UPSC Mains 2017 GS4 Q8 — Organizational Discipline
(a) Discipline generally implies following the order and subordination. However, it may be counter-productive for the organisation. Discuss. (150 words) (b) Without commonly shared and widely entrenched moral values and obligations, neither the law, nor democratic government, nor even the market economy will function properly. What do you understand by this statement ? Explain with illustration in the contemporary times. (150 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- DiscussExplain
- Scope keywords
- following the order and subordinationcounter-productive for the organisationmoral values and obligationsdemocratic governmentmarket economyillustration in the contemporary times
- Implicit sub-parts
- Defining the traditional view of discipline as hierarchy/obedience.
- Situations where 'blind discipline' leads to institutional paralysis or ethical silence (Groupthink).
- The role of moral values as the 'social glue' preceding formal legal frameworks.
- How trust and ethics prevent market failures and democratic erosion.
- Applying these concepts to current crises like corporate scams or digital governance.
- Common pitfalls
- Defining discipline only in a positive light and missing the 'counter-productive' nuance.
- Treating Part (b) as a general essay on values without linking it specifically to the 'market economy' and 'law'.
- Using outdated examples instead of the 'contemporary' illustrations explicitly requested.
- Failing to mention the concept of 'Ethical Competence' or 'Creative Dissent' as an alternative to subordination.
- Dimensions required
- Organizational BehaviorPublic AdministrationLegal-JurisprudentialSocio-EconomicPolitical Ethics
- Marks allocation hint
For 10 marks in part (a), devote 50 words to the utility of discipline and 100 words to the risks of rigid subordination. For 10 marks in part (b), spend 40 words on the conceptual link between values and institutions, and 110 words on specific contemporary illustrations across law, politics, and markets.
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