

Simply put, NRC is the National Register of Citizens. It has been adopted by many
countries in the World. In India, NRC identified illegal immigrants from Assam on the
Supreme Court's order. This has been a “state-specific exercise” to keep its ethnic
uniqueness unchanged. But ever since its implementation, there has been a call for its
nationwide implementation. Many top BJP leaders including Home Minister Amit Shah
have proposed that the NRC should be implemented across India. According to its
proponents, NRC will effectively enable the government to identify infiltrators who
have been living in India illegally, detain them and deport them to where they came
from.

Will any particular community lose out if NRC is implemented along with CAA?
CAA, if implemented, will profile illegal immigrants in India. But Hindus, Christians,
Sikhs, Buddhist, Jains and Parsis coming from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh
won't be affected, if they claim they have arrived India after fleeing religious
persecution. Which essentially means, if a nationwide NRC comes in as proposed, any
illegal immigrant from other than Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, will be
affected. And as for those three nations, people coming from there who belong to the
Muslim community will also be affected as they are not included in the Citizenship
Amendment Act.
What will happen to the affected?
As proposed, if a nationwide NRC comes in place, the affected will be detained and
taken to large detention centers, as it is happening in Assam. After that, the Ministry of
External Affairs will get in touch with the concerned nations. If the details of the
detained are matched and accepted by the concerned nations, deportations will follow.

Whether a nationwide NRC will come in place or not is yet to be known. But going by
the speed the government is moving in bringing bold legislations like abrogation of
Article 370 and CAB in 2019, a pan-India NRC Bill can’t be ruled out in 2020.
XIV. Article 370 Abrogation: Correcting old folly or thrusting nationalistic
agenda?
The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi has recently been in America to
address United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) preceded by the event 'Hody Modi'
at Houston on September 22, 2019. More than 50000 Indian Americans were present
at the NRG Stadium in USA to attend the 'Howdy Modi' event. Besides, The President
of United States of America was also there with Mr. Modi showing solidarity.
Thousands of Kashmiri people gathered at the event to thank Mr. Modi for abrogation
of Article 370 in Kashmir making it possible for them to go back to their motherland.
It may be recalled that thousands of Kashmiri pandits were forcefully thrown out of
their houses in 1990s and were never allowed to go back to their houses in Kashmir and
the then Kashmiri governments also did not help them to make it possible to come back.
After abrogation of Article 370, the ray of hope has come to these people who are
locking up to Modi government to allow them to come back to Kashmir.

Not only at the event at Houston, but also at UNGA Mr. Modi condemned all kinds of
terrorist especially the state sponsored terrorism which has caused Kashmir suffer
during last 30 Years. Pakistan has been very upset over abrogation of Article 370 and
its Prime Minister Imran Khan has indulged into all types of rhetoric including the
threats like dire consequences and blood bath in case the article 370 is not restored. The
same rhetoric was repeated at UNGA by Pakistan as against Modi who always talked
about better environment, cleanliness and a better and friendly world for future.

Modi talked about the virtues of Indian democracy, talked about India's heritage and
identity, and called for a 'decisive fight against terrorism' and those who support it. He
touched upon the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. At the UN (Climate
Action Summit and an address on Universal Health Care), Modi spoke at the UN
General Assembly, with references to history, culture, poetry, a commitment to
peacekeeping missions and his own government's initiatives. And since Abrogation of
Article 370 is India's internal matter, international community except Pakistan and
China has supported India. On his return Mr. Modi received a warm welcome and
thousands lined up at two kilometers stretch from the airport to welcome him.

Abrogation of Article 370: August 5, 2020 Turned Historical

When the newly appointed Home Minister of India, Amit Shah of the newly elected
BJP government presented the bill in the Parliament on August 5, 2019 to abrogate the
clauses in the controversial Article 370 and 35A that granted the State of Jammu &
Kashmir a special status and proposed to reorganize Laddakh and Jammu & Kashmir
as two separate union territories, instead of full-fledged single state, lot of hue and cry
with mixed and confused opinions from political parties captured the news headlines.
In view of the home minister, he was correcting the mistake that was committed 70
years ago by the then Government functionaries and the abolition of Article 370 and
reorganization of the State will now open doors for development of all the three regions
Jammu, Kashmir and Laddakh.
The abrogation of article 370 and 35A was passed by two third majority in the Lok
Sabha and has also got the President’s nod. The decision is largely welcomed by Indian
masses and most of the political parties. Some of the leaders in main opposition party
in Parliament - Congress have also supported this decision and did not tow the party
line. The congress party’s whip in Rajya Sabha (Upper house of Parliament)
Bhubaneswar Kalita, Member of Parliament from Assam, has also resigned from the
party accusing the Congress for not supporting the abrogation. Mr Kalita claimed that
the Congress party was committing suicide by opposing the abrogation of Article 370.
Many are surprised with the speed and hurry in which the bill was passed by both houses
of the Parliament.
Historical Back Ground: Article 370 & Kashmir
At the time of partition of India in 1947 into two separate countries - India and Pakistan,
the State of Jammu & Kashmir like other princely states of India, was under the rule of
Dogra King Maharaja Hari Singh. The King faced an uprising and attack by his muslim
subjects who connived with Pakistan’s Pashtun tribal Kabailis. The Pakistan’s Pashtun
militia crossed the border of the state in October 1947. Maharaja, who earlier did not
want to merge Kashmir with India, made a plea to India for assistance when he
witnessed the threat from the kabailis. The request was accepted by Government of
India but the help was offered subject to his signing an Instrument of Accession to India.

In 1948, Pakistani armies also entered the war supporting these kabailis and before they
were driven away by Indian Army, they forcibly captured some parts of Kashmir which
had already become the integral part of India. These parts were never returned by
Pakistan and after ceasefire in the midnight of December 31, 1948, a Line of Control
was drawn between the two countries. Since 1948, India has been claiming back the
Pakistan occupied Kashmir which is considered as the integral part of Republic of India.
Later, many organizations in Kashmir, including the king himself wanted that the
constitution of India should be fully implemented to the State of Jammu & Kashmir but
Shaikh Abdullah who advocated abolition of monarchy wanted a separate constitution
for the state. A constituent Assembly was formed in 1951 to look into the matter and
the Article 370, granting special status to Jammu & Kashmir was inserted in the
Constitution of India. The Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir which was an
elected body unanimously resolved on 15 Feb 1954 that the entire princely state of
Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.
The matter was taken to United Nations which resolved that a plebiscite be conducted
both in PoK and Jammu & Kashmir. For this Pakistan had to withdraw its army from it
occupied Kashmir. India agreed to plebiscite in Kashmir under the UN resolution
adopted in 1948, but Pakistan subverted the UN resolution by transferring some of POK
parts to China in 1965 and bifurcating the POK into two parts in 1970. This has resulted
in demographic and legal changes in the PoK nullifying the UN Resolution.
Article 370: Adverse Impacts on Kashmir
Despite being “Temporary and Transitional" the Article 370 made the State of Jammu
& Kashmir a closed-door economy which helped the politicians and separatist forces
in Kashmir to become strong. While it is useless to talk about the inclusion of Article
370 in the constitution, it is worthwhile to note how it affected adversely the overall
development of the State of Jammu & Kashmir. Article 370 is an exception to the
fundamental rights guaranteed to all citizens by the Indian Constitution.
o Parallel Constitution without safeguard to Minorities:
o No Right to Education:
o No Land or Property for Indians
o Deprived Women of their Rights
o No Reservation for Dalits
o Breeding Racial Discrimination:
o Feeding Power Elites:
o Frequent Misuse:
o Tax Thefts under Cover of Article 370
o Breeding Two Nation Theory:

Article 370 Abrogation: Positive Impact on Growth & Stability

o Equality Before Law:

o Fast Pace of Development:
o Curb on Terrorism
o Education as a Right to All:
o Kashmiri Women to gain Most:
o No Fear of Triple Talaq:
o Resettlement of Hindu Minority:

The Negative Impact

o The abrogation of Article 370 has not gone down well especially to elite Kashmiri
political leaders, separatists and terrorist groups. They are hell bent to flare up
tensions in the valley. This has caused security concern for common people.
o The reorganization of state of Kashmir into two union territories of Jammu &
Kashmir and Laddakh is although welcomed by Laddakh as it did not get fruits of
development during past 70 years, Kashmir has lost its full state hood. However,
the Government would restore it once the things get better in Kashmir.
o Since J&K has become a Union territory, the central government must now ensure
that funds are deployed properly and don’t get into the pockets of a few families
and their cronies.
o It will take time before industry finds Kashmir a safe place to invest
o Pakistan will also try to shoot up its terrorist game. When the US withdraws its
troops from Afghanistan, Taliban’s terrorists will be available to Pakistan to be re-
directed towards Kashmir.
o The doubting Kashmiri Muslim must be made to realize that Article 370 brought
more negativity in his life. It was because of this article that he was kept alienated
from his nation for seven decades.
XV. EVMs Vs Paper Ballots: Which one is Better to Use?
Elections in India by using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) started more than 30
years after getting independence. Till then only paper ballots were used. Finding that
there were many malpractices like Vote rigging, forged voting, booth capturing with
muscle power, too much time consumed in getting the paper ballots packed and to avoid
the wastage of tons of paper during election process, Election Commission of India
thought of alternate and better way of using voting rights by citizens.
Accordingly, to begin with Election Commission first used the EVMs in 1982 in the
by-election to North Paravur Assembly Constituency in Kerala at some of the polling
stations. Later the EVMS were used in select constituencies of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh
and Rajasthan. The experiments were found successful and later in 1999, the EVMs
were used in the Goa Assembly general election (entire state). In 2003, all by-elections
and state elections were held using EVMs. After that, Election Commission decided to
use only EVMs for Lok Sabha elections in 2004 and did away with paper ballot.
Parties with Lost Elections started the Debate

Elections have always been a matter of controversy in India. Be it Electronic Voting

Machines (EVMs) or paper ballots, both have had their fair share of doubts and
shortcomings. During the reign of paper ballots, a party’s win in the elections was
attributed to booth capturing, in today’s time, it is blamed on EVM tampering.
The first accusation of EVM tampering came forward way back in the 2009 General
Elections when BJP lost elections. The so-called EVM hacking or tampering was first
put forward by LK Advani, the leader of BJP. Subsequently, when BJP won the General
Election in 2014 by a majority of 51.9%, BJP quietened while Congress put forward
the same issue of EVM hacking. Later, in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections held in
2017, BSP, AAP fiercely argued about pre-programming in the EVMs so that the vote
went on to a preferred party. This was supported by Congress and Samajwadi party
also.
Amidst these claims and the shifting of certain developed nations from EVM to paper
ballots again, some Indian parties are also putting forward requests to shift back to paper
ballot voting in lieu of possibility of EVM tampering.
However, on February 1, 2019, Chief Election Commissioner, Sunil Arora said, “We
are not going back to the days of ballot paper. (The) EVMs have been in use in our
country for more than two decades. And it has been a consistent policy of the ECI
(Election Commission of India) for quite some time and I think it will remain the same.”
This statement from Election Commission and after the several open challenges in the
past to demonstrate how the Indian design of EVM is hackable were proved futile has
put the accusations at rest somehow.
Merits & Demerits of Paper Ballot

Merits

• No Chance of Hacking
The best thing about paper ballot is that it cannot be hacked. No matter the
complexity of the activity it is used for, it cannot be pre-processed to give a
certain outcome. There is no algorithm or electronic wiring that can be tampered
with by an individual or a group of experts for that matter to give a favourable
result.

• Paper Ballot Still Used Internationally

In October 2006, the Netherlands banned the use of EVMs. In the year 2009,
the Republic of Ireland banned its use which is followed by the Italy in the same
year. In March 2009, the Supreme Court of Germany ruled that voting through
EVM was unconstitutional. The Court believed that transparency in elections is
the constitutional right of the people, but "efficiency" is not constitutionally
protected value.

• Amidst these countries adopting paper ballots apart from developed nations like
USA and England already using it, Indian political parties are putting forward
the notion why it cannot be done in India. But, what’s good for their country
might not necessarily be good for our country. With different systems of
democracy in these countries it is only natural for us to have different election
methods as well.
Demerits

• Paper Ballot: Wastage of Paper

Reverting back to paper from electronic means is the same as turning back to
primitive raw meat even after the discovery of fire. When even the most
polluting industries are trying to become greener and reduce their carbon
footprints, using paper on such a huge scale despite more eco-friendly options
being available is a direct neglect of the environment.

• Time Consuming Manual Ballot Counting

The votes cast are counted manually and is a tiresome and error prone task.
There were approximately 80 crore registered voters in India during the 2014
General Elections and this figure is expected to increase in the 2019 elections.
Counting of 80 crore votes manually is quite difficult and it takes many more
man days to count the votes and arrive at the result. This results in miscounting
of votes and adds to the already huge time taken to count. In Panchayat Elections
in Odisha, conducted using ballot papers, there was a scene of miscounting
wherein candidates won according to the second counting. However, there is no
way of knowing whether the first count was correct or the second. One can never
be sure.

• Booth Capturing: Show of Muscle Power

Use of muscle power has been a tool of the political parties to get election
outcomes in their favour. During the 2017 elections in Odisha, a video of booth
capture went viral in the media. Apart from this, booth capture instances by
CPM party in West Bengal are not hidden from anyone. In an interview with
The Economic Times on 1 February 2019, the Chief Election Commissioner,
Sunil Arora said regarding shifting back to paper ballots, “Political parties have
a right to make their feedback known and their apprehensions because they're
the biggest stakeholders after the voters. But we're not going to go back to
ballot-paper days. We're not going to the days of ballot papers being snatched,
muscle powers being used for that (and) inordinate delays in counting.”
 • Methods of Vote Manipulation in Ballot Paper
Aside from booth capturing, other methods of vote manipulation have come into
play in the past elections. This includes the difference in inks during vote
casting. A video from the Rajya Sabha Elections in Haryana showed how the
vote casting times were different for BJP MLAs and for Congress MLAs and
that later the votes cast by Congress MLAs were not taken into consideration
due to change in the pen used for casting votes. Sometimes, even some papers
where votes are cast can be changed voluntarily or under forced circumstances
thus, making the voting scenario quite unsafe for both voters and members of
the election commission.

EVM: Merits & Demerits

Merits

• Increased Efficiency
With the shift from manual to technological resources, the election system has
inadvertently become more efficient. Be it in terms of faster result
announcement, elimination of miscounting of votes or the simplicity of the vote
casting method, the system has become faster and more trustworthy than the
paper ballots. Where in paper ballots instances of miscounting led to questions
regarding the winning of candidates, EVM puts that dilemma to a rest.

• Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)

The VVPAT was introduced in EVMs by Supreme Court order in 2013. This is
essentially a printout of the vote that a voter has cast. This system was developed
to make sure that voters were satisfied that their votes were being cast to the
candidates chosen by them and not to any other party or candidate. The VVPAT
is a separate unit attached to the main EVM unit and provides a paper printout
of the vote cast by the voter.

• Continuous Advancement
 Where the paper ballot system is fixed in time, with almost no scope of
improvement in the future, the EVM technology can be further improved to
remove the glitches seen in the various machines and perfect it to be a fool proof
system in the future. The Election Commission of India has introduced a new
model of the EVM known as the M3 Model to be used in the 2019 General
elections and it has claimed that this new model will eliminate the instances of
faulty machines that were seen in the past.

• Hacking Challenge: ECI Says Not Possible

The Election Commission threw an open hacking challenge in June 2017 for
whoever claimed that the EVMs could be tampered with. This challenge came
amidst various claims by cyber experts that they could be hacked and pre-
programmed. Among the most prominent cases was the cyber expert Syed Shuja
who claimed via a Skype Interview from London that he was among the
developers of the machine and could hack EVM. However, his claims were
proven invalid when he could not hack the machine.

• Demerits:

• Malfunction
More often than not, EVM malfunctioning during the election process has been
reported in the past as a result of some inherent defects in a particular machine.
Although the machine is replaced on receipt of the malfunction report, voting
process remains hampered for the time being and sometime a repoll has to be
done.

However, any machine in the world can malfunction despite all the checks.
Besides, the second machine arrives within no time and the votes stored in both
the EVMs are taken into account.

• Tempering of EVM
EVM tampering is intentional and is not backed by any evidence so far of being
possible. Tampering is when an individual or a group of individuals hack the
 machine so as to register all the votes on the particular EVM to a certain favored
party.

• EVM Hacking in Future

Let’s consider the possibility that EVM can be hacked, if not right now, maybe
in the future as we have seen with all electronic gadgets and machines, be it
smartphone, TV, computer; anything can be hacked. The EVM used in India
consists of a control unit, a ballot unit and a VVPAT. Each EVM unit is separate
and is not connected to any other device. So, even if tampering was possible,
each EVM would have to be tampered with separately which would require
extensive preparation on part of the hacker and a whole network of cyber experts
along with help from the Election Commission itself. This is quite a far-fetched
theory to be possible.

• EVM or Paper Ballot - Which is Better?

Even though quite a few controversies surround EVMs, it all revolves around
whether the EVMs can be hacked or tampered with, which has not been proven
so far. These controversies by far are nothing compared to the unfair practices
that were witnessed when the paper ballots were being used to cast votes during
elections. Unless there is proof of tampering with EVMs, they are definitely the
better option, but if they are in fact hackable, it might lead to catastrophe during
elections which will be pre-determined.

Thus, research and development should not be stopped to make the EVMs
tamper proof and make the elections safe and fair for everybody. But reverting
to paper ballots is definitely a retrograde step that must be avoided on accounts
of the more unfair practices itself.

XVI. Bullet Train: Does India really need it?

The highly ambitious dream of India's first high-speed bullet train which would run
between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is close to becoming a reality. According to Piyush
Goyal, Union Railway Minister, the operations for this project will commence from
2022. Though bullet trains will usher a new era of growth and development but the
investment capital is humongous. In this backdrop, the issue becomes highly debatable
and may appear in GD of some B-schools. The article below has been written to throw
some light on the project, key statistics and its pros and cons.

Key facts and Figures

• On 7 October 2013, India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Understanding

(MOU) for joint feasibility study on the construction of HSR between Mumbai
and Ahmedabad.
• The estimated Cost for the entire corridor is Rs.1, 08,000 Crore.
• Japan has offered a loan of Rs 97,636 Crore to fund about 81% of the project at
an interest of 0.1%. The repayment period for the loan is 50 years,beginning
from the 16th year of operation.
• There will be 12 stations on the route. The majority of the route will be elevated.
A part of it will run through a 7 km long undersea tunnel.
• The Maximum Design Speed of the train will be 350 kmph and Maximum
operating speed of will be 320 kmph.
• The 750-seat train is scheduled to run from August 2022.

Why bullet trains are needed:

• High-speed connectivity: India is a vast country and the need to travel faster
has become a necessity. While air transport can cater to such needs, the capacity
that it offers simply cannot match that of the railways. While making
incremental changes to improve existing infrastructure is desirable, it is equally
important to adopt proven state-of-the-art technologies. The High-Speed
Railway Line will be effective in meeting this requirement.
• Apart from diverting passengers from road and air, Bullet train generates a new
class of passengers as well. With the average operating speeds higher than 250
km/h, High Speed Railways will make the distance of 500 km reachable in two
hours.
• Less stress on the Railways: The conventional Indian Railways lags
substantially in extending, accelerating and modernizing its infrastructure and
services. There is a serious need to segregate its passenger business from freight.
With advent of bullet trains the stress on the railways would be reduced.
• Employment: The bullet train project is expected to create 4,000 direct job
opportunities, along with 20,000 indirect jobs. 20,000 construction workers will
also be employed during the set-up period of Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train.
• Urban expansion: new bullet train stations set to come up along the route will
attract urban growth. This will again shift the pressure of urbanization from the
existing urban centers.
• Environmental: In the backdrop of increasing concerns over environmental
pollution and degradation of fossil fuels, energy-efficient and environmentally
friendly, high-speed electric trains emit an eighth and a fifth of carbon dioxide
as against automobiles and airplanes per passenger km, respectively.
• Enhanced Safety: High Speed Railways’ safety record is remarkable. With a
2,500-km network, providing high frequency, up to 14 trains per hour, the
Shinkansen/Bullet train ever since its inception has maintained a unique record
of no fatal accident.
• Other avenues: The prime purpose of Bullet trains in India to provide
convenience to commuters. However, it can also make a difference in freight
transportation. Be it courier mail services, perishables, or other items, any fast
alternative to overloaded lorries should be welcome for businesses as well as
private consumers.

Why bullet train project seems redundant:

• A project report by the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad estimates

that at least 1 lakh passengers at fares approximately Rs. 1,500 per 300 km
would be required daily for the project to break even. The cost of air fare
between the two cities is around Rs. 2,500. With comparable fare to air ways
the project doesn’t seem to serve the purpose.
• The complexity of the project also arises due a variety of socio-economic
implications like land acquisition, rehabilitation, and environmental concerns.
• Bullet train project in India would be a massively expensive involving
enormous public expenditure that India cannot afford as a huge public
investment is needed in social infrastructure and poverty eradication.
• With majority of Indian population travelling in sleeper class or lower class for
thousands of kilometers the project will be benefiting only international
 corporates, local contractors and a small number of aspirational elites indulging
in luxury travel.
• With the advent of new technologies like Hyperloop Transportation
Technologies which propose to make travel as fast as 760 miles per hour,
investing a humongous capital on bullet train seems a cursory and outdated.

e) Abstract subjects.

I. Zero (0)

The topic has appeared multiple times in GD of various B-Schools and so holds high
probability of being asked this year too. To help you get hold of this topic we have
provided some possible interpretations of the topic

Numerical Significance: Zero is both a number and a numerical digit. Though it holds
no value of its own but it is the sole reason for the existence of whole number system.
Zero is also used as a placeholder in place value systems.

Binary Significance: Zero is one of the two digits used in binary coding. Binary coding
is extensively used in the digital world largely in computer applications, digital
communications and anything which involves digital circuits.

A new beginning: Zero represents the low points or failures in life. It represents
situations where we feel low and of no importance but it also holds a positive
significance as the low in life points are the triggers to overcome pessimism and work
dedicatedly to achieve great heights. Additionally, anyone who comes to a situation
with zero understanding or in other words, an open mind, can understand the new
situation afresh, enabling creativity.

Zero-hour: Zero hour means:

Midnight, or 00:00

Zero Hour in military means the scheduled time for the start of some event, especially
a military operation.

In India, Zero Hour is the time of a sitting session of India's Lok Sabha immediately
after the Question Hour.
Zero-tolerance: A zero tolerance policy is one which imposes stringent punishment
for infringement of a stated rule, with the objective of eliminating undesirable conduct
or behavior.

Zero period: Many schools have zero period classes that are conducted before the start
of the regular school day. Zero period typically begins around an hour before first
period. They are usually conducted to facilitate optional courses or as a backup for the
missed class.

Zero gravity: Zero Gravity is defined as the state or condition of weightlessness. It also
refers to the state in which the net or an apparent effect of gravity (i.e. the gravitational
force) is zero.

Zeroth Law of thermodynamics: The zeroth law of thermodynamics states that if two
thermodynamic systems are each in thermal equilibrium with a third, then they are in
thermal equilibrium with each other.

Zero, thus is of great significance and unless you are well aware about the topic, it is
not possible to speak in the GD round. Make sure to have clarity on the topic and present
your view point during GD round.

II. Black or Grey

• Many people dye their grey hair with black color because of the perspective of
society on ageing. When we see so many advertisements every day that promote
products to look much younger than our real age, it’s much difficult to choose
natural grey hair over black hair, which represents youth. But the happy thing
is that nowadays, more and more people are embracing their natural look with
grey hair.
• Black color represents strength, seriousness and strong emotions, whereas grey
color represents neutrality & balance. In the modern world, people who have
strong emotions are easily offended for almost everything. But some people
choose to be balanced and peaceful.
• Grey color represents conformity, whereas black represents independence &
authoritative. In society, many times we have to choose between these two
paths. Depending on the situation we tend to select the path. In some situations,
we try to blend in with the group by exhibiting the characteristics of grey & in
 some other situations, we choose to not blend in & feel the need to be rigid. And
these both qualities are very important to sustain and as well as to bring change
in society.
• Nowadays, it is difficult to find good people who are as pure as white. Many
times, we are left with the choice of choosing between black & grey, which
means evil persons & normal people who are a mix of good & bad.
• These days, grey color is being increasingly used in fashion industry. As black
is considered as inauspicious by many, grey color is the new choice in ethnic
wear too. Use of grey color is increased so much that it is competing with black
color, which is a famous color in fashion. This makes us realize that change is
the only constant thing in this world.

III. Change is the only constant

Change affects us all and we each deal with change differently. This only constant in
life, the only thing we can be sure will happen.

To expect change has brought me hope during challenging or unexpected life events.

This same thought has also brought fear in situations where the last thing I wanted was
change. I’ve come to realize it’s not the circumstances or the changes that dictate how
my life will go, but rather how I handle those changes and disruptions. No matter the
change we experience, how we embrace that change will forever impact how we are
able to live with the change.

What coping strategies do you use to help you manage unexpected life changes? Do
you fall back into old patterns of addictive behaviors or do you practice acceptance and
other positive recovery coping behaviors?

Acceptance involves action through positive coping strategies such as affirmations,

visualization, journaling and mindfulness practice.

Another positive approach to change involves reaching out to a supportive network of

fellows, a counselor, family and friends.

Their insight and perspective may be that change required to push you forward in the
right direction.
Remember that changes are a normal part of life,

It is also amazing how we each have our own resiliency and ability to recover from, or
adjust easily to, change. Practice living life with an attitude of gratitude and embrace
change as an opportunity for continuous renewal and growth.

V. Me Too Campaign: Tool to Trap or Breaking Silence to Win the War

MeToo: A Tool to Trap Men?

The women alleging sexual harassment on Akbar are now facing defamation suits. He
is alleging a conspiracy to harm his hard-eared "reputation." Many men in the fields of
art, media and films have been called out by women who accused them of sex
harassment and inappropriate behaviour. Are these allegations correct or are made to
hit headlines which later result in defamation suits against these women? Cases in
courts filed by these women for the alleged sexual harassment that is said to have
happened 10-15 years ago, have started piling up. One of the interesting facts is that
only famous personalities are being made accused in these cases.

Bollywood actors Alok Nath (Granted Anticipatory Bail); Nana Patekar; former
executive vice chairman of The Energy and Resources Institute R K Pachauri are among
the many renowned personalities who are facing the brunt of MeToo campaign and
trying to get their reputation back. Many of the accused men have filed defamation suits
against these women filing cases against them for sexual harassment. Are these the
accusations without evidence which have become a viral fever or there is substance to
it, is difficult to determine now.

'Me Too' or #MeToo is a movement which was initiated in 2006 by a social activist
Tarana Burke against the dire concern of the masses on the matter of sexual abuse and
harassment in America.

The movement started to gain recognition in October 2017 after Alyssa Milano, an
American actress posted a tweet asking the victims and survivors of sexual assault to
come out, accepting the bitter truth of the society and letting others know that they are
not alone.
 3. Marketing Glossary

1. Defining Marketing:
I. Social Definition:
Marketing is a societal process by which individuals and groups obtain
what they need and want through creating, offering and freely
exchanging products and services of value with others. (One marketer
said that marketing’s role is to deliver a high standard of living)
II. Managerial Definition:
Often described as the art of selling. Marketing is not just selling.
Selling is only the tip of the iceberg!
III. Peter Drucker: The aim of marketing is to make selling superfluous.
The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well
that the product or service fits him and sells itself.
IV. American Management Association: Marketing (management) is the
process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion,
and distribution of ideas, goods, services to create exchanges that
satisfy individual and organisational goals.
V. Kotler: We see marketing management as the art and science of
choosing target markets and getting, keeping and growing customers
through creating, delivering and communicating superior customer
value.

Difference Between Sales & Marketing

Marketing
Marketing is the systematic
Definitio planning, implementation and
n control of business activities to
bring together buyers and sellers.
Sales
A sale a transaction between two parties
where the buyer receives goods (tangible
or intangible), services and/or assets in
exchange for money.

Broader range of activities to sell

Approac product/service, client Make customer demand match the
h relationship etc.; determine future products the company currently offers.
needs and has a strategy in place
 to meet those needs for the long
term relationship.

Overall picture to promote,

distribute, price products/services;
Focus fulfill customer's wants and needs Fulfill sales volume objectives
through products and/or services
the company can offer.
Analysis of market, distribution
channels, competitive products
Process and services; Pricing strategies; Usually one to one
Sales tracking and market share
analysis; Budget
Market research; Advertising; Once a product has been created for a
Scope Sales; Public relations; Customer customer need, persuade the customer to
service and satisfaction . purchase the product to fulfill her needs
Horizon Longer term Short term
Strategy Pull Push
Marketing shows how to reach to
Selling is the ultimate result of
Priority the Customers and build long
marketing.
lasting relationship
Sales is the strategy of meeting needs in
Marketing targets the construction an opportunistic, individual method,
of a brand identity so that it driven by human interaction. There's no
Identity
becomes easily associated with premise of brand identity, longevity or
need fulfillment. continuity. It's simply the ability to meet
a need at the right time.

Needs, Wants and Demand:

Needs describe basic human requirements. Example need for food, air, water,
education, entertainment etc.
 Needs become wants when they are directed to specific objects that might
satisfy the need.

Need for food ---> Want for a Hamburger (KFC ZINGER)

Demands are wants for specific products backed by willingness and ability to
pay.

Marketers do not create needs. Needs preexist marketers. Marketers along

with other social influencers influence wants.

2. Product or offering:
A product is any offering that can satisfy a need or want. Major typed of basic
offerings: Goods, services, experiences, events, persons, places, properties,
organizations, information and ideas.
A brand is an offering from a known source.
3. Value and satisfaction:
Value is what customer gets and what he gives. Customer gets benefits and assumes
costs. Benefits include functional and emotional benefits. Costs include monetary
costs, time costs, energy costs and psychic cost.
Value = Benefits/Costs = functional and emotional benefits/include monetory costs,
Costs (include monetary costs, time costs, energy costs and psychic cost)
Value of customer offering can be increased by:
• Raise benefits
• Reduce costs
• Raise benefits AND reduce costs
• Raise benefits by MORE THAN the raise in costs
• Lower benefits by LESS THAN the decrease in costs
4. Exchange and transactions:
Exchange is one of the four ways in which a person can obtain a product. Exchange is
core concept of marketing. Exchange involves obtaining a desired product from
someone by offering something in return.
For exchange potential to exist five conditions must be satisfied:
• At least two parties
• Each party has something that might be of some value to the other party.
• Each party is capable of communication and delivery
 • Each party is free to accept or reject offer
• Each party believes that it is appropriate or desirable to deal with the other
party.
Exchange is value-creating process as it leaves both the parties NORMALLY better
off. Exchange is a process rather than an event.
A transaction is a trade of values between two or more parties.
• Monetary transaction: Paying money in exchange of goods
• Barter transaction: Goods or services for other goods or services.
Dimensions of a transaction:
• At least two things of value
• Agreed upon conditions
• A time of agreement
• Place of agreement
• Transaction differs from transfer. In a transfer A gives goods to B but does not
receive
• anything tangible in return. Example: Gifts, charities, subsidies etc.
5. Marketing Channels:
To reach a target market marketer uses three different kinds of marketing channels.
• Communication channel: The marketer uses communication channels to
deliver and receive messages from target buyers. These consist of dialogue
channels (e mail, toll free numbers).
• Distribution channels: To display and deliver the physical product or service
to the buyer or user. They include warehouses, transportation vehicles and
various trade channels such as distributors, wholesalers, retailers etc.
• Selling channels: They include not only the distributors and retailers but also
the banks and insurance companies that facilitate transactions.
6. Supply chain:
Supply chain represents a value delivery system. When a company moves upstream or
downstream, the aim is to capture a higher percentage of supply chain value.
7. Marketing Environment
Competition represents only one force in the environment in which the marketer
operates. The marketing environment consists of the
• task environment and
 • the broad environment.
• The task environment includes the immediate actors involved in producing,
distributing, and promoting the offering. The main actors are company,
suppliers, distributors, dealers, and the target customers. Included in the
supplier group are material suppliers and service suppliers such as marketing
agencies, advertising agencies, banking and insurance companies,
transportation and telecommunication companies. Included with distributors
and dealers are agents, brokers, manufacturer representatives, and others who
facilitate finding and selling to consumers.
• The broad environment consists of six components: demographic
environment, economic environment, natural environment, technological
environment, political-legal environment, and social-cultural environment.
These environments contain forces that can have a major impact on the actors
in the task environment. Market actors must pay close attention to the trends
and the developments in these environments and then make timely
adjustments to their marketing strategies
8. Marketing Mix
Marketers use numerous tools to elicit desired responses from their target markets.
These tools constitute a marketing mix. Marketing mix is the set of marketing tool that
the firm uses to pursue its marketing objectives in the target market.
McCarthy classified these tools into four broad groups that he called the four P’s of
marketing: Product, Price, Place and Promotion. Marketing mix decisions must be
made for influencing the trade channels as well as the final consumers.
Typically, the firm can change its price, sales force size, and advertising expenditures
in the short run. It can develop new products and modify its distribution channels only
in the long run. Thus the firm typically makes fewer period-to-period marketing-mix
changes in the short run than the number of marketing-mix decision variables might
suggest. Note that the four Ps represent the seller’s view of the marketing tools available
for influencing the buyer. From a buyer’s point of view, each marketing tool is designed
to deliver a customer benefit. Robert Lauterborn suggested that the seller’s four P’s
correspond to the customer’s four Cs.

Product Price Place Promotion

 Product
List Price Channels Sales promotion
Variety
Quality Discounts Coverage Advertising
Design Allowances Assortments Sales Force
Features Payment Period Locations Public Relations
Brand name Credit Terms Inventory Direct Marketing
Packaging Transport
Sizes
Services
Warranties
Returns

4C’s Corresponding to 4P’s

4ps 4cs
Customer
Product Solution
Price Customer Cost
Place Convenience
Promotion Communication
7P’s of Service Marketing
I. Product
II. Price
III. Place
IV. Promotion
V. People: People are a defining factor in a service delivery process, since a service
is inseparable from the person providing it. Thus, a restaurant is known as much
for its food as for the service provided by its staff. The same is true of banks
and department stores. Consequently, customer service training for staff has
become a top priority for many organizations today.
VI. Process: The process of service delivery is crucial since it ensures that the same
standard of service is repeatedly delivered to the customers. therefore, most
companies have a service blueprint which provides the details of the service
 delivery process, often going down to even defining the service script and the
greeting phrases to be used by the service staff.
VII. Physical Evidence: Services are intangible in nature most service providers
strive to incorporate certain tangible elements into their offerings to enhance
customer experience. For e.g. there are hair salons that have well designed
waiting areas often with magazines and plush sofas to relax while they await
their turn.
9. Company orientation towards the market place
We have defined marketing management as the conscious effort to achieve desired
exchange with target markets. But what philosophy should guide a company’s
marketing efforts? What relative weights should be given to the interests of the
organization, the customers and the society? Very often these interest conflict. Clearly,
marketing activities should be carried under a well-thought-out philosophy of efficient,
effective, and socially responsible marketing. However, there are five competing
concepts under which organizations conduct marketing activities:
a. the production concept,
b. product concept,
c. selling concept,
d. marketing concept and
e. societal marketing concept.
a. The Production Concept:

The production concept is the oldest concept in business. The production concept
holds that consumers will prefer products that are widely available and inexpensive.
Managers of production-oriented business concentrate on achieving high
production efficiency, low costs and mass distribution. They assume that consumers
are primarily interested in product availability and low prices. This orientation
makes sense in developing countries, where consumers are more interested in
obtaining the product than its features. It is also used when a company wants to
expand the market.

b. The Product Concept:

Other businesses are guided by the product concept. The product concept holds that
consumers will favor those products that offer the most quality, performance, or
innovative features. Managers in these organizations focus on making superior
products and improving them over time. They assume that buyers admire well-made
products and can appraise quality and performance. However, these managers are
sometimes caught up in a love affair with their product and do not realize what the
market needs. Management might commit the “better-mousetrap” fallacy,
believing that a better mousetrap will lead people to beat a path to its door. Such
was the case when WebTV was launched during Christmas 1996 to disappointing
results.

c. Selling concept

The selling concept is another common business orientation. The selling concept
holds that consumers and businesses, if left alone, will ordinarily not buy enough
of the organization’s products. The organization must, therefore, undertake an
aggressive selling and promotion effort. This concept one assumes that consumers
typically show buying inertia or resistance and must be coaxed into buying. It also
assumes that the company has a whole battery of effective selling and promotion
tools to stimulate more buying. The selling concept is practiced in the non-profit
area by fund-raisers, college admission offices, and political parties. A political
party vigorously sells its candidates to voters. The candidates’ flaws are concealed
from the public because the aim is to make a sale and not worry about post purchase
satisfaction. After the election, the new official wants and a lot of selling to get the
public to accept policies the politician or party wants.

d. Marketing Concept:

The marketing concept is a business philosophy that challenges the three business
orientations we just discussed. The marketing concept holds that the key to
achieving its organizational goals consists of the company being more effective than
competitors in creating, delivering, and communicating customer values to its
chosen target markets. The marketing concept rests on four pillars: target market,
customer needs, integrated marketing and profitability. The selling concept takes
an inside-out perspective. It starts with the factory, focuses on the existing products,
and calls for heavy selling and promoting to produce profitable sales. The marketing
concept takes an outside-in perspective. It starts with a well-defined market, focuses
 on customer needs, coordinates all the activities that will affect customers, and
produces profits by satisfying customers.

e. Societal Marketing Concept:

The Societal Marketing Concept puts Human welfare on top before profits and
satisfying the wants. Societal Marketing emphasizes social responsibilities and
suggests that to sustain long-term success, the company should develop a marketing
strategy to provide value to the customers to maintain and improve both the
customers’ and society’s well-being better than the competitors.
The societal marketing concept has developed from the conflict between individual
consumers’ short-term needs and society’s long-run well-being.

10. How Businesses and Marketing are Changing? Market place is changing as a
result of major societal forces like
• Technological Advance
• Globalization
• Deregulation
Customers increasingly want higher Quality, Lower Price, Service and Customization.
They perceive fewer Brand Loyalty and Product differences. They can obtain Extensive
Product information from the Internet and other sources and shop intelligently. Brand
manufacturers are facing intense competition from domestic and foreign brands, rising
promotion costs and shrinking profits. Store based retailers are suffering from an over
saturation of retailing. Small retailers are succumbing to growing power of Giant
retailers and category killers. Store based retailers are suffering from competition from
catalogue houses, Direct mail firms, TV direct to customer ads, Telemarketing, Tele-
shopping etc.
Company Response and Adjustments Here are some current trends
• Reengineering: Focusing on Functional departments to reorganize the key
business processes, each managed by multidiscipline teams
• Outsourcing: From making everything inside to buying more goods and
services outside, to obtain them cheaper and better. Few companies are
 outsourcing everything making them Virtual companies owning very few assets
and therefore extraordinary rates of return
• E-Commerce: Making all products available on the Internet. Customers can
now shop online from different vendors, have access to a lot of Pricing and
Quality and Variety information. Click and pay systems are evolving along with
B2B systems and B2C systems, with buyers and sellers in Real Time Systems
• Benchmarking: Adopting the best practices of World Class performers
• Alliances: Network of partners
• Partner-Suppliers: From many suppliers to a few reliable suppliers who work
more closely in Partnership relationships with the company
• Market-Centred: From organized around the product to organized around the
Market segment
• Global and Local: From being local to being Globally local and locally Global
• Decentralized: More entrepreneurship at the local level
Marketer responses and adjustments:
• Relationship Marketing: From focusing transactions to building Long Term
profitable Customer Relationships. The 80-20 rule
• Customer Lifetime value: From making a profit on each sale to making Profits
by managing Customer Lifetime value. Like the EDLP of Wal-Mart
• Customer Share: From focusing on gaining on Market Share to focusing on
gaining Customer Mindshare by selling a large variety of goods and services,
training employees to do Cross-selling and Up-selling
• Target Marketing: From selling to everyone to serving better well-defined
market segments
• Individualization: From selling the same offer in the same way in the target
market to individualization and Customization. Customers designing their own
products on the web pages and all
• Customer Database: Customer Knowledge Profiling, Data Mining, Data
Warehousing, purchase preferences, demographics
• Integrated Marketing Communication: From relying on one communication
tool like advertising and Promotion to blending several tools to deliver a
consistent brand image to customers at every brand contact
 • Channels as Partners: From thinking of intermediaries as Customers to
treating them as Partners in delivering value
• Every Employee as a Marketer
• Model based Decision making: From making decisions on intuition to basing
decisions on models and facts
11. Customer Value
• Customer Value or Customer Delivered Value is the difference between Total
Customer Value and Total Customer Cost. Customer Value = Product Value +
Service Value + Personnel Value + Image Value
• Total Customer Value is the bundle of benefits that the customers expect from a
given product or service.
• Total Customer Cost is the bundle of costs customers expect to incur in evaluating,
obtaining, using and disposing of the product or service. Total Customer Cost =
Monetary Cost + Time Cost + Energy Cost + Psychic Cost
• Customers make their purchases based on Customer Delivered Value or on the basis
of value-price ratio. Value – price ratio = Total Customer Value / Total Customer
Cost
• Seller who is at a delivered value disadvantage has two alternatives: o Increase Total
Customer Value: strengthen product, service, personnel and image benefits
• Decrease Total Customer Cost: reduce price, simplify ordering and processing
process, absorb buyers risk by offering warranty etc.
12. Customer Satisfaction
• Customer Satisfaction is a person’s feelings of pleasure or disappointment resulting
from comparing a product’s perceived performance (or outcome) in relation to his
or her expectations
• Customer Satisfaction is a function of perceived performance and expectations of
the customer.
• A company must develop a competitively superior value proposition and a superior
value delivery system.
• It often happens that customers are dissatisfied because of a wide gap between
Brand value and Customer value. So, it is recommended that marketers pay as much
attention to building brands as in influencing company’s core processes.
 • The goal of a company should be to maximize customer satisfaction, subject to
delivering acceptable levels of returns to the other stakeholders within constraints
of its resources.
13. What is Branding?
Branding is the marketing practice of creating a name, symbol or design that identifies
and differentiates a product from other products. It’s all about creating differences
between the products. Marketers need to teach customers “who” the product is - by
giving it name and other brand elements to identify it.
Branding creates mental structures that help consumers organize their knowledge about
products and services in a way that clarifies their decision making.
14. What is Segmentation?
Market segmentation is dividing the group of potential Customers with similar needs
or characteristics who are likely to exhibit similar purchase behaviour.
Types of segmentation:
• Geographic - Marketers can segment according to geographic criteria—nations,
states, regions, countries, cities, neighbourhoods, or postal codes. The geo-cluster
approach combines demographic data with geographic data to create a more
accurate or specific profile. With respect to region, in rainy regions merchants can
sell things like raincoats, umbrellas and gumboots. In hot regions, one can sell
summer clothing.
• Demographic - Based on age, gender, income family size
• Psychographic - Based on lifestyle, personality and SEC grid.
• Behavioural- Behavioural segmentation divides consumers into groups according
to their knowledge of, attitude towards, usage rate or response to a product
15. What is Target Marketing?
After identifying the market segments, the one which provides greatest opportunities is
the target segment. Targeting the target segment to achieve the goal of marketing is
target marketing.
16. What is target group?
A target market is a group of customers that the business has decided to aim its
marketing efforts and ultimately its merchandise. A well-defined target market is the
first element to a marketing strategy. The target market and the marketing mix variables
 of product, place(distribution), promotion and price are the four elements of a
marketing mix strategy that determine the success of a product in the marketplace.

17. What is difference between target market and target audience?

Target market: A target market is a group of customers that the business has decided
to aim its marketing efforts and ultimately its merchandise. A well-defined target
market is the first element to a marketing strategy.
Target audience: Target audience is a specific group of people within the target market
at which a product or the marketing message of a product is aimed at. For example, if
a company sells new diet programs for men with heart disease problems (target market)
the communication may be aimed at the spouse (target audience} who takes care of the
nutrition plan of her husband and child.

18. What is a Product Strategy? Explain the Total Product Concept with Examples?
Customers will choose a product based on their perceived value of it. Satisfaction is the
degree to which the actual use of a product matches the perceived value at the time of
the purchase. A customer is satisfied only if the actual value is the same or exceeds the
perceived value. Kotler defined five levels to a product
 Core Benefit

Generic Product

Expected
Product
Augumented
Product
Potential
Product

a. Core Benefit

The fundamental need or want that consumers satisfy by consuming the product or
service. The core product is just an abstract which is basic idea of the product E.g. For
a hotel service, core product would be rest or sleep

b. Generic Product/basic product

A version of the product containing only those attributes or characteristics absolutely
necessary for it to function. Generic product includes all the basic facilities those are
essential for offering. E.g., Hotel having Bed, bathroom etc
c. Expected Product
The set of attributes or characteristics that buyers normally expect and agree to when
they purchase a product. E.g., Buyer expect clean bed, working lamps, lifts, lobby etc.
d. Augmented Product
Inclusion of additional features, benefits, attributes or related services that serve to
differentiate the product from its competitors. E.g., Hotel provide Wi-Fi services etc-
e. Potential Product
All the augmentations and transformations a product might undergo in the future. There
are always
19. What are Product Mix and Product Line?
Product Mix: Product mix is the set of all the products and items a particular seller
offers for sale. A product mix is also termed as product assortments. A product mix
 consists of various product lines. For e.g., HUL has a wide product mix. i.e., HUL offers
products from personal care range, home care and food. Under every category there are
different brands.
Length – Width - Depth of product mix:

• Width of the product mix refers to how many different product lines a company
carries. Over here in this example, HUL carries three product lines viz. personal
care range, home care and food.
• Length of the product mix refers to total number of the products in the mix.
• Depth of the product mix refers to how many variants are offered of each
product line. For e.g., Lux comes in four variants and in two sizes then Lux has
depth of eight.
Product Line:
Product line is the category of the products offered by a company. For e.g., Personal
care is a product line offered by HUL. Personal care has different products under it like
personal wash, skin care cosmetics etc.
20. What are different types of Pricing Strategies?

Markup pricing: -
Markup pricing is the most elementary method of pricing. Method is to add standard
markup to the product’s cost and adding markup to the profit. Lawyers and accountants
typically price by adding a standard markup on their time and cost.
Let’s take an example variable cost: Rs. 10 Fixed costs: Rs.3,00,000
Expected unite sales: 50,000
Suppose a toaster manufacturer has the following costs and sales expectations:
Unit cost= variable cost+ {fixed cost/unit sales) = Rs. 10+(300000/50000) = Rs. 16
Assuming manufacturer wants to earn 20 percent markup on sales. The manufacturer’s
markup price is given by
Markup price= unit cost / (1-desired return on sales) = Rs.16 / (1-0.2) = Rs.20

Target- return pricing:

The process of setting an item's price by using an equation to compute the price that
will result in a certain level of planned profit given the sale of a specified amount of
items. By using a target return pricing method, a business is able to set its products'
prices at such levels that Its corporate profit objectives are likely to be met if sales
continue to run at or above the amount specified.

Perceived value pricing:

The valuation of good or service according to how much consumers are willing to pay
for it, rather than upon its production and delivery costs. Using a perceived value
pricing technique might be somewhat arbitrary, but it can greatly assist in the effective
marketing of a product since it sets product pricing in line with its perceived value
by potential buyers.

Value based pricing:

Value-based pricing (also value optimized pricing) is a pricing strategy which sets
prices primarily, but not exclusively, on the value, perceived or estimated, to the
customer rather than on the cost of the product or historical prices. Where it is
successfully used, it will improve profitability due to the higher prices without
impacting greatly on sales volumes.

Value-based pricing is predicated upon an understanding of customer value. In

business-to-consumer markets, sellers should understand the impact their products or
services have on end user utility. In the business-to-business environment, companies
must know how their offering helps customers, that is other businesses, become more
profitable. In many settings, gaining this understanding requires primary research. This
may include evaluation of customer operations and interviews with customer personnel.
Survey methods are sometimes used to determine the value a customer attributes to a
product or a service. Purchase Intent, win/loss analysis and financial value
measurement are examples of basic research methods that can unearth customer
insights during the pricing process. The results of such surveys often depict a customer's
‘willingness to pay’.
21. What is the role of “Place” in a Marketing Mix? What is a VMS and an HMS?
What is different format of retail stores found in India? (You may refer to my
class slides of RMS)

Role of Place:
The important factor to note about the importance of place in the marketing mix is that
it does not refer to the location of the business itself, but rather to the location of the
customers. The place deal with strategies the business can employ to get its goods from
its present location to the location of the customers, such a project must of necessity
entail a study of the demographic that constitutes the customers with the aim of finding
out their location. In an increasingly global economy, the location of the customers of
a company located in Singapore could span the different continents of the world.
As such, the company must figure out the best way to channel its products from
Singapore to its customers in Africa, Europe and other continents. In this way, it is easy
to see the role of place in the marketing mlx. This allows such companies to come up
with the best methods for achieving maximum distribution of goods to the customers.
One of the examples of a place or channel includes the retailer. After identifying the
target market, retail stores located nearby could serve as a place for reaching these
customers.
Another element that could serve as a place for reaching the customers is the Internet.
If the company is located in an industrialized country, then it is logical to assume that
a large number of its customers use the Internet in some form. This element illustrates
the importance of place in the marketing mix because such customers can order from
the company directly through Web sites, which the company has set up in advance for
such a purpose. In this sense, the Internet serves as a place for the purpose of reaching
the customers. The place could also refer to the methods and channels for the effective
and expeditious distribution of the product to the target customers. Such channels may
include the distributors of the product. It may also include well-coordinated methods
for the transportation of the goods to the final consumers.

VMS: Vertical Marketing system

A vertical marketing system (VMS) is one in which the main members of a distribution
channel— producer, wholesaler, and retailer—work together as a unified group in order
to meet consumer needs. In conventional marketing systems, producers, wholesalers,
and retailers are separate businesses that try all trying to maximize their profits. When
the effort of one channel member to maximize profits comes at the expense of other
members, conflicts can arise that reduce profits for the entire channel. To address this
problem, more and more companies are forming vertical marketing systems.
Vertical marketing systems can take several forms. In a corporate VMS, one member
of the distribution channel owns the other members. Although they are owned jointly,
each company in the chain continues to perform a separate task. In an administered
VMS, one member of the channel is large and powerful enough to coordinate the
activities of the other members without an ownership stake. Finally, a contractual VMS
consists of independent firms joined together by contract for their mutual benefit. One
type of contractual VMS is a retailer cooperative, in which a group of retailers buy from
a jointly owned wholesaler. Another type of contractual VMS is a franchise
organization, in which a producer licenses a wholesaler to distribute its products.
The concept behind vertical marketing systems is similar to vertical integration. In
vertical integration, a company expands its operations by assuming the activities of the
next link in the chain of distribution, for example, an auto parts supplier might practice
forward integration by purchasing a retail outlet to sell its products. Similarly, the auto
parts supplier might practice backward integration by purchasing a steel plant to obtain
the raw materials needed to manufacture its products. Vertical marketing should not be
confused with horizontal marketing, in which members at the same level in a channel
of distribution band together in strategic alliances or joint ventures to exploit a new
marketing opportunity.

HMS - Horizontal Marketing system

A horizontal marketing system is a distribution channel arrangement whereby two or

more organizations at the same level join together for marketing purposes to capitalize
on new opportunity. For example: a bank and a supermarket agree to have the bank’s
ATMs located at the supermarket’s locations, two manufacturers combining to achieve
economies of scale, otherwise not possible with each acting alone, in meeting the needs
and demands of a very large retailer, or two wholesalers joining together to serve a
particular region at a certain time of year.
22. What is Brand Equity? How can you Build Brand Equity? How can 'you measure
Brand Equity?
Brand equity:
Brand equity is which describes the value of having a well-known brand name, based
on the idea that the owner of a well-known brand name can generate more money from
products with that brand name than from products with a less well-known name. as
consumers believe that a product with a well-known name is better than products with
less well-known names.
How to build brand equity?
Brand equity is built by choosing right set of brand equity drivers.
Initial choices of brand elements or identities that make tip the brand. Like brand names,
URL’s. logos, symbols, characters, spokes people, slogans, jingles packages and
signage.
The products or service and all accompanying marketing activities and supporting
marketing programs- For e.g., Vodafone came up with zoo-zoo campaign which was
edgy and humorous. Coming up with those kinds of advertisements which depict
mischievous arts by zoo-zoo added fan following to Vodafone.
Other associates which are Indirectly transferred to the brand by indirectly linking it to
some other entity:
For e.g. Airtel mobile operator uses A.R. Rehman as brand endorser. A.R. Rehman has
won Oscar awards for music composing. Also the signature tune of the brand is
composed by A.R. Rehman which is very famous. These things like person, music links
people to brand and helps in building brand equity.
How to measure brand equity?
There are many ways to measure a brand. Some measurements approaches are at the
firm level, some at the product level, and still others are at the consumer level.
Firm Level: Firm level approaches measure the brand as a financial asset. In short, a
calculation is made regarding how much the brand is worth as an intangible asset. For
example, if you were to take the value of the firm, as derived by its market
capitalization—and then subtract tangible assets and “measurable” intangible assets—
the residual would be the brand equity. One high- profile firm level approach is given
by the consulting firm Inter brand. To do its calculation, inter brand estimates brand
value on the basis of projected profiles discounted to a present value.
The discount rate is a subjective rate determined by Inter brand and Wall Street equity
 This opportunity allowed Starbucks and Apple to both gain something of greater, than
otherwise would be possible if they somehow attempted this strategy independently
Product Level: The classic product level brand measurement example is to compare
the price of a no-name or private label product to an “equivalent” branded product. The
difference in price, assuming all things equal, is due to the brand. More recently a
revenue premium approach has been advocated. Marketing mix modelling can isolate
“base” and “incremental” sales, and it is sometimes argued that base sales approximate
to a measure of brand equity. More sophisticated marketing mix models have a floating
base that can capture changes in underlying brand equity for a product overtime.
Consumer Level: This approach seeks to map the mind of the consumer to find out
what associations with the brand the consumer has. This approach seeks to measure the
awareness (recall and recognition) and brand image (the overall associations that the
brand has). Free association tests and projective techniques are commonly used to
uncover the tangible and intangible attributes, attitudes, and intentions about a brand.
Brands with high levels of awareness and strong, favourable and unique associations
are high equity brands. All of these calculations are, at best, approximations. A more
complete understanding of the brand can occur if multiple measures are used.

23. What is return on Marketing Investment (ROMI)

Return on marketing investment (ROMI) is a metric used to measure the overall
effectiveness of a marketing campaign to help marketers make better decisions about
allocating future investments. ROMI is usually used in online marketing, though
integrated campaigns that span print, broadcast and social media may also rely on it for
determining overall success. ROMI is a subset of ROI (return on investment).

In the simplest sense, ROMI is measured by comparing revenue gains against marketing
investment. This calculation, however, reflects only the direct impact of marketing
investment on a business's revenue. As a result, many digital marketers include dwell
time or brand awareness in their ROMI metrics in an effort to quantify fewer tangible
benefits and target future campaigns more effectively. According to ROMI expert Gary
R. Powell, with the right data and analytics, marketers can deliver between 8% - 15%
increased revenue, profit and market share to the client without any increase in
marketing investment.
 Return on marketing opportunity (ROMO) is a similar metric used by digital
marketers that focused on the wider influence of a campaign. Both terms are part of a
wider attempt in the industry to measure impact-based advertising.
24. What is BCG Matrix and what is the purpose of BCG Matrix?
The Boston Consulting Group Matrix (BCG Matrix), also referred to as the product
portfolio matrix, is a business planning tool used to evaluate the strategic position of a
firm’s brand portfolio. The BCG Matrix is one of the most popular portfolio analysis
methods. It classifies a firm’s product and/or services into a two-by-two matrix. Each
quadrant is classified as low or high performance, depending on the relative market
share and market growth rate. Learn more about strategy in CFI’s Business Strategy
Course.

Understanding the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix

The horizontal axis of the BCG Matrix represents the amount of market share of a
product and its strength in the particular market. By using relative market share, it helps
measure a company’s competitiveness.
The vertical axis of the BCG Matrix represents the growth rate of a product and its
potential to grow in a particular market.
In addition, there are four quadrants in the BCG Matrix:

a. Question marks: Products with high market growth but a low market share.
b. Stars: Products with high market growth and a high market share.
c. Dogs: Products with low market growth and a low market share.
d. Cash cows: Products with low market growth but a high market share.

The assumption in the matrix is that an increase in relative market share will result in
increased cash flow. A firm benefit from utilizing economies of scale and gains a cost
advantage relative to competitors. The market growth rate varies from industry to
industry but usually shows a cut-off point of 10% – growth rates higher than 10% are
considered high while growth rates lower than 10% are considered low.

The BCG Matrix: Question Marks

Products in the question marks quadrant are in a market that is growing quickly but
where the product(s) have a low market share. Question marks are the most
managerially intensive products and require extensive investment and resources to
increase their market share. Investments in question marks are typically funded by cash
flows from the cash cow quadrant.

In the best-case scenario, a firm would ideally want to turn question marks into stars
(as indicated by A). If question marks do not succeed in becoming a market leader, they
end up becoming dogs when market growth declines.

The BCG Matrix: Dogs

Products in the dogs quadrant are in a market that is growing slowly and where the
product(s) have a low market share. Products in the dogs quadrant are typically able to
sustain themselves and provide cash flows, but the products will never reach the stars
quadrant. Firms typically phase out products in the dogs quadrant (as indicated by B)
 unless the products are complementary to existing products or are used for a
competitive purpose.

The BCG Matrix: Stars

Products in the star quadrant are in a market that is growing quickly and one where the
product(s) have a high market share. Products in the stars quadrant are market-leading
products and require significant investment to retain their market position, boost
growth, and maintain a competitive advantage.

Stars consume a significant amount of cash but also generate large cash flows. As the
market matures and the products remain successful, stars will migrate to become cash
cows. Stars are a company’s prized possession and are top-of-mind in a firm’s product
portfolio.

The BCG Matrix: Cash Cows

Products in the cash cow’s quadrant are in a market that is growing slowly and where
the product(s) have a high market share. Products in the cash cow’s quadrant are
thought of as products that are leaders in the marketplace. The products already have a
significant amount of investments in them and do not require significant further
investments to maintain their position.

Cash flows generated by cash cows are high and are generally used to finance stars and
question marks. Products in the cash cow’s quadrant are “milked” and firms invest as
little cash as possible while reaping the profits generated from the products.

25. Ansoff matrix:

Also referred to as the Ansoff matrix, due to its grid format, the Ansoff Model helps
marketers identify opportunities to grow revenue for a business through developing
new products and services or "tapping into" new markets. So it's sometimes known as
the ‘Product-Market Matrix’ instead of the ‘Ansoff Matrix’.
The Ansoff Model's focus on growth means that it's one of the most widely used
marketing models. It is used to evaluate opportunities for companies to increase their
sales through showing alternative combinations for new markets (i.e. customer
segments and geographical locations) against products and services offering four
strategies as shown.
 How to use the Ansoff Matrix

Strategic questions that can be answered using the matrix include:

• Market Penetration: How to sell more of your existing products or services to

your existing customer base?
• Market Development: How to enter new markets?
• Product Development: How to develop existing products or services.
• Diversification: How to move into new markets with new products or services,
increase your sales with your existing customer base as well as acquisition.
26. What is McKinsey 7-S Framework
McKinsey 7-S Framework

Making Every Part of Your Organization Work in Harmony

Models of organizational effectiveness go in and out of fashion, but the McKinsey 7-S
framework has stood the test of time.

The model was developed in the late 1970s by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman,
former consultants at McKinsey & Company. They identified seven internal elements
of an organization that need to align for it to be successful.

The 7-S model in a wide variety of situations where it's useful to examine how the
various parts of your organization work together.
For example, it can help you to improve the performance of your organization, or to
determine the best way to implement a proposed strategy.

The framework can be used to examine the likely effects of future changes in the
organization, or to align departments and processes during a merger or acquisition. You
can also apply the McKinsey 7-S model to elements of a team or a project.

The Seven Elements of the McKinsey 7-S Framework

The model categorizes the seven elements as either "hard" or "soft":

Hard: Strategy, Structure, Systems

Soft: Shared Values, Skills, Style, Staff.

Let's look at each of the elements individually:

• Strategy: this is your organization's plan for building and maintaining a

competitive advantage over its competitors.
• Structure: this is how your company is organized (how departments and
teams are structured, including who reports to whom).
• Systems: the daily activities and procedures that staff use to get the job done.
• Shared Values: these are the core values of the organization and reflect its
general work ethic. They were called "superordinate goals" when the model
was first developed.
 • Style: the style of leadership adopted.
• Staff: the employees and their general capabilities.
• Skills: the actual skills and competencies of the organization's employees.

The placement of Shared Values in the center of the model emphasizes that they are
central to the development of all the other critical elements.

The model states that the seven elements need to balance and reinforce each other for
an organization to perform well.

27. What is an SBU?

Definition: A strategic business unit, popularly known as SBU, is a fully-functional
unit of a business that has its own vision and direction. Typically, a strategic business
unit operates as a separate unit, but it is also an important part of the company. It reports
to the headquarters about its operational status.
Description: A strategic business unit or SBU operates as an independent entity, but it
has to report directly to the headquarters of the organisation about the status of its
operation. It operates independently and is focused on a target market. It is big enough
to have its own support functions such as HR, training departments etc. There are
several benefits of having an SBU. This principle works best for organisations which
have multiple product structure. The best example of SBU are companies like Proctor
and Gamble, LG etc. These companies have different product categories under one roof.
For example, LG as a company makes consumer durables.
It makes refrigerators, washing machines, air-conditioners as well as televisions. These
small units are formed as separate SBUs so that revenues, costs as well as profits can
be tracked independently. Once a unit is given an SBU status, it can make its own
decisions, investments, budgets etc. It will be quick to react when the product market
takes a shift or changes start happening before the shift happens.

28. What is CRM?

Definitions of CRM:
Customer Relationship Management or popularly identified as CRM can be defined as
an art and science of collecting information on present and prospective needs of product
of customers so as to market them using all such kind of efforts and technology in
collection of date and information relating to customers.
 CRM is about acquiring, developing and retaining satisfied loyal customer, achieving
profitable growth, and creating economic value in a company’s brand. CRM is not a
new concept but an age-old practice, which is on the rise because of the benefit it offers,
especially in the present market scenario.
CRM today is a discipline as well as a set of discrete software and technologies, which
focuses on automating and improving the business processes associated with managing
customer relationships in the areas of sales, marketing, customer service and support.
CRM helps companies to understand, establish and nurture long-term relationships with
clients, as well as help in retaining current customers. The most important step that an
organization has to take in the direction of CRM is to create an inter-disciplinary team
to review how the organization interacts with each customer and determine how to
improve and extent the relationship.
At present, more and more companies are adopting various CRM practices, as CRM
promises numerous benefits-including shorter sales cycles, integrated customer
feedback, improved communication, improved response, improved customer
knowledge, improved efficacy, better customer tracking, enhanced customer
satisfaction and increased loyalty.

29. What is Customer Life Time Value?

Customer lifetime value refers to the entire amount a business earns from the
average customer over the course of their relationship with the business.
Customer lifetime value represents the total revenue a customer will generate for a
business throughout the relationship. For example, let's say a typical restaurant
customer visits once per month and spends $17 per visit over an average lifetime of 10
years. The customer lifetime value would be calculated as: $17 x 12 x 10 = $2,040.
CLV = Average Transaction Size x Number of Transactions x Retention Period
30. What is a value Proposition?
Definition of Value Proposition
A value proposition is a business or marketing statement that summarizes why a
consumer should buy a company's product or use its service. This statement is often
used to convince a customer to purchase a particular product or service in order to add
a form of value to their lives. And considering all of the product offerings available, a
company needs to stand out.
 A value proposition is an important part of a company's branding. Branding is the
process by which you create a unique image of a product or service in the mind of the
consumer. It is about establishing a significant, different presence in the marketplace.
Successful branding can create loyal customers.
Value Propositions in Everyday Life
Without realizing it, you encounter value propositions each and every day. Think of
your favorite companies. What do they stand for? What do you think they stand for?
Even if you are not familiar with the exact phrasing of a company's value proposition,
you likely are aware of what the brand is trying to achieve.
31. What is a Promotional Mix?
Definition: The Promotion Mix refers to the blend of several promotional tools used
by the business to create, maintain and increase the demand for goods and services.
The fourth element of the 4 P’s of Marketing Mix is the promotion; that focuses on
creating the awareness and persuading the customers to initiate the purchase. The
several tools that facilitate the promotion objective of a firm are collectively known as
the Promotion Mix.
The Promotion Mix is the integration of Advertising, Personal Selling, Sales
Promotion, Public Relations and Direct Marketing. The marketers need to view the
following questions in order to have a balanced blend of these promotional tools.
Elements of Promotional Mix:
a. Advertising,
b. Personal Selling,
c. Sales Promotion,
d. Public Relations and
e. Direct Marketing.
a. Advertising: The advertising is any paid form of non-personal presentation
and promotion of goods and services by the identified sponsor in the
exchange of a fee. Through advertising, the marketer tries to build a pull
strategy; wherein the customer is instigated to try the product at least once.
The complete information along with the attractive graphics of the product
or service can be shown to the customers that grab their attention and
influences the purchase decision.
b. Personal Selling: This is one of the traditional forms of promotional tool
wherein the salesman interacts with the customer directly by visiting them.
 It is a face-to-face interaction between the company representative and the
customer with the objective to influence the customer to purchase the
product or services.
c. Sales Promotion: The sales promotion is the short term incentives given to
the customers to have an increased sale for a given period.Generally, the
sales promotion schemes are floated in the market at the time of festivals or
the end of the season. Discounts, Coupons, Payback offers, Freebies, etc.
are some of the sales promotion schemes.With the sales promotion, the
company focuses on the increased short-term profits, by attracting both the
existing and the new customers.
d. Public Relations: The marketers try to build a favourable image in the
market by creating relations with the general public. The companies carry
out several public relations campaigns with the objective to have a support
of all the people associated with it either directly or indirectly.The public
comprises of the customers, employees, suppliers, distributors,
shareholders, government and the society as a whole. The publicity is one
of the forms of public relations that the company may use with the intention
to bring newsworthy information to the public.
E.g. Large Corporates such as Dabur, L&T, Tata Consultancy, Bharti
Enterprises, Services, Unitech and PSU’s such as Indian Oil, GAIL, and
NTPC have joined hands with Government to clean up their surroundings,
build toilets and support the swachh Bharat Mission.
e. Direct Marketing: With the intent of technology, companies reach
customers directly without any intermediaries or any paid medium.The e-
mails, text messages, Fax, are some of the tools of direct marketing. The
companies can send emails and messages to the customers if they need to
be informed about the new offerings or the sales promotion schemes.
E.g. The Shopperstop send SMS to its members informing about the season
end sales and extra benefits to the golden card holders.

32. What is the difference between "Above-the-line" (ATL) and "Below-the-line"

(BTL) Advertising as well as Through the line (TTL)?
Marketing activities (basically advertisements) today can be divided into three
segments – Above the Line (ATL), Below the Line (BTL), & Through the Line (TTL)
marketing.
The line was originally used to separate marketing activities which had mass
penetration (above the line) to those which had specific penetration (below the line).
But then, because of the increased competition and development in technology,
emerged through the line marketing activities which blurs the line and include the use
of both ATL & BTL advertising activities.
Above the Line
Above the Line marketing or ATL advertising consists of advertising activities that
are largely non-targeted and have a wide reach. ATL communication is done to build
the brand and inform the customers about the product. Conversions are given less
importance in above the line advertising.
To make it simpler-
Above the line marketing includes mass marketing strategies which are largely
untargeted and are focused on building the brand.
By ‘untargeted’ we mean that the communication isn’t directed towards a specific
group. The mediums convey the message to everyone who has access to them.
Example: Television, Radio, Print Media platform to used to create brand image
Advantages of Above the line marketing
• Wider Reach: Above the line advertising mediums have a wide
(national/international) reach.
• Better Connect with the audience: The mediums like TV and radio use audio-
visuals which have a better connect with the audience.
• Brand Building: Media advertising is a crucial tool in defining and realizing
brand identity. A brand is built by the customers. The role of marketers in brand
building is to reach as many prospective customers as they can and
communicate to them about the brand and its benefits creatively. Above the line
marketing, hence, plays an integral role when it comes to brand building.

Below the Line

Below-the-line marketing or BTL advertising consists of very specific, memorable

and direct advertising activities focused on targeted groups of consumers. Often
known as direct marketing strategies, below the line strategies focus more on
conversions than on building the brand.

To make it simpler –

Below the line marketing includes direct marketing strategies directed to specific
target groups and focused on conversions rather than building the brand.

Example: Direct Mail Marketing, Sponsorship, Brand Activation,

Advantages of Below the line marketing

• Extremely Targeted: Conversions are better when the communication is

done according to the customer wants. Since BTL marketing strategies are
extremely targeted, results are better in terms of conversions.
• Better ROI: Below the line promotional efforts are focused on the specific
target group, have a better reach, can be easily executed, tracked, and
controlled. Hence BTL strategies provide a better ROI and MROI in terms of
conversion.
• Easy Control: The return from these activities can be easily tracked and
monitored and steps can be taken to improve ROI.
• Tailor-Made: Below the line advertising strategies are designed according to
the needs of a specific target group and hence can be moulded differently for
different customer groups.

Through the Line

Through the Line marketing or TTL advertising involves the use of both ATL &
BTL marketing strategies. The recent consumer trend in the market requires the
integration of both ATL & BTL strategies for better results.

To make it simper-

Through the marketing involves marketers to create marketing campaigns which

include both ATL & BTL strategies. It refers to 360-degree advertising where
campaigns are developed with the vision of brand building as well as conversions.
Sometimes above the line strategies are used to execute their direct marketing
strategies. This too comes under TTL marketing.

*****************
 4. HR Interview Preparation

I. Interview Preparation
Interviews are conducted to assess a candidate’s suitability for an organization and the
hiring role. The purpose of an interview is to ascertain what a candidate has
mentioned in his resume. It is a brief meeting where your technical skills will be
assessed in addition to your communication skills, motivational factors, your attitude,
your goals and objectives.
What qualities does an interviewer observe?
• Attitude: Show positive attitude and your interest for the job. Do not show
arrogance even if you are a college topper.
• Communication Skills: A candidate must speak confidently and use clear
language with as little jargon as possible. Your conversation with the
interviewer must reflect your enthusiasm, awareness and attitude.
• Confidence: Your confidence is a reflection of optimism and speaks a lot
about how you would handle a challenging professional situation. Confidence
is great; Overconfidence is a strict no-no.
• Body language: good body language is an indicator on good non-verbal
communication. Walk into the room with a confident smile and introduce
yourself to everyone present with a firm handshake. Maintain a good posture,
do not slouch, maintain eye contact, and nod your head when being talked to.
Do not yawn, bite your nails, shake your limbs, look around, look down.
• Leadership skills: When you attend an interview, make sure your interviewer
knows that you are ready to take initiatives and help the members of your
team.
• Emotional Maturity: Sometimes, the interviewer, on purpose may provoke
you by asking some unexpected questions. Do not get provoked or angry.
Instead, show your maturity by answering the question in a manner that does
not offend the interviewer. It is better to be honest and give direct answers
instead of speaking as if you agree with all the points that the interviewer says.
The given situation should be handled with ease, maturity and composure.
• Dressing Sense: Wear neatly ironed formal clothes with a good pair of shoes.
Women should apply minimal make up and avoid too much of jewelry. Both
 men and women should have well-manicured nails and a professional
hairstyle.
• Integrity: Every interviewer appreciates honesty as that is one of the main
traits to look for in a candidate. Do not lie about your professional
achievements. Do not throw an air of arrogance. If you are appreciated for
something, be gracious to say thanks.
• Flexibility: Show the employers that you are flexible and can adjust to
different circumstances. If you are asked for example, your willingness to re-
locate far away from your family for a project, mention that you would be
happy doing so as your career and organization’s interest are foremost
priorities.
• Learnability: Learning is a continuous process. Desire to keep learning shows
an employer that you are enthusiastic about what is being offered to you. You
may be the best of candidates, but unless you have a thirst for knowledge, your
knowledge repository may become saturated.

Do's and Don’ts for Interview

a) Research well on the company that is hiring you. Read about its milestones,
customers, organization chart, vision and mission. This shows that you are
genuinely interested in pursuing a job in the company.

b) Don't be late to interview. Arrive earlier than the scheduled time for your
interview. This will show that you are interested in getting job and that you are
punctual.

c) Always be prepared for possible questions during the interview. Practice

responding to these questions in front of the mirror. Have a mock interview with
your friend. If possible, record the interview.

d) Pay attention to the questions and maintain eye contact while answering
them.

e) Be proactive and show optimism. Give honest and simple answers. Your
answer should reflect what you can do for the employer. In case you have a doubt
regarding a question, do clarify. Ask questions regarding the job being offered and
your roles and responsibilities towards the end of the interview.
f) Maintain positive body language throughout the interview. Greet your
interviewer(s) when you walk into the room. Thank the interviewer(s) as you
leave the interview.

g) Turn off your cell phone during the interview.

h) Try to use real examples while talking about your skills. For example, how
has a particular skill benefited your previous job?

i) Don’t dress inappropriately. For example, wearing slippers, T-shirt, jeans

etc.

j) Don’t lie about your skills and competencies. Instead, show the employers
that you are eager to learn in areas where your knowledge is limited.

k) Do not use long sentences or monosyllabic answers. Example: If the

interviewer asks Are you good at coding?
II. Interview Question
1) Tell me something about yourself.

• Start with a smile on your face & give details about Name, Place after greeting.
• If necessary, only add your family details.
• Tell about your educational details.
• Share about why you want to do JOB so.
• About your Project in Brief.
• Then about your interests/hobbies.
• Also, how you will spend your time when you are free.
• Tell about skills.
• Then conclude by saying THANKS to the Person who is listening to you.
• Example,

Well, good morning, sir/madam,

My name is __________________ (meaning of your name) from

_______________. (Any significance of your birth place). I am pursuing my
________________ in the stream of _________________ from
____________college, ___________with aggregate (if it is respectable then only)
___________. I have completed HSC from _______________, Location with
aggregate (if it is respectable then only) of 6% and SSC from
_______________________ with aggregate (if it is respectable then only) 73%.

We are five in my family. My father is a private company employee and my mother

is a homemaker. I have two siblings.

About my achievements, I never made any achievements at state level. But in my

schooling, I got certificate in singing competition. In college I got NSS certificate
which I participated as volunteer in my 1st year of engineering.

My strengths are hardworking, self-motivated and dedicated towards my work. And

also, I'm a good learner as well as good in making relationship.
 My hobbies are making crafts, painting, surfing net.

My short-term goal is to get placed in well reputed company.

My long-term goal is to be placed in any mnc company and give my best to your.

In Organization As a fresher, I don't have any working experience, but I will prove
once the opportunity comes.

2). Why should I hire you?

I fulfill the criteria for the recruitment process of your company and as I am a
fresher not having any work experience, I can be molded in the way
organization requires. Also, every organization needs to work in a team and I
believe I am a good team player, so I can be hired.

3). What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Some examples of weaknesses you might mention include:

· Being too critical of yourself
· Attempting to please everyone
· Being unfamiliar with the latest software

Some examples of strengths you might mention include

Knowledge-based skills: Acquired from education and experience (e.g.,

computer skills, languages, degrees, training and technical ability).
Transferable skills: Your portable skills that you take from job to job (e.g.,
communication and people skills, analytical problem solving and planning
skills)
Personal traits: Your unique qualities (e.g., dependable, flexible, friendly,
hardworking, expressive, formal, punctual and being a team player).
Some examples of strengths you might mention include:
▪ Enthusiasm
 ▪ Trustworthiness
▪ Creativity
▪ Discipline
▪ Patience
▪ Respectfulness
▪ Determination
▪ Dedication
▪ Honesty
▪ Versatility

4). Why do you want to work at our company?

Now, this is the most general question asked in almost all types of interviews.
Indirectly the recruiter wants to know that whether you have knowledge about
this company or not. They want to listen to all the good stuff from you about
the company. So, it is highly recommended that you research about that
company you are applying for 1-2 days before or just one night before.
You can use different sources to know about the company. Some of them
include company profiles, press release, annual reports and there are tonnes of
websites available online.
A general answer to this question could be:
Well, as a fresher I believe I need a good and challenging environment to apply
my skills and knowledge. In order to prove myself, I think this company is the
best platform to gain some knowledge, understand and learn different aspects
of the corporate world.
Now, this is a general answer to which an interviewer may not even listen until
you mention few facts about that company. So, it is always necessary to do some
homework about the company and then you can easily nail this part of the
interview.
5). What is the difference between confidence and over confidence?
Confidence is the thinking to do things which are in the limit of our capability.
While overconfidence is the thinking to do things which are beyond our
capability.
For example. I can do it because I have practiced enough, is confidence.
 While I will definitely be able to do it, there is no need of practicing anything
for it.
6). What is the difference between hard work and smart work?
The first need is to do hard work (put extra efforts) and get deep knowledge &
experience and then try to stable with doing smart work (less effort with
intelligence).
Hard work is like putting extra effort for some particular work because of less
analyzation and understanding of the work, while smart work is like doing the
same work without applying those extra efforts, which leads to saving the time
as well.
7). How do you feel about working nights and weekends?
I don't mind working whether it a day or night shift as long as it is benefits to
this organization. Whenever company needs me, I will be here anytime. I will
be quite work hard whatever the task I am being assigned to. Having said that I
want to clarify one more thing. It’s necessary to sleep at night because it also
does affect my health. If I lack sleeping. I won't be able to concentrate on my
work, however you can put me any shirt you want me to.
8). Can you work under pressure?
Sir, rather than take it as a pressure I will take it as an opportunity to grow
myself and show case my skills in this organization. Most of the time the
employee who works under pressure will get the better position in your reputed
organization.
9). Are you willing to relocate or travel?
Relocation is difficult for everyone, though everyone should relocate because
your first priority should be work place if you wanted to achieve something,
wherever it is. If you get a job in the field you love to work. Then don't give
second thought to it. On the other hand, everyone wants to travel throughout the
world without investment and job is the only opportunity to do so. But at certain
point you must think to stop. Because you never travel alone too far. Both are
good but in controlled manner.
10). What are your goals?
• My short-term goal is to work in a reputed organization like yours where I can
enhance my technical skills and knowledge.
 • My long-term goal is to see your company at top most position where I am one
of the persons responsible for it
11). What motivates you to do good job?
My family expectation, a decent job environment, a desire to reach new heights,
high pay package, and a job security motivates me to do a good job!
12). What makes you angry?
I become angry when I could not fulfill my expectation!
Also, when I find someone who does backbiting of mine but to these types of
anger, I easily control them with my self-assuring thought and analyzing root
cause!
13). Give me an example of your creativity.
Creativity is nothing but doing something in a more innovative way which
should be appreciated by others.
In my school science exhibition, I made a live model of soap formation and
which was not only appreciated but awarded to that was my creativity!
I made that different from all others!
14). How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
I would like to pursue my career here for as long as I have the opportunity to. I
would like to remain employed here as long as my services are needed. I like
new challenges and a chance to grow. As long I keep getting these, I don't think
I'll need to switch over.
15. Are you not overqualified for this position?
As a fresher, I don't think I am overqualified because I don't have any work
experience and I think experience speaks more than qualification.
16). Describe your ideal company, location and job.
According to me, an ideal company is a company which provides a healthy and
good environment and lots of opportunities for employees to do work and where
the suggestions would be taken as positions. The ideal job is the job where we
get satisfaction in both professional and daily (personal) life. The Location is
where these things are present. Thank you, sir.
17). What are your career options right now?
Right now, my career option is to get placed in organization and enhancing my
skills and as to contribute in the growth of organization.
18). Explain how would be an asset to this organization?
 Sir, an asset of any organization is its employee’s hard work, dedication,
punctuality and creativity and I have all such qualities. So, I will be an asset to
your company. I do not have much experience but I have positive attitude and
enthusiasm to work for your company!
19). Would you lie for the company?
It totally depends on the situation, if my one lie will be beneficial for 10 peoples
and don't hurt any personal ego or prestige only then I can otherwise I will Never
lie. Because Lie cannot remain hidden for a long time. It may be caught.
20). Who has inspired you in your life and why?
My dad has biggest impact on my life, right from my childhood I'm just
following his footprints, he taught me many life lessons and moral values. Every
time when I feel of giving up something difficult then I just remember him that's
give me much courage and make me go through it.
My DAD is my biggest inspiration, He is my hero.
21). Have you considered starting your own business?
The following two responses are both examples of effective answers to this
question.
I haven't considered opening a business because I think my skills are best suited
to a career in human resources. I know that a position with an established
employer will let me focus on developing those skills and eventually reaching
my goal of becoming an HR manager.
Opening a business wouldn't be a good fit for me because I do my best work in
stable jobs with well-defined responsibilities. I also enjoy working in positions
that let me learn from my co-workers and managers.
22). Tell me something about our company.
• Company -
• USP -
• Turn Over -
• Competitors -
• Products-
23). How much salary do you expect?
 As a fresher, salary is not the first priority for me. I want to improve my
knowledge and skill as well as gain experience. And my salary would br
according to company norms and standards.
24). Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Simple sir, if I go to any organization some of the employees will show the
example employees who are best in the field and company and who has great
knowledge same as I should be in the position of those people who are in the
position to explain and who can share their knowledge but presently, I will be
consistent to learn something to grow with the organization.
25). Do you have any questions for me?
Thank you for giving this opportunity.
Sir, I would like to know about the job timings and the transport facilities and
what will be the job location and salary scale for this job in your organization.

26). Tell me about your achievements?

• Pick something that’s as recent as possible, and somewhat relevant to this job
or your career.
• Pick a professional achievement even if they don’t specifically ask for one

27). Sales involves lot of travelling, may be day & night so are you comfortable
working late hours.

• Know the travel requirements beforehand.

• State any travel limitations you may have
• Ask the interviewer clarifying questions.
• Explain how you’ve traveled in the past.
• Focus on how you can help the company

28). Any Marriage plan in near future? Questions related to stability of the
candidate.

• This question is related to your stability, as a fresher you are required to

convince them that in near future there is no such plan and even if it will happen
I will assure this that work is not going to be hampered.
29). What are your hobbies? Questions can be there related to what students
mention as their hobbies.

Take some time to evaluate your extracurricular activities and understand what
potential value your personal hobbies and interests might have to your prospective
employer. Here are some steps you can use to plan your answer:

1. Select applicable hobbies and interests

While you may have many interests and hobbies outside of work, it is wise to discuss
those you can easily relate to your new position. Some common extracurricular
activities to mention during an interview include:

• Travel
• Volunteering, community service or charity work
• Sports such as competing on a team or in a league, hiking or other exercise
• Creative arts, including writing, music, painting and crafts
• Cooking or gardening

2. Identify skills or qualities

You can select the most applicable extracurricular activities by determining what skills
or qualities you developed with those activities. Make a list of your hobbies and
interests, and then write out all the abilities and characteristics you gained or improved
from each activity. Some options might include:

• Planning and organization skills

• Leadership skills
• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Teamwork
• Determination and commitment
• Creative thinking and problem solving
• Patience
• Adaptability
Always try to associate these with job profile requirement. If possible, please
give reference from your life.
30). Why do you want to join Sales?

Sales is a rewarding, challenging career. Creating the most appropriate solution

for your customer and then giving them the tools and motivation to buy from
you needs detective skills, team work and an understanding of human nature –
not to mention grit and determination. Here are nine reasons why sales could be
the career choice for you!

• Sales is a performance-based career. The more you sell, the more bonus
you earn. For anyone with a competitive streak or the desire to be
rewarded for their hard work, this is a key motivator and something that
will drive a successful career for years.
• Sales isn’t a combat sport, regardless of the impression given by films
such as ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ and TV shows such as ‘The Apprentice’.
Great salespeople work with their customers, not against them. Think of
it as a team game; you are playing alongside your customers but against
the competition.
• You work with your customers to improve their businesses. This kind
of consultancy work puts salespeople in front of lots of different people
in a company; you rarely get the same day twice, and each department
will have different needs and priorities.
• Working in sales means understanding psychology. What is your
customer thinking? Can you bring everyone together to agree to a sale?
What can you do to motivate them to complete the deal?
• For most sales jobs, there is no requirement for a degree to enter the
profession. A passion and enthusiasm for learning is essential but the
skills required for success are more often learned on the job or through
bespoke training.
• Most salespeople start their career in an ‘inside sales’ role. This usually
means making business development calls and selling over the phone to
prospects. If the office environment suits you, then this type of work can
provide a rewarding and sustainable career.
 • You can gain plenty of respect for your industry knowledge from your
colleagues and customers, but you must work hard to earn this and keep
it. A career in sales rewards those who love to learn.
• Have you ever wanted to be your own boss? And not be stuck inside at
a desk? Salespeople often travel to meet customers face-to-face, as well
as to maintain relationships with existing customers.
• Managing your own time and being responsible for the revenue you
generate is as close as any professional will get to running their own
business. Sales can be a great training ground for going out on your own.
• Let’s face it, the money is good. Salespeople earn commission based on
results. If you are interested in getting paid a good salary, few
professions offer more opportunities than sales.

31). Demo questions like sale me this pen or mobile.

Tips and tricks to “sell me this pen”

Here are a few helpful tips to craft a well-thought-out response to this interview
question:

Be positive. An important part of answering "sell me this pen" is to be positive.

An interviewer wants to see how you react to sudden changes. Try to maintain
an enthusiastic attitude to demonstrate to the interviewer that you are calm under
pressure.

Ask direct questions. Asking the interviewer questions about their experience
with pens or how they use them in their daily lives can help you gain ideas on
how to proceed with the sales pitch.

Relate the pen to a larger concept or idea. By relating the pen and its
importance to a larger concept or life event, you are expanding upon its obvious
benefits as a writing tool and demonstrating increased value to your audience.

Relate the pen to the interviewer's specific needs. Once you have gotten the
chance to ask the interviewer about their experience using pens, you can start
 directing the pitch toward their specific needs. Consider their job
responsibilities or personal lives in how you craft your response.

Close by asking them to purchase the pen. An important part of a sales pitch
can be trying to close the pitch with a new customer. Try to organically
incorporate it into the end of your pitch with a positive statement that makes
them want to say "yes."

Example:

You: "If you don't mind my asking, when was the last time you used a pen?"

Interviewer: "I used one about two hours ago."

You: "And why were you using it?"

Interviewer: "Well, I had to take notes during a conference call."

You: "Alright, now, can you tell me about a time when you were let down by a
pen?"

Interviewer: "Last week I was writing notes with a pen that kept running out of
ink. I had to go all the way back to my office to retrieve a new one."

You: "That's awful, you shouldn't have to go through that."

Interviewer: "Agreed."

You: "You seem like a person with a lot of responsibilities on your hands. As
the backbone of this company, you are always running around, in and out of
meetings, am I correct?"

Interviewer: "Yes, that's every day for me."

You: "Well with your busy schedule, you shouldn't have to worry about whether
or not your pen is reliable. This pen here (holds up the pen) will not give out on
you. It has a refillable ink compartment and each buyer will receive 10 free ink
refills with their purchase. That's enough ink to operate this pen for two years
or more. And if you purchase one today, you'll get a second pen for 50% off. So
what do you say? Are you ready for your life to get easier?"

32). What did you do in the last year to improve your knowledge?
 The interviewer wants to know that you are interested in your industry, and
career growth, enough to take your professional development into your own
hands. Even if your current employer does not offer perks like industry
conferences or tuition reimbursement, there is no reason why you cannot take
the initiative.

You could:

• Read industry or career-related books

• Subscribe to relevant podcasts
• Enhance your education with an additional certificate
• Attend a conference related to your career or personal growth
• Teach yourself a new software program
• Read established journals and websites on a regular basis
• Find a mentor who is senior to you, in your particular industry or career
path
Example 1:
"This year, I committed to improving my knowledge by reading one
book per month. I mapped out my twelve books ahead of time, including
topics on my career, the industry, personal development, politics,
history, and leadership. I would be happy to share the list with you if
you'd like!"
Example 2:
"It is important to me that I continue to grow as a professional
administrator. This year I took an Advanced Excel course so that I could
take my competency from intermediate to expert. The course has helped
me immensely, and I am currently looking into an advanced PowerPoint
class."

33). What is your salary expectation?

When a recruiter or hiring manager asks, “What are your salary expectations?”
there are a few ways you can answer. Here are some suggestions, with example
responses:

Provide a range:
 Include negotiation options:

Deflect the question:

Example 1:

“While I am certainly flexible, I am looking to receive between Rs.300000 and

500000 annually. Due to my skill set and experience level, I feel that this is a
comfortable and appropriate range for my work.”

Example 2:

As a fresher I am comfortable working with a salary which has already been

notified. (In some cases, companies already disclose their salary structure, so
you don’t have a choice. Accept the notified salary structure).

34). How soon can you join us?

Under the terms of my contract, I’m obligated to give three weeks’ notice.
However, I can start the next day, as soon as I’ve met that requirement. I’m
eager to meet the rest of the team and get to work.

35). Will your family be ready to send you so far?

It is based on personal choice. You don’t have any other option rather going to
the designated place discussed by the company. So be ready to give a positive
response to any location related question.

36). What is difference between hard work and smart work?

The difference between hard work and smart work is based on how I approach
my task. Hard work would mean spending long hours to complete my work
without any shortcuts. It definitely ensures results but the process is long and
stressful. Smart work would be aiming for the same results but with planning
and prioritization of tasks. In College/Law School, the trend of examination
questions was repetitive. The questions asked in the last few years would be
asked again. I realized this after my first semester. Since then, for the
examinations, I would only study the previous 5 years’ questions. For the rest
of the year, I would focus on studying everything else. Therefore, I worked hard
to study the entire syllabus for my own knowledge and worked smart to score
 well in my examinations. A combination of both has guaranteed me the best
possible results always!

37). If I offer you HR executive role instead of sales, would you be interested, this
question is just to check if the candidate is really passionate for the sales job. If
there had been an HR opening, they would have already shared.

This is indeed a tricky question where HR is trying to deviate from the main
role for which you applied. Don’t accept any other offer provided during the
interview. Everybody first goes through the profile and then only they apply for
it. So, there is no need to deviate from your choice. If you deviate during an
interview will just reduce your stability quotient.

38). Where do you see yourself five years down the line?

“I do not have a precise role in mind, but my aim over the next five years is to
be at a place where I can make a difference. Career advancement is significant
to me, so I look forward to taking on more responsibilities and gain more
industry awareness in the process. Hopefully my experience will allow me to
help the company achieve the desired goals in the coming years.”

39). What software packages you are familiar with?

Mention only those software’s which you are comfortable in using and have
ample knowledge about the same.

40). Questions can be directed to the student’s summer internship and Project
work.

Prepare your summer Internship Project report thoroughly. They may ask
question related to:

• Title of the project

• Company Information
o Name of the company -
o Established in the year -
o Products
o Core Competencies
o Competitors
 o Turnover
o Experiential learning
o Any suggestion given to the company.
• Questions may be asked from the research methodology.
o Type of research used in the project
o Sampling technique
o Data analysis tool
o Results

41). What makes you happy?

Sample: Simple things. A good meal shared with friends. Quiet time to read.
Laughing with my daughter. Catching up with my family. I find happiness in
the little moments.

I choose this question since it seems like an easy one to answer. I lead my life
daily looking to find the joy in life. It didn't mean I don't commission or get
upset. But I've learned to let that upset go.

I've always been a happy person. There have been times in my life when I
haven't been myself. Usually because of outside unfitness at work and at home.
I find it difficult to be around constantly negative people who can't find the joy
in anything. They have the opposite; they can find something to be upset about
no matter how good things are in that moment.

I choose happiness. No matter how bad things might be...I still choose to be
happy.

42). Do your SWOT Analysis.

1. Strengths: Positives you can capitalize on, these should be your 'key
selling points.'

Think of what makes you special. What influences and motivates you? What
are your attributes for success? What key traits do you have? You can talk about
your personal characteristics here like: Good analytical skills, determination,
persistence, etc.
Examples of strengths:

a. Very confident and assertive.

b. good communication skills.

2. Weaknesses: Negative areas you need to improve on.

This is the toughest aspect to think of and share with your future/potential
company. Also, this is one area where your answers need to be more diplomatic.
Avoid hinting at something that may impact the job execution in your potential
company. We all know and admit that no one is perfect. Do not say 'I don't have
any weakness'. Be realistic and show that you realize and are well aware of your
weaknesses. Give confidence to your prospective employer that your
weaknesses are not going to hamper your job.

Examples of weaknesses:

a. I sometimes tend to get into too many details that delay execution.

b. I can't say 'No' if someone asks me for help with some work.

3. Opportunities: Positive external conditions you can take advantage of.

Talk about various opportunities you foresee in that prospective job. This will
show your interest and reflect a positive attitude.

Examples of opportunities:

a. While working with international customers, I may have the opportunity to

learn new cultures; newer ways of working that will further help me to provide
customized and better services to my customers.

b. By imparting training, I will be able to improve my confidence level and

presentation skills.

4. Threats: Negative external conditions you can't control but can

minimize.
 There are threats we all face at our workplaces, but we need to know how to
survive with them. While talking about 'threats', try to foresee the ones you may
face at your prospective job.

Examples of threats:

a. Competition for the job I want.

b. Overworking myself by taking on so many responsibilities.

c. Changing job requirements of the field.

43). Give an example where you have shown your leadership skills in the college.

You can quote an example where you have contributed in organizing some
event or led a team of people to perform certain task. It is a personal question
and everybody has to choose one example from their life.

44). Give some name of books/authors of Marketing Management (they may ask
the same question for other subjects as well)

Be ready with the name of some authors for relevant book used during your
MBA

Example:

I. Marketing Management by Philip Kotler

II. Marketing 4.0 by Philip Kotler
III. Sales Management –Decisions, Strategies and Cases by Richard R Still,
Edward W. Cundiff and Norman A.P.Govani, Prentice Hall of India
IV. Consumer Behavior by Schiffman and Kanuk, Prentice Hall
V. Rural Marketing: Text and Practice by Siddharta Raut and Pradeep
Kashyap, Biztantra
VI. Marketing Research – an applied orientation by Naresh Malhotra and
Satyabhushan Dash, Pearson
VII. Integrated Marketing Communications: Putting It Together & Making
It Work by Don E. Schultz, Stanley I. Tannenbaum, and Robert F.
Lauterborn
45). Your Interview is more or less coming to an end when the interviewer asks
you “Do you any questions for me”?

You may choose from the below mentioned questions:

o Do you have any concerns about my candidacy?

o Do feel I’m lacking in a particular area or skill set?
o Do you think I am missing any qualifications needed for this position?
o What are the goals the company has for the next year?
o What is the company culture like?
o How many people are on the team I’d be part of?
o How long have you personally been working for this organization?
o What’s your favorite part of your job?
o What’s your least favorite part of your job?
o What areas do you think the company could improve upon?
o What areas do you feel the company excels in?
o What’s the overall management style of the company?
o What’s a challenge the company is currently facing?
o What are the day-to-day responsibilities for this position?
o What are the expected work hours for this role?
o What’s the pace of an average day for this position?
o What would be expected of me during the first three months if I’m hired for this
position?
o At what intervals do you hold performance evaluations for employees?
o Why did the last person in this position leave?
o How long has this position been open?
o Is this a new position?
o Would I be working in the office or remotely?
o What does the onboarding process look like at this company?
o Who do you answer to?
o Who would I answer to?
o Do employees receive regular feedback on their work?
o What qualities do your most successful employees have?
o What experience or skills would make a great candidate for this position?
o How often is this job open?
 o Are you happy to be working for this company? Why?
o Is on-the-job training provided for this position?
o How long do individuals usually hold this position for?
o Are there opportunities for internal growth?
o What would my first priorities be in this position?
o Are there any times of the month or year that require more work than others?
o What is the biggest challenge for a person in this position?
o How is success measured in this position?
o What are the next steps in the hiring process?
o How has the company grown over the last five years?
o How many hours a week is required for this position? Is overtime expected or
allowed?
o Are employees expected to stay up-to-date on their emails over the weekends
or while on vacation?
o Is working remotely an option for this position?
o Is there anything I should know about this position that wasn’t included in the
job listing?
o What are the overall goals for this position?
o Is travel required for this job?
o Will I be expected to work nights and/or weekends for this position?
o What attracted you to this company?
o What projects is the company currently working on?
o What communication methods are most commonly used in the workplace?
o How long do employees tend to stay with this company?

*Note: Apart from general HR questions Students should read news paper as they
sometimes ask which news paper your read and what is today’s headlines?