📋 Group Discussion (GD) Analysis Guide

🌐 Topic: Should Politicians Have a Mandatory Retirement Age?

🌟 Introduction to the Topic

Opening Context: “The debate on whether politicians should have a mandatory retirement age is gaining relevance as leadership across the globe trends older, raising questions about inclusivity and representation.”

Topic Background: Historically, politics has been dominated by seasoned leaders. However, with the median age of national leaders at 62 years and global life expectancy increasing to 73.5 years, the issue of age-related governance efficiency and opportunities for younger leaders has gained prominence.

📊 Quick Facts and Key Statistics

• 🌍 Global Average Age of Politicians: The median age of national leaders worldwide is 62 years, reflecting a preference for experienced leadership.
• 🇺🇸 Elderly Representation in Politics: In the U.S., the average age of House members is 57.5 years, and Senators average 64 years, emphasizing the role of older leaders.
• 👥 Youth Representation Gap: In Latin America and the Caribbean, 48% of the voting-age population is aged 20–39, but only 27% are members of parliament—a 21% gap.
• 📈 Life Expectancy Increase: From 64.2 years in 1990 to 73.5 years in 2019, increased life expectancy has extended political careers globally.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Stakeholders and Their Roles

• 🏛️ Government Bodies: Establish governance frameworks and policies to balance representation across ages.
• 🧑‍🎓 Younger Citizens: Advocate for fair representation and inclusive leadership opportunities.
• 🧓 Elder Politicians: Defend the value of experience and stable leadership.
• 📚 Academics/Experts: Provide evidence on cognitive and decision-making trends across age groups.
• 🎭 Political Parties: Manage generational shifts while maintaining public trust.

🏆 Achievements and Challenges

🎉 Achievements:

• 👩‍⚖️ Experienced Leadership: Older leaders bring institutional knowledge and strategic foresight.
• 📜 Policy Continuity: Long tenures often ensure sustained policy implementation.
• 🌍 Global Examples: The longevity of politicians in countries like the U.S. demonstrates how seasoned leaders handle complex issues effectively.

⚠️ Challenges:

• 📉 Representation Gap: Youth are underrepresented in many regions, as seen in Latin America’s 21% disparity.
• 🧠 Cognitive Decline: Studies suggest a potential for decision-making inefficiencies in advanced age.
• 📊 Global Benchmarking: Countries with younger leadership, like Finland, often exhibit more progressive policies.

🗣️ Effective Discussion Approaches

📌 Opening Approaches:

• 📈 “With the median age of global leaders at 62, should politics embrace younger voices for broader representation?”
• ⚖️ “While life expectancy has extended political careers, it raises questions about generational inclusivity.”
• 📋 “Latin America’s youth representation gap of 21% highlights the challenges of balancing experience and inclusivity.”

🎭 Counter-Argument Handling:

• Use examples of elder statesmen’s achievements.
• Propose innovative mechanisms, such as mentorship, to balance experience with youth.

🔍 Strategic Analysis of Strengths & Weaknesses

• ✅ Strengths:
  • Depth of experience.
  • Policy consistency.
• ❌ Weaknesses:
  • Risk of stagnation.
  • Cognitive decline.
• 📈 Opportunities:
  • Promoting inclusivity.
  • Leveraging mentorship systems.
• ⚠️ Threats:
  • Resistance to change.
  • Potential disconnection from younger demographics.

📖 Structured Arguments for Discussion

• ✅ Supporting Stance: “A retirement age ensures fresh ideas and reflects demographic realities.”
• ❌ Opposing Stance: “Age-based limits undermine democratic choice and devalue experience.”
• ⚖️ Balanced Perspective: “While mandatory retirement may improve representation, alternative measures like term limits could achieve similar goals without age restrictions.”

🎓 Connecting with B-School Applications

• 📘 Real-World Applications:
  • Analyze how leadership diversity impacts business strategies, team dynamics, and innovation.
• 📋 Sample Questions:
  1. “What parallels can be drawn between political and corporate leadership diversity?”
  2. “How does life expectancy influence career planning in governance and business?”
• 💡 Insights for Students:
  • Leveraging multigenerational leadership.
  • Understanding demographic impacts on policymaking and business strategy.