UPSC Mains 2022 Management Optional Paper I questions

36 questions from the Civil Services (Main) Examination 2022. Official UPSC paper (PDF) · All Management Optional PYQs

1. Identify key differences between a manager and a leader. Justify your answer with suitable examples.

   10 marks

2. What are various approaches to management? Explain characteristics and limitations of any 4 approaches to management analysis with suitable examples.

   10 marks

3. Differentiate between classical conditioning and operant conditioning. How is social learning theory an extension of operant conditioning?

   10 marks

4. "Change or Die!" is the rallying cry among today's managers. Enumerate and explain three approaches to managing organizational change.

   10 marks

5. Explain the kinds of signals that warn a manager about an employee requiring training. What types of training are critical for employees going on an overseas assignment?

   10 marks

6. Differentiate between 'Entrepreneur' and 'Intrapreneur' with suitable examples. Identify key traits of a successful entrepreneur.

   15 marks

7. "People's behaviour is based on their perception of what reality is, not on the reality itself." Comment on the statement, highlighting the importance of perception in the study of Organisational Behaviour. What are the factors that influence perception?

8. Explain the rationale behind companies providing benefits to their employees. What effect do companies expect, benefits will have on employee morale and productivity?

9. Recent international events such as the pandemic Covid-19 and the Russian-Ukraine war significantly impacted global business environment. Briefly evaluate its impact on Indian business operations. Identify attributes and skill-sets required by a manager to operate under the prevailing global business environment.

   20 marks

10. What are the central tenets and main limitations of behavioural theories of leader- ship? How can leaders have a positive impact on their organizations through building trust and mentoring?

    15 marks

11. What is Job analysis? Identify the advantages and disadvantages of: (i) Observation Method (ii) Structured Questionnaire Method and (iii) Diary Method

    15 marks

12. Explain the management concepts of Frederick W. Taylor and Henri Fayol. Identify key differences between the two and their applicability.

    15 marks

13. Researchers argue that challenge stressors operate quite differently from hindrance stressors. Give your views. What are the potential environmental, organizational and personal sources of stress at work?

    15 marks

14. What are the five traditional career stages? Which of the five stages is probably least relevant to Human Resource Management? Explain your view.

    20 marks

15. Highlight various limitations of financial statements. How can these be minimized or resolved?

    10 marks

16. Highlight the major differences between Capital Market and Money Market.

    10 marks

17. What is a Futures Contract? Why do exchanges require future contracts to be marked to the market?

    10 marks

18. Explicate the concept of Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) and its applicability in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) with suitable examples. How do IT applications impact customer retention?

    10 marks

19. Explain the concept of transfer pricing with suitable examples and related regulatory framework in Indian context.

    10 marks

20. Explain the circumstances under which different methods of depreciation can be employed by giving suitable examples.

    20 marks

21. A 100 par value bond bearing a coupon rate of 8% will mature after 5 years. Interest is payable quarterly. What is the value of the bond, if the discount rate is 12%? (Chart given for reference)

    15 marks

22. Explain the concept of Marketing Communication Mix. Identify the factors Influ- encing Communication Mix for marketing India's finest quality Coffee produced by Chikmagalur based Coffee Plantation Cooperative.

    15 marks

23. Why is Budgetary control required in a business concern? What are its limitations?

24. What is modified internal rate of return (MIRR)? What are the pros and cons of MIRR vis-a-vis IRR & NPV?

25. Explain the concept of Product Life Cycle (PLC) and its applicability for the following: (1) Mobile phone

26. Suggest marketing strategies in different phases of PLC for the above products.

27. The data below relates to ABC Ltd. which makes and sells laptops.

28. Production (units)

29. Selling Price per unit (2)

30. Variable production cost per unit (%)

31. Fixed production overhead incurred (®)

32. Fixed production overhead cost per unit, being the predetermined overhead absorption rate (%)

33. Selling, Distribution and Administration cost (all fixed)

34. You are required to present comparative profit statements for each month using: (i) Absorption costing (ii) Marginal costing

    20 marks

35. What are the primary causes of corporate distress? Highlight the appropriate restructuring strategies that can be adopted to deal with different causes of corporate distress.

    15 marks

36. Identify key areas where Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has transformed prevailing marketing practices in the past 5 years. Justify your answer with suitable examples.

    15 marks