A GD is a methodology used by an organization to gauge whether the candidate has certain personality traits and/or skills that it desires

in its members. In this methodology, the group of candidates is given a topic or a situation, given a few minutes to think about the same, and then asked to discuss the it among themselves for 15-20 minutes. Freshersworld.com brings you an elaborate section for GD as you had ever seen anywhere else. Some of the personality traits the GD is trying to gauge may include :Ability to work in a team Communication skills Reasoning ability Leadership skills Initiative Assertiveness Flexibility Creativity Ability to think on ones feet

Why GDs:The reason why institutes put you through a Group discussion and an interview, after testing your technical and conceptual skills in an exam, is to get to know you as a person and gauge how well you will fit in their institute. The Group discussion tests how you function as a part of a team. As a manager, you will always be working in teams, as a member or as a leader. Therefore how you interact in a team becomes an important criterion for your selection. Managers have to work in a team and get best results out of teamwork. That is the reason why management institutes include GD as a component of the selection procedure. Company's Perspective:Companies conduct group discussion after the written test so as to check on your interactive skills and how good you are at communicating with other people. The GD is to check how you behave, participate and contribute in a group, how much importance do you give to the group objective as well as your own, how well do you listen to viewpoints of others and how open-minded are you in accepting views contrary to your own. The aspects which make up a GD are verbal communication, non-verbal behavior, conformation to norms, decision-making ability and cooperation. You should try to be as true as possible to these aspects

Types of GD
GDs can be topic-based or case-based. Topic based Gds can be classified into three types :1. Factual Topics 2. Controversial Topics 3. Abstract Topics Factual Topics:Factual topics are about practical things, which an ordinary person is aware of in his day-to-day life. Typically these are about socio-economic topics. These can be current, i.e. they may have been in the news lately, or could be unbound by time. A factual topic for discussion gives a candidate a chance to prove that he is aware of and sensitive to his environment. E.g. The education policy of India, Tourism in India, State of the aged in the nation.

Controversial Topics:Controversial topics are the ones that are argumentative in nature. They are meant to generate controversy. In GDs where these topics are given for discussion, the noise level is usually high, there may be tempers flying. The idea behind giving a topic like this is to see how much maturity the candidate is displaying by keeping his temper in check, by rationally and logically arguing his point of view without getting personal and emotional. E.g. Reservations should be removed, Women make better managers Abstract Topics:Abstract topics are about intangible things. These topics are not given often for discussion, but their possibility cannot be ruled out. These topics test your lateral thinking and creativity. E.g. A is an alphabet, Twinkle twinkle little star, The number 10 Case-based Gd:Another variation is the use of a case instead of a topic. The case study tries to simulate a real-life situation. Information about the situation will be given to you and you would be asked as a group to resolve the situation. In the case study there are no incorrect answers or perfect solutions. The objective in the case study is to get you to think about the situation from various angles. IIM A, IIM Indore and IIT SOM Mumbai have a case-based discussion rather than topic-based discussion in their selection procedures.

Why do we have GD ?
Reasons for having a GD

It It It It It It It It

helps you to understand a subject more deeply. improves your ability to think critically. helps in solving a particular problem. helps the group to make a particular decision. gives you the chance to hear other students' ideas. improves your listening skills. increases your confidence in speaking. can change your attitudes.

Strategies for Improving GD Skills for Tutorials & Seminars Asking questions and joining in discussions are important skills for university study. If you find it difficult to speak or ask questions in tutorials, try the following strategies. Observe Attend as many seminars and tutorials as possible and notice what other students do. Ask yourself:

How do other students make critical comments? How do they ask questions? How do they disagree with or support arguments? What special phrases do they use to show politeness even when they are voicing disagreement? How do they signal to interrupt, ask a question or make a point?

Practice

Start practicing your discussion skills in an informal setting or with a small group. Start with asking questions of fellow students. Ask them about the course material. Ask for their opinions. Ask for information or ask for help. Participate Take every opportunity to take part in social/informal discussions as well as more structured/formal discussion. Start by making small contributions to tutorial discussions; prepare a question to ask, or agree with another speaker's remarks. Discussion Etiquette (or minding your manners) Do

Don't

Speak pleasantly and politely to the group. Respect the contribution of every speaker. Remember that a discussion is not an argument. Learn to disagree politely. Think about your contribution before you speak. How best can you answer the question/ contribute to the topic? Try to stick to the discussion topic. Don't introduce irrelevant information. Be aware of your body language when you are speaking. Agree with and acknowledge what you find interesting.

Lose your temper. A discussion is not an argument. Shout. Use a moderate tone and medium pitch. Use too many gestures when you speak. Gestures like finger pointing and table thumping can appear aggressive. Dominate the discussion. Confident speakers should allow quieter students a chance to contribute. Draw too much on personal experience or anecdote. Although some tutors encourage students to reflect on their own experience, remember not to generalise too much. Interrupt. Wait for a speaker to finish what they are saying before you speak.

Leading a Discussion You may be in a seminar group that requires you to lead a group discussion, or lead a discussion after an oral presentation. You can demonstrate leadership by:

introducing yourself and the members of the group stating the purpose of the discussion inviting quiet group members to speak being objective summarizing the discussion

Chairing a Group Discussion When chairing a discussion group you must communicate in a positive way to assist the speakers in accomplishing their objective. There are at least four leadership skills you can use to influence other people positively and help your group achieve its purpose. These skills include:

introducing the topic and purpose of the discussion, making sure all members have approximately the same time, (i.e. no one dominates the discussion by taking too much time)

thanking group members for their contribution being objective in summarizing the group's discussion and achievements.

How to Face GD
A group discussion consists of: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Communication Skills Knowledge and ideas regarding a given subject Capability to co-ordinate and lead Exchange of thoughts Addressing the group as a whole Thorough preparations

Communication Skills The first aspect is one's power of expression. In a group discussion, a candidate has to talk effectively so that he is able to convince others. For convincing, one has to speak forcefully and at the same time create an impact by his knowledge of the subject. A candidate who is successful in holding the attention of the audience creates a positive impact. It is necessary that you should be precise and clear. As a rule evaluators do not look for the wordage produced. Your knowledge on a given subject, your precision and clarity of thought are the things that are evaluated. Irrelevant talks lead you nowhere. You should speak as much as necessary, neither more nor less. Group discussions are not debating stages. Ability to listen is also what evaluators judge. They look for your ability to react on what other participants say. Hence, it is necessary that you listen carefully to others and then react or proceed to add some more points. Your behavior in the group is also put to test to judge whether you are a loner or can work in a group. You should be able to convey your thoughts satisfactorily and convincingly before a group of people. Confidence and level headedness in doing so is necessary. These add value to your presentation. In case you are not good at it, you might gain by joining an institute that offers specialized courses in public speaking. For instance, British Council Division's English Language Teaching Centre offers a wide range of courses like conversation skills, business communication skills, business writing, negotiation skills and presentation skills. Mostly people attend these courses to improve their communication skills. Students here are involved in activities which use communication skills and teachers provide inputs, monitor and facilitate the classes. The course at the Centre makes you confident enough to speak before people without any nervousness. Knowledge and Ideas Regarding a Given Subject Knowledge of the subject under discussion and clarity of ideas are important. Knowledge comes from consistent reading on various topics ranging from science and technology to politics. In-depth knowledge makes one confident and enthusiastic and this in turn, makes one sound convincing and confident. Leadership and Coordinating Capabilities The basic aim of a group discussion is to judge a candidate's leadership qualities. The examiner withdraws and becomes a silent spectator once the discussion starts. A candidate should display tactfulness, skill, understanding and knowledge on varied topics, enterprise, forcefulness and other leadership qualities to motivate and influence other candidates who may be almost equally competent.

Exchange of Thoughts A group discussion is an exchange of thoughts and ideas among members of a group. These discussions are held for selecting personnel in organisations where there is a high level of competition. The number of participants in a group can vary between 8 and 15. Mostly a topic or a situation is given to group members who have to discuss it within 10 to 20 minutes. The purpose is to get an idea about candidates in a short time and make assessments about their skills, which normally cannot be evaluated in an interview. These skills may be team membership, leadership skills, listening and articulation skills. A note is made of your contributions to the discussion, comprehension of the main idea, the rapport you strike, patience, assertion, accommodation, amenability, etc. Body language and eye contact too are important points which are to be considered. . Addressing the Group as a Whole In a group discussion it is not necessary to address anyone by name. Even otherwise you may not know everyone's names. It better to address the group as a whole. Address the person farthest from you. If he can hear you everyone else too can. Needless to add, as for the interview, attend the group discussion in formal dress. The language used should also be formal, not the language used in normal conversations. For instance, words and phrases like "yar", "chalta hai", "CP", "I dunno", etc. are out. This is not to say you should use a high sounding, pedantic language. Avoiding both, just use formal, plain and simple language. Hinglish, (mixture of Hindi and English) should be discarded. Confidence and coolness while presenting your viewpoint are of help. See that you do not keep repeating a point. Do not use more words than necessary. Do not be superfluous. Try to be specific. Do not exaggerate. Thorough Preparation Start making preparations for interview and group discussions right away, without waiting till the eleventh hour, this is, if and when called for them. Then the time left may not be adequate. It is important to concentrate on subject knowledge and general awareness. Hence, the prime need for thorough preparation. Remember, the competition is very tough. Only 460 candidates make it to the final list from 2.75 lakh civil service aspirants each year. It may so happen that you are called for interviews and group discussions from three or four organizations but are not selected by any. The reason obviously lies in your not being well-prepared. In a group discussion you may be given a topic and asked to express your views on it. Or in a case study GD, students have to read a case study and suggest ways of tackling the problem. For this you should have a good general knowledge, need to be abreast with current affairs, should regularly read newspapers and magazines. Your group behaviour and communication skills are on test, i.e. how you convince the others and how clearly you are able to express your points of view. You should be articulate, generate ideas, not sound boring, should allow others to speak, and adopt a stand on a given subject. During the course of the GD this stand can even be changed, giving the impression that you are open to accommodate others' viewpoints. Additional marks may be given for starting or concluding the discussion. Points to Remember

Knowledge is strength. A candidate with good reading habits has more chances of success. In other words, sound knowledge on different topics like politics, finance, economy, science and technology is helpful. Power to convince effectively is another quality that makes you stand out among others. Clarity in speech and expression is yet another essential quality.

If you are not sure about the topic of discussion, it is better not to initiate. Lack of knowledge or wrong approach creates a bad impression. Instead, you might adopt the wait and watch attitude. Listen attentively to others, may be you would be able to come up with a point or two later. A GD is a formal occasion where slang is to avoided. A GD is not a debating stage. Participants should confine themselves to expressing their viewpoints. In the second part of the discussion candidates can exercise their choice in agreeing, disagreeing or remaining neutral. Language use should be simple, direct and straight forward. Don't interrupt a speaker when the session is on. Try to score by increasing your size, not by cutting others short. Maintain rapport with fellow participants. Eye contact plays a major role. Non-verbal gestures, such as listening intently or nodding while appreciating someone's viewpoint speak of you positively. Communicate with each and every candidate present. While speaking don't keep looking at a single member. Address the entire group in such a way that everyone feels you are speaking to him or her.

WHAT IS GROUP DISCUSSION?

Nowadays Group Discussion is being extensively used along with personal interviews for the final selection of candidates. It plays a main role in selecting the best among the best. Having scored high marks, students who get selected for a higher/another course or employment are placed on a par - on equal footing - based on their age, qualification and experience. It becomes necessary to conduct further screening for choosing a few among many. It is here, the Group Discussion plays an important part. It helps in choosing the socially suitable candidate among the academically superior achievers. It is one of the best tools to study the behavioral and attitudinal responses of the participants. Rightly speaking, Group Discussion is more a technique than a conventional test. In fact it is one of the most important and popular techniques being used in a number of personality tests. It is a technique or a method used for screening candidates as well as testing their potential. It is also designed as a situation test wherein a sample of a candidate's group worthiness and potential as a worker comes out quite explicitly

Features Of Group Discussion

1.Group Discussion, as the name itself indicates, is a group activity carried out by participating individuals. It is an exchange of ideas among the individuals of a group on a specific topic. 2 It is used as reliable, testing device - mainly as a tool to assess all the candidates in a group at one go -in order to select the best in comparative perspective. 3.Group Discussion is an informal discussion in which participants of the same educational standard discuss a topic of current interest. 4.It is also known as leaderless discussion. It means its aim is to find out the natural leadership level of the candidates. Strictly speaking, no one from the group or outside will be officially designated as leader or president or chairman or anything of the sort. Even the examiner or supervisor who launches the discussion will retire to the background. No one will participate or intervene in the deliberations of the group.

NATURE AND SCOPE

Answer this question. Why you are now being tested after successfully passing out the written examination and perhaps the interview too?. You have successfully completed the written examination which tests the knowledge of different subjects as well other capabilities like writing skill, numerical and cognitive ability, test of reasoning , general knowledge etc., Exactly like you, other participants who have come to the final round of selection after thorough screening are of the same qualification. Their age-group, educational qualifications, academic achievements and background experiences are generally quite similar and all of you are of the same level. It is necessary that you should understand the nature of the G D technique as well as its rationale and purpose. It is very important to know what personality traits the examiners would focus on. If you want to attain success in this challenge test, you should analyze its ingredients and grasp its techniques. As all the participants in a Group Discussion are rivals, there is bound to be competition and clash of interests among them. Everyone in the group would be keen to top in the discussion, resulting in a good deal of rivalry and maneuvering for situations of advantage. Thus in the group discussion- in this free for all- you have to manage others and get the cooperation of the group by continuously relating to situations as they keep developing and changing. The dynamics of the group will stimulate each candidate to reveal his/her inherent natural leadership qualities in a spontaneous manner. But only those who remain alert by adapting himself / herself to the changing situations as they emerge, and only those who utilize the opportunities with enterprise, imagination and tact come out successfully. Under these circumstances, the conduct and behavior of each candidate will bring to the surface his or her natural leadership, social, dynamic and organizing abilities in a spontaneous manner. Group Discussion is essentially a verbal-oriented performance and you have to talk your way out. With one's gift of the gab or power of expression. GD also requires the verbal display of the knowledge of the candidate. The more your ideas and the more your knowledge of the subject, the more interested, enthusiastic and confident you would become and the more fluent and forceful would be your speech and contribution to the discussion.

What is the secret of scoring sure success in a group discussion?

The examiners usually look for a very positive personality with varied potential. During the progress of any group discussion, there will be conflicting views and as a result, heated arguments. The winner has to reveal his positive personality traits and leadership abilities to gain approval for his ideas.Since the test is conducted without a leader, there are opportunities for the individuals who reveal leadership qualities to become group leaders. Seizing the opportunity, the aspirant should impress and influence the group. The ability to speak is the foremost of all. If one does not speak eloquently and fluently, one cannot create any impact and make his presence strongly felt. One must arouse other's interest by the power of expression. While talking there must be sense. Conveying all information in wellbalanced sentences in a manner that reflects a good grasp of the subject will indicate sharp and analytical mind. The delivery should be smooth and catching. Important of all is the tone. It should reflect the humility of a very knowledgeable person. There will be interruptions and they should be borne with patience and a winning smile .It is the ability to hold the attention of group members which matters.

What is Group Discussion and its Importance

The concept of Group Discussion has not been a part of the regular academic curriculum in Colleges and Universities. So, students usually face a lot of problem in this area of the Selection Process. Let us first understand why Group Discussion is conducted. Most organizations today are very clear about the skills and knowledge that they look for in a candidate while screening. This was not the case a couple of years ago. Group Discussion has been a part of the Selection process for admission into most of the top Business Schools

Earlier, some of the Pharmaceutical Companies like Ranbaxy, Glaxo, Cipla, Lupin, etc used to conduct Group Discussions as a part of their Screening Process for Selection of candidates as Medical Representatives. Most of the other companies also used to conduct GD while selecting candidates for marketing related Posts. Today, almost every company, (including TCS, SATYAM, WIPRO, INFOSYS, INFOTECH, ORACLE, CTS, CANBAY, POLARIS, etc) both IT and non-IT has GD as part of their Selection Process.

The skills that are usually assessed in a Group Discussion are:

Communication Skills Interpersonal Skills Leadership Skills Motivational Skills Team Building Skills Tolerance to Ambiguity Divergent Thinking Listening skills Presentation Skills Analytical / Logical skills

So, it's important to assess your current strengths in all these areas and accordingly put efforts to strenthen your weaknesses

Tips for Group Discussion DOs and Donts

Here are few GD tips that may help you
Group strength is usually 8 to 12 members When the group discussion topic is given if you do not hear proper , just request to repeat the topic do not show surprises

Definition of communication skills: Correctly saying what you want to say- speaking effectively and efficiently is very important. General Principles

Be a good listener Do not use high vocabulary Never use technical language while speaking Not knowing is not a problem , do not try to bluff Things to avoid Do not criticize on religion Do not get personal with anyone Do not criticize foreign policy of India Never ever try to bluff

Who is the leader?

Who gives directions to group One who is " mostly spoken to "

Impartial and rational ( unemotional) Note: Argument is - exchange of ignorance Discussion is - exchange of knowledge

Important points Never argue with fool - people may not know the difference. Rational thinking -balance approach ,who is not carried out by emotions listen to others , take hints and use them to further contribution to the group knowledge

WHAT IS GD?
Group Discussion is a very important round in any selection process, be it for an MBA course, campus recruitment or for any graduate/post graduate degree. The selection committee conducts GD to gauge whether the candidate has certain personality traits and/or skills that it desires in its members, say for example Ability to work in a team Communication skills Leadership skills Reasoning ability Initiativeness Assertiveness Creatibility Flexibility Ability to think and act independently

Normally groups of 8-10 candidates are formed into a leaderless group, and are given a specific situation to analyse and discuss within a given time limit. The group may be given a Case Study and asked to come out with a solution for a problem. The group may be given a topic and asked to discuss on the same. A panel will observe the proceedings and evaluate the members of the group. Lets discuss some few relevant points which one should remember while appearing for a GD. One needs to know what one's objective in the group is---- to be noticed by the panel and to contribute meaningfully in an attempt to help the group reach the right consensus. 1) The first thing is that the panel should notice you. Merely making a meaningful contribution and helping the group arrive at a consensus is not enough. You must ensure that the group hears you. If the group hears you, so will the evaluator. You need to be assertive. It depends on you how you steer the group in the right direction, once it gets stuck to something. This gives you the chance to showcase your leadership skills. Most importantly, you have to make your chances. Many group discussion participants often complain that they did not get a chance to speak. The fact is that in no group discussion will you get a chance to speak. There is nothing more unacceptable in a GD than keeping one's mouth shut or just

murmuring things which are inaudible. 2) The second most essential thing is that your contribution to the group should be meaningful. For that you need to have a good knowledge base. You should be able to think logically and hence put forth you ideas cohesively. The quality of what you said is more valuable than the quantity. It doesnt help if you shout at the top of your voice and speak at great length, what matters most is what you speak and how it creates an impact on the group as well as the evaluators. 3) The last most important thing is that you must be clearly seen to be attempting to build a consensus. This shows your ability to work in a team, your ability to adjust yourself in new surroundings and help others in your team to reach a definite conclusion amidst difference of opinions. After all this is what all Group Discussions aim at: To be able to discuss and arrive at a consensus. To be able to meet the above requirements during a Group Discussion, one should keep in mind the following basic mantras: a) Be Yourself. Be as natural as possible and dont try to be someone you are not. b) Take time to organize your thoughts. Dont suddenly jump to any conclusion. Think before you speak so that you dont speak anything irrelevant to the topic being discussed. c) Dont make the mistake of looking at the panel while you are speaking. You are in a Group Discussion and you are expected to discuss among group members, so always look at your group members while you are speaking. d) Seek clarifications if you have any doubts regarding the subject, before the discussion commences. e) Your body language says a lot about you - your gestures and mannerisms are more likely to reflect your attitude than what you say. f) Never try to show your dominance. Be assertive, speak yourself and let others speak as well. g) Dont lose your cool if anyone says anything you object to. The key is to stay objective: Don't take the discussion personally. h) Show your leadership skills. Motivate the other members of the team to speak. Be receptive to others' opinions and do not be abrasive or aggressive. i) Remember, opening the discussion is not the only way of gaining attention and recognition. If you do not give valuable insights during the discussion, all your efforts of initiating the discussion will be in vain. Dont be disheartened if you did not do well in your First Group Discussion. Instead try to learn from your past mistakes. Remember, Practice makes man perfect!!!!

How to crack the GD (Group Discussion). 10 simple ways with ppt on GD

Many companies and institutes are making group discussion as the first criteria for screening the candidates for face-to-face interviews. And there is reason too for giving huge importance for Group Discussion. First thing Group Discussion is used for mass elimination! And second thing group discussion selection criterias are based on actual company requirements. Communication and Group Discussion skill are two relevant soft skills that are must for software testers. Why group discussion should be the first criteria for selecting software testers? Software tester requires communication with different people like team members, managers and customers. So interpersonal skill is very important for tester. Yesterday one of our readers mailed me about her problem. She is very good at work but when it comes to taking credit for her work, someone else is taking the credit. Why this is happening? She is lagging in interpersonal skills. Lagging in communication. She might be proficient in many skills, but what if she isnt able to communicate her thoughts in front of her seniors or evaluators? Simply, she will lose the credits of her own work! Making a good impression while speaking in meetings or interviews is the basic skill every professional should have. Lets see how you can make this impression. What skills are judged in group discussion?

How good you are at communication with others. How you behave and interact with group. How open minded are you. Your listening skill. How you put forward your views. Your leadership and decision making skills. Your analysis skill and subject knowledge. Problem solving and critical thinking skill. Your attitude and confidence.

Dos and Donts of Group discussion:

1) Keep eye contact while speaking: Do not look at the evaluators only. Keep eye contact with every team member while speaking. 2) Initiate the GD: Initiating the GD is a big plus. But keep in mind Initiate the group discussion only when you understood the GD topic clearly and have some topic knowledge. Speaking without proper subject knowledge is bad impression. 3) Allow others to speak: Do not interrupt anyone in-between while speaking. Even if you dont agree with his/her thoughts do not snatch their chance to speak. Instead make some notes and clear the points when its your turn. 4) Speak clearly: Speak politely and clearly. Use simple and understandable words while speaking. Dont be too aggressive if you are disagreeing with someone. Express your feelings calmly and politely. 5) Make sure to bring the discussion on track: If by any means group is distracting from the topic or goal then simply take initiative to bring the discussion on the track. Make all group members aware that you all need to come to some conclusion at the end of the discussion. So stick to the topic. 6) Positive attitude: Be confident. Do not try to dominate anyone. Keep positive body language. Show interest in discussion. 7) Speak sensibly: Do not speak just to increase your speaking time. Dont worry even if you speak less. Your thoughts should be sensible and relevant instead of irrelevant speech. 8 ) Listen carefully to others: Speak less and listen more! Pay attention while others are speaking. This will make coherent discussion and you will get involved in the group positively. You will surely make people agree with you. 9) No need to go into much details: Some basic subject analysis is sufficient. No need to mention exact figures while giving any reference. You have limited time so be precise and convey your thoughts in short and simple language. 10) Formal dressing: Do not take it casually. No fancy and funny dressing. You should be comfortable while speaking in group. Positive gesture and body language will make your work easy. Follow these 10 simple rules to easily crack the GD.

Lets have some bonus tips for Group Discussion success

When to use group problem solving Although there are very definite advantages to solving certain problems as a group, others can be solved more effectively by an individual. It's important to know whenand when not to work in a group. Use this checklist to decide when to use group problem solving: Can the problem be defined in many different ways? Is information from many different sources required? Is it a very specialised problem, where the expert' might be biased or not see the wider implications? Does the problem have implications for many people? Are there likely to be many possible solutions? Is it a complex problem with many different aspects? Will a solution need to be agreed by others before it can be implemented? The more questions you answer 'yes', the more appropriate it is to use group problem solving. However, the deciding question is always: 'Are suitable and relevant people available to work together in solving this problem'.

When people are working together it's inevitable that they will be influenced by each other. This can have a significant effect on the efficiency of group problem solving. Advantages and disadvantages of using a group to solve a problem: The disadvantages of group problem solving can include:Competition Most people working in a group unconsciously perceive the situation as competitive. This generates behaviour which is destructive and drains the creative energy of the group. For example, we often

perceive disagreement with our ideas as a put-down. The natural reaction is to regain our self-esteem, often by trying to sabotage the ideas of those who disagreed with us. Instead of looking for ways to improve on their ideas we choose to destroy them. Eager to express our own ideas, we may totally ignore what others are suggesting. Power-seekers may use ploys such as highlighting flaws in others' arguments, barbed questions and displays of expertise to show their supremacy. These types of behaviour create an atmosphere which is incompatible with effective problem solving. Conformity . There is a strong tendency for individuals in a group to want to conform to the consensus. This can be for a variety of reasons, including the need to feel liked, valued or respected, and tends to make people censor their ideas accordingly. The comparative status of the individuals present also has an important influence. Senior members often want to maintain their image of being knowledgeable, while junior members want to avoid appearing the inexperienced 'upstart'. Because agreement on ideas can be gained quickly in a group setting, groups tend to select and approve solutions quickly, without exploring all the possibilities. Lack of objective direction Most traditional meetings and group discussions convened to solve problems are ineffectively directed. Sometimes there is no effective leader to give direction to the discussion, with the result that it wanders aimlessly. Even when there is strong leadership, the group leader or chairman often exerts undue pressure on the direction and content of the discussion. In addition, the ideas aired during a meeting are not usually recorded, apart from the minutes and individual note-taking, with the result that many ideas are forgotten and cannot act as a constant stimulus to the discussion. Time constraints Group problem solving is a relatively slow process compared with working alone. It requires individuals to come together at an agreed time, usually for about one hour, and this can cause organisational problems as well as impatience amongst participants to 'get it over with' as quickly as possible. The advantages of group problem solving can include: Greater output. Simply because of the number of people involved, each with differing experience, knowledge, points of view and values, a larger number and variety of ideas for solving a problem can be produced. Cross fertilisation The exchange of ideas can act as a stimulus to the imagination, encouraging individuals to explore ideas they would not otherwise consider. Reduced bias The shared responsibility of a group in arriving at decisions can. encourage individuals to explore seemingly unrealistic ideas and to challenge accepted ways of doing things. Individual biases and prejudices can be challenged by the ,group, forcing the individual to recognise them. Group pressure can also encourage individuals to accept that change is needed.

Increased risk taking Shared responsibility makes individuals more willing to take risks. The discussion of different points of view also helps the group to be more realistic in assessing the risks associated with particular courses of action. Higher commitment When goals are agreed it gives a common purpose to the group, within which individuals can gain a feeling of self-determination and recognition through their contribution. Individuals who have contributed to finding a solution feel a greater commitment to its successful implementation. Improved communication When .people who are affected by a problem or who will be involved in implementation are involved in finding a solution, they will know how and why that particular solution was chosen. Also, people with knowledge relevant to the problem can communicate that knowledge directly if they participate in solving the problem. Better solutions Groups of individuals can bring a broad range of ideas, knowledge and skills to bear on a problem. This creates a stimulating interaction of diverse ideas which results in a wider range and better quality of solutions.

The collective sharing of all available information, thought and insights is known as a group discussion. Most group discussions are done to achieve a specific goal and are based on the three Ps Planning, Purpose and Participation. It also involves two other aspects of working together; leadership and a casual feeling. Below is a brief list of the advantages and disadvantages of a group discussion; Advantages: One of the main advantages of a group discussion is that each participant can be critically analyzed. This is why many corporate and professional education institutes use group discussion to know the candidates key attributes such as interpersonal skills, leadership qualities, people skills, ability to communicate and others.

Also, when it comes to problem solving, two or more heads are often better than one alone. Group discussions will generate multiple ideas, insights and opinions about a problem. This will help in looking at it from every possible angle and then dealing with it accordingly. Disadvantages: when group discussions are used as a process, it tends to be more focused on elimination and not on selection. Those candidates who are unable to convey their thoughts and opinions are eliminated as their abilities are overlooked, while those who speak up are selected irrespective of their abilities and skill sets. Moreover, in a group discussion personal evaluation of a person and their skills is not possible. Group discussions also tend to get out of control and often the person having the loudest voice is the one who gets to convey his or her opinion about a particular situation. This leads to others being ignored and often no solution is obtained even after spending valuable hours on a group discussion. This results in wastage of valuable resources such as time and money. Hence, group discussions are ideal when the groups are small.

Advantages of Group Decisions:

Group decisions help to combine individual strengths of the group members and hence has a set of varied skill sets applied in the decision making process. Individual opinions can be biased or affected with preconceives notions are restricted perspectives, group decision help to get a broader perspective owing to differences of perception between individual in the group. A group decision always means enhanced collective understanding of the course of action to be taken after the decision is taken. A group decision gains greater group commitment since everyone has his/her share in the decision making. Group decisions imbibe a strong sense of team spirit amongst the group members and helps the group to think together in terms of success as well as failure.

Disadvantages of Group Decisions:

One of the major disadvantages of group decision making is that it is more time consuming than the process of individual decision making.

Group decisions take longer to be finalized since there are many opinions to be considered and valued. In case of authoritarian or minority group decision making, the people whose opinions are not considered tend to be left out from the decision making process and hence the team spirit ceases to grow. The responsibility and accountability of the decisions are not equally shared in some cases which leads to a split in the group and hence hamper the overall efficiency of the group.

Focus group
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A focus group is a form of qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about their perceptions, opinions, beliefs and attitudes towards a product, service, concept, advertisement, idea, or packaging.[1] Questions are asked in an interactive group setting where participants are free to talk with other group members. The first focus groups were created at the Bureau of Applied Social Research in the USA, by associate director, sociologist Robert K. Merton.[2] The term itself was coined by psychologist and marketing expert Ernest Dichter.[3]

In marketing
In the world of marketing, focus groups are seen as an important tool for acquiring feedback regarding new products, as well as various topics. In particular, focus groups allow companies wishing to develop, package, name, or test market a new product, to discuss, view, and/or test the new product before it is made available to the public. This can provide invaluable information about the potential market acceptance of the product. Focus Group is an interview, conducted by a trained moderator among a small group of respondents. The interview is conducted in an unstructured and natural way where respondents are free to give views from any aspect.

In social sciences
In the social sciences and urban planning, focus groups allow interviewers to study people in a more natural setting than a one-to-one interview. In combination with participant observation, they can be used for gaining access to various cultural and social groups, selecting sites to study, sampling of such sites, and raising unexpected issues for exploration. Focus groups have a high

apparent validity - since the idea is easy to understand, the results are believable. Also, they are low in cost, one can get results relatively quickly, and they can increase the sample size of a report by talking with several people at once.[4]

In usability engineering
In the Usability engineering, focus group is a survey method to collect the views of users on a software or website. This marketing method can be applied to computer products to better understand the motivations of users and their perception of the product. Unlike other methods of ergonomics, focus group implies several participants: users or future users of the application. The focus group can only collect subjective data, not objective data on the use of the application as the usability test for example.