Management Paradise replies to Hindustan Times Article !!

[kartik]

Success is directly proportional to the amount of criticism you attract - so said someone many moons ago. While this quote has formed the theme of many other quotes/movies/soaps, we came to see its relevance only today. Hindustan Times published an article today, highlighting the practice of "outsourcing" of projects, rampant amongst b-school students these days. While it's very responsible on HT's part to report this and bring it to everyone's attention, what's callous on their part is the fact that they have missed out (or simply ignored) the other side of the story, without which it's a skewed piece of reporting.

All the top institutes in the country have software which traces plagiarism, which highlights any instances of copy-pasting of previously published research material. In order to curb such practices, the respective professor/research assistant has to proactively look out for and identify any instances of "outsourcing" of projects. The onus here lies completely on the professor here, and they should ensure that those found guilty of indulging in such practices are severely penalized. The article absolutely fails to address this issue.

While that might still be an oversight, what's absolutely unforgiving is the fact that the article doesn't touch upon the moot point here: Information sharing is not the problem; it's the students' attitude which is. If knowledge sharing is to be outlawed, we would be going against the very principle on which the entire internet is based. Granted, easy access to readymade projects makes it easier for students to "cheat", and pass off someone else's work as their own. However, ManagementParadise.com simply provides a platform for the students to get initiated in the knowledge-sharing process; it's the students who are responsible for building on and adding to this repository of knowledge, rather than unethically copy-pasting stuff in their own reports. By doing that, it's the student himself who ultimately loses out on the "learning" that he ought to be gaining from a management degree.

It seems the author missed out the point that even IIM puts up research reports of their students on their website which serves as reading material to sharpen knowledge of aspirants and students alike.

Ultimately, like Mr. Kondap mentions in the article himself, companies question the students in-depth regarding the project work they completed during their MBA. If companies can do that to identify plagiarists, shouldn't it be easier for professors to do the same in their own area of specialization?

ManagementParadise.com prides itself on being a knowledge pool for management students; however, it's upon the students to decide how responsibly they wish to exploit this resource.


- Authored,
Anupam Joshi,
Public Relations Head,
Management Paradise.

- Signed,
Kartik Raichura,
Founder and CEO,
Management Paradise.

Whats Your take on this issue. Feel free to comment / criticize. We are open to criticism.

[rakesh jadhav]

thats true.... its all up to students how they r taking all those projects...... im also studnet n i know just copy paste is not my job...... just for information sake its good.... we can have this project as second hand information but not whole report.....

[ankitgokani]

I fell it is ridicuolous no one can stop students from helping eachother out and its a place where ppl share there knowledge to others and also acquire some knowledge it was wrong i feel to blame as cut copy and paste the person who wrote this shud go into the core of the matter and just not write for making up a story.
this all articles are just published to increase sales they will come 2dy and den will be forgotten if they say this sites provides materials then i feel they sud stop sites like wikki,google,answers atc because we take info from dat also.

[vivekaw]

Originally Posted by ankitgokani

I fell it is ridicuolous no one can stop students from helping eachother out and its a place where ppl share there knowledge to others and also acquire some knowledge it was wrong i feel to blame as cut copy and paste the person who wrote this shud go into the core of the matter and just not write for making up a story.
this all articles are just published to increase sales they will come 2dy and den will be forgotten if they say this sites provides materials then i feel they sud stop sites like wikki,google,answers atc because we take info from dat also.

I must say that its a very good reply. Its a students prerogative as to how much he/she wants to gain in value from assignments been given.
I must say though, that you should be thankful to HT, as you have gained a lot of publicity through this.


Regds,
Vivek.

[vijayshubh]

Accusing any body of pilfering others' creations is simple and generic and without having to take pains of searching the facts. On the other hand , so long as the copyright act is not violated , in my well considered opinion, copying and disseminating may not be illeagal , albeit a bit unethical.

Vijay Mathur

[bmsguru]

wht students r lukin in other projects on d same topic is guideline. they needed a guideline for their project .once they refer a project they find themselves very comfortable wid topic. nd its all depend on individual howd he/she want 2 do project. ppl hav 2 change wid tym..in dis era u cant keep mindset of mgt era in which frm u cme. tht tym had gone.

[ross18]

What i feel about this issue is that,

Hindustan times here say that many students are outsourcing the projects and submitting it as their own, but the student himself knows that he is not doing fair with himself.

If the student has taken up a Master's Course then he must have come here to gain knowledge and Increase his capabilities in the field where he wants to make his Career, if he just Copies the project from the Net then it is not going to help him out in the future, a Student can download the projects available on the Net as a form of reference project and build his own, they can also use some of the general information as there Secondary data and move ahead in there project.

Where as, Management paradise is a Forum which helps students from various parts of the Country as well as some of our friends from different countries of the World to come together and Share there part of knowledge with others, where in they can share what is the kind of methods they follow to do there projects and gain knowledge.

Also as Every Coin has Two sides, Its upon an Individual to select his side, I personally feel that management sites to help me increase my knowledge.. and it is now upon u to decide is management paradise helpful for you or not ???

[aastha.grover]

hey..
nice article.. very uselful!

thnks for the information.. keep writing.. enjoy..

take care

[gkothavade]

I think there is nothing wrong in using already done projects but as a reference but its in the hands of students to use it for reference only & not for copy paste.

[gkothavade]

I think there is nothing wrong in using already done projects but as a reference but its in the hands of students to use it for reference only & not for copy paste.