📋 Written Ability Test (WAT) Analysis Guide
Should Governments Introduce Universal Basic Income to Address Automation Job Losses?
🌐 Understanding the Topic’s Importance
UBI debates intersect with economics, public policy, and social welfare, making it a critical topic for B-schools. Its implementation offers insights into strategic thinking and the interplay of automation and society.
⏳ Effective Planning and Writing
- Time Allocation:
- Reading & Planning: 5 minutes.
- Writing: 20 minutes.
- Review: 5 minutes.
- Structure:
- Introduction: 60-70 words.
- Body: 350-375 words.
- Conclusion: 60-70 words.
💡 Introduction Techniques
- Contrast Approach: “Automation promises efficiency but risks widespread job losses. Universal Basic Income emerges as a controversial solution, balancing innovation and equity.”
- Solution-Based Approach: “In an era where robots replace workers, UBI offers a lifeline to maintain economic equilibrium.”
📂 Structuring the Essay Body
Achievements:
- 🌍 Poverty alleviation through unconditional cash transfers.
- 📖 Case study: India’s UBI trial improved health outcomes.
Challenges:
- 💸 High implementation costs (4.9% of India’s GDP).
- 📉 Risk of inflation and work disincentives.
Future Outlook:
- 🔄 Hybrid UBI schemes combining automation taxes and targeted welfare.
- 📊 Global adoption feasibility studies by organizations like OECD.
✅ Concluding Effectively
- Balanced Perspective: “While UBI addresses automation-driven inequalities, its practical implementation requires careful economic calibration.”
- Global Comparison: “As countries like Finland explore UBI, the global consensus on addressing automation impacts is yet to be achieved.”
📊 Analyzing Successes and Shortcomings
- Key Achievements: Reduced income disparity, enhanced well-being.
- Ongoing Challenges: Funding mechanisms, socio-cultural acceptance.
- Global Context: Finland and Alaska as experimental benchmarks.
🔧 Recommendations for Sustainable Progress
- 📝 Introduce pilot programs to test UBI’s feasibility.
- 💰 Tax automation gains to finance UBI.
- 🤝 Integrate UBI with existing welfare schemes for a hybrid model.
📄 Sample Short Essays
- Balanced Perspective: “Automation is inevitable, but its societal costs must be mitigated. UBI provides a safety net while fostering adaptability and resilience.”
- Solution-Oriented: “By taxing automation, governments can finance UBI, ensuring inclusivity in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
- Global Comparison: “Finland’s UBI pilot highlights benefits but underscores challenges. Nations must tailor UBI to their socio-economic contexts.”