Group Discussion (GD) topics commonly asked in IIMs

A curated list of Management-based Group Discussion (GD) topics commonly asked in IIMs and top MBA interviews, ranging from classic to current and analytical themes
 

📌 Strategy & Business Environment

1. Vision vs Execution – What matters more in management?
2. Is diversification a good strategy in today’s business environment?
3. Competitive advantage: Cost leadership vs Differentiation
4. Are startups killing traditional businesses?
5. First-mover advantage: Myth or reality?
6. Globalization vs Localization – What should firms prioritize?
7. Is scale more important than innovation?
8. Blue Ocean Strategy – Is it sustainable?
9. Mergers & Acquisitions: Value creation or value destruction?
10. Can Indian companies become global leaders?

📊 Leadership & Organizational Behavior

11. Are leaders born or made?
12. Is emotional intelligence more important than IQ for managers?
13. Autocratic vs Democratic leadership – Which works better?
14. Managing Gen Z in the workplace
15. Should companies prioritize employee happiness over productivity?
16. Does work-from-home reduce organizational culture?
17. Women in leadership: Barriers and solutions
18. Ethics in leadership – Idealism vs practicality
19. Is authority necessary to be an effective leader?
20. Performance appraisal systems – Motivating or demotivating?

💼 Corporate Governance, Ethics & CSR

21. Profit vs Purpose – What should companies prioritize?
22. Corporate social responsibility: Obligation or branding exercise?
23. Ethics can be taught in business schools – Agree or disagree
24. Role of whistleblowers in organizations
25. Is corporate governance stronger regulation or self-discipline?
26. ESG: Long-term value creation or short-term hype?
27. Are corporate scandals failures of systems or individuals?
28. Should CEOs be paid exorbitant salaries?
29. Business ethics in a highly competitive world
30. Can ethical businesses survive in India?

📈 Marketing & Consumer Behavior

31. Is consumer data the new oil?
32. Brand loyalty is declining – True or false?
33. Influence of social media on buying decisions
34. Is advertising losing relevance in the digital age?
35. Should companies focus more on customer acquisition or retention?
36. Personalization vs Privacy – Where to draw the line?
37. Role of AI in marketing decisions
38. Are discounts harming brand equity?
39. Rural marketing – Opportunity or challenge?
40. Is influencer marketing sustainable?

💰 Finance & Economics

41. Cashless economy – Boon or bane?
42. Should startups focus on profitability or growth?
43. Is India ready for a $5 trillion economy?
44. Private vs Public sector banks – Who performs better?
45. Financial inclusion – Reality or rhetoric?
46. Stock markets reflect the real economy – Agree or disagree
47. Cryptocurrency – Future of finance or speculative bubble?
48. Should NBFCs be regulated like banks?
49. Venture capital – Fuel for innovation or valuation bubble?
50. Universal basic income – Economically viable?

🤖 Technology, Innovation & Operations

51. AI and automation – Job creator or job destroyer?
52. Is digital transformation more about people than technology?
53. Industry 4.0 – Hype or necessity?
54. Can India become a global manufacturing hub?
55. Technology adoption in Indian MSMEs – Challenges
56. Data-driven decision making – Are managers over-relying on data?
57. Cybersecurity – Cost center or strategic investment?
58. Sustainable operations – Cost or competitive advantage?
59. Supply chain resilience vs efficiency
60. Make in India – Success or failure?

🌱 Sustainability & Future of Management

61. Climate change – Business responsibility or government responsibility?
62. Sustainable growth – Oxymoron or achievable?
63. Circular economy – Future of business?
64. Greenwashing – Threat to sustainability efforts
65. Can capitalism solve climate change?
66. Stakeholder capitalism vs Shareholder capitalism
67. Is long-term thinking possible in quarterly-result driven companies?
68. Should companies be held legally accountable for environmental damage?
69. Net-zero targets – Realistic or aspirational?
70. Role of managers in nation building

🔥 Abstract but Management-Oriented Topics 

71. “Fail fast, fail forward”
72. “Data beats intuition”
73. “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”
74. “Growth at all costs”
75. “Change is the only constant”
76. “Ethics is good business”
77. “Innovation distinguishes leaders from followers”
78. “Survival of the fastest”
79. “More choices, more confusion”
80. “Disruption is the new normal”