Don’t be Tongue-tied Usha Albuquerque As the world becomes a global village and interaction within and amongst countries increases, the need for understanding people who speak different languages is growing. Earlier, learning a language was more of a hobby. But today, individuals proficient in more than one language can use it to their advantage, both personally and professionally. And while for many decades, the focus of international business and trade was on the western world, languages such as French and German were increasingly used. However, of late, it is South-East Asia that is becoming increasingly important; Japanese and Korean companies are investing in India in larger numbers and, therefore, there is a growing need for communication in these languages too. Language skills on their own are of very little value. What matters is the framework of technical, professional or practical skills within which a person can apply a language.

Workwise UK may offshore civil servants’ jobs to India The British Government is secretly planning to switch tens of thousands of civil servants’ jobs to India or eastern Europe in an unprecedented cost-cutting initiative. According to sources, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), government’s biggest ministry, is considering proposals by private companies to take work overseas. “This could involve the transfer of part or even all of the functions of the DWP area of business that could have previously been located in the UK, a centre located outside the UK,” said the document, written by the department’s security team.

Eventbuzz
“Need to sensitise management courses to global demands”

IIM-Indore’s state-of-art, 193-acre campus was recently inaugurated and dedicated to the nation by Mukesh D. Ambani, the Chairman and MD of Reliance Industries Ltd. Leading figures from the government, administration and industry along with IIM Indore’s illustrious Board of Governors converged at the IIM-Indore campus to witness this red-letter-day ceremony. Ambani elucidated on his vision of India as an economic powerhouse and the steps that need to be taken to achieve India’s potential to be a global power in the coming decades.

CAT race: Gear up for group discussion
Sandeep Manudhane
Group discussions (GDs) are an integral part of the entire selection procedure at the B-schools. An MBA aspirant after having cleared the written test, has to go through the personality assessment stage. Normally, a group discussion is followed by an interview. At some institutes, the GD might be replaced by a case study, role play or a group task. But an interview definitely follows.

Career Hotline
Be politically correct
Pervin Malhotra