Group Discussion and Presentation Practice

Date: 8 Dec 2014

Time: 2:30 – 5:30pm
Venue: MW322

By: Candice Cheung

Senior Student Advising Officer
Agenda

Examples

Assessment Criteria

How to do well in a discussion?

Practice & Feedback

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EXAMPLES

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 Examples of Group Discussion
Average Case
Reading Time: 15 – 20 minutes
Discussion Time: 30 – 45 minutes
Presentation (vary): 10 - 15 minutes
Company Job Group Discussion Set up & Topic

Hang Seng Management Trainee 5 candidates, 3 interviewers

Topic included: Assessment on impact of financial crisis

HSBC International Manager Topic: Choice of location for an insurance company, 4 candidates, different set of info. for each
2 candidates

Sun Hung Management Trainee FOREVER Printing Company with 3 production plants in PRC, focusing in Europe and USA
Kai 80% sales from 5 clients and 30 years history with senior management turnover rate = 0.3%
Cannot meet sales target & competition in PRC increase
Problems: 1. poor production variation
2. little R&D
3. skilled engineers turnover rate = 48%
4. government regulation like pollution increased
5. electricity cut down once a week
6. low responsiveness to market
7. customer base too narrow

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 Some Examples of Group
Discussion – con’t
Company Job Group Discussion Set up & Topic

MTR Graduate Trainee You are a newly recruited graduate trainee of a chain cinema groups
Present to the MD about the declining performance of a particular branch, about ways to
improve the current situation
Towngas Management Trainee 中國125規劃對煤氣的影響, 125 規劃能源減排及環保
Impact of China 12th Five year Economic Plan, CO2 emission & environment protection on town
gas business
Dairy Farm Graduate Trainee Choose 1 from 7-11/Wellcome/Mannings, suggest a new format of concept shop
How different departments can contribute to the setup of the new concept shop
Different departments include sale and marketing/operation/logistics/finance etc.
UBS Analyst 6 candidates; Case : Adidas
SWOT analysis; How to continue and sustain success?; Given $1 million budget, How to spend
it to achieve result? The group was required to arrive at conclusion and recommendation
Deliotte Audit Trainee / A software company has dominated the market for 7 years but now they are feeling some
Consultant Trainee problems
Two of their clients have sent complaint letter, ask for solutions
One of the companies has increased purchasing 200% last year, which was a key customer
Ernst & Audit Trainee / Case: How to increase cash flow quality of a football club (could be in trouble?)
Young Consultant Trainee

Hang Lung Management Trainee View points on 雙非孕婦 (non local pregnant mothers giving birth to babies in HK)
Properties

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ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

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Assessment Criteria
What you said during the discussion will
be written down and evaluated by the
assessor

Overall Contributions: Make sure

whatever you said has delivered a “valid”
message / opinion to the target audience
(including invite other candidates to join
the discussion)

No contribution = not receive any points

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 Assessment Criteria

Planning & Interpersonal

Leadership Communication Judgement
Organization Sensitivity

Motivate & encourage

Define objective and participation Express idea & Reference others’
tasks argument clearly Assimilate of facts and opinion
data quickly
Able to steer in the
planned direction
Build up data and Validate and examine
Summarise correctly
figures assumptions
Contribute and accept Incorporate
ideas constructive ideas

Develop a mix of Resolve conflict & Fully aware of what

Listen carefully
solutions encourage consensus your members think

Formulate directions
Take initiative and decisions Show understanding of
Estimated expected Understand the others’ feeling /
outcomes underlying meaning motivation; respond
appropriately
Support team work
Blend into the process
Demonstrate good use Reach consensus
Develop contingency and be accepted as a
of vocabularies and
plans Flexible member or be a
tones/ manner
prominent one
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HOW TO DO WELL?

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How to do well in a discussion?
The Dos…

Sensitive to the Express clearly & convincingly Step in &

feeling of others redirect the
discussion

DO
Move
New ideas Manage forward when
time necessary
Encourage
Summarise Wide perspective others Listen first

The Don’ts…

DON’T
Dominate Inappropriate
non-verbal cue
Keep
Interrupt Stray from the subject
Silent

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Your group members could be…L

A member who is very quiet and seems

unwilling to express his opinions.

A member who sidetracks from the main issue

and digresses into irrelevant areas.

A member who keeps on talking without giving

opportunity to others to voice their opinions.

A member who holds on to his own view and is

unwilling to listen to others’ opinions.

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Group Discussion Practice
Case Study: Enhance, not erode, ecological treasures

Case: Government Environment Conservation & Development

Balance Policy
• Public Private Participation (PPP) Policy
• (3 way: Developer, Environment conservation group, Government)
• Meeting to review this policy by stakeholders (you)

• You will be given an assigned role, it could be a land

owner, a land developer, a member of the Green group,
the general public or etc…
• Each stakeholder will have unique opinions

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Group Discussion Practice

Reading Time: 20 minutes

Discussion Time: 40 minutes
Group Presentation Time: 5 minutes
Feedback Time: 20 minutes

Key
• Approach the topics with wider perspective, be
creative and imaginative
• Goal: Move the discussion forward and draw on
constructive ideas

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