MBA 3rd Semester Syllabus (2024)

The 3rd semester of an MBA program marks a significant milestone, delving deeper into core business principles and preparing students for specialized areas of expertise. This article explores the typical curriculum for semester 3 across various MBA concentrations, highlighting essential subjects and recommended textbooks for each.

MBA 3rd Semester Syllabus

The MBA 3rd Semester syllabus includes important subjects like Market Research, Strategic Analysis, Legal Environment of Business, Decision Science, etc. Here is the complete table of the Master of Business Administration Syllabus for 3rd Semester:

Subject Name	Syllabus	Best books
Market Research	Unit 1: Introduction to Market Research: Defining market research Its role in business decisions Different types of research Research process. Unit 2: Research Design and Methods: Research design (exploratory, descriptive, causal) Data collection methods (surveys, interviews, observation) Sampling techniques Scaling techniques. Unit 3: Data Collection and Analysis: Questionnaire design Data collection methods (online, offline) Data editing and coding Data analysis techniques (descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing). Unit 4: Market Measurement and Forecasting: Market measurement concepts (market share, market potential) Forecasting techniques (time series analysis, causal methods). Unit 5: Marketing Research for International Business: International marketing research challenges Global research design and methods Cultural considerations in research. Unit 6: Ethical and Social Issues in Marketing Research: Ethical considerations in data collection Privacy concerns Informed consent Social responsibility in research.	“Marketing Research: Analyzing and Predicting Consumer Behavior” by Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong “Marketing Research” by Alvin C. Burns “Marketing Research” by Sunil Malhotra
Strategic Analysis	Unit 1: Introduction to Strategic Management: Understanding strategy Strategic management process Competitive advantage Industry analysis frameworks (Porter’s Five Forces) Unit 2: Environmental Scanning and Industry Analysis: Identifying and analyzing genera industry, and competitor environments using PESTEL and SWOT frameworks Unit 3: Competitive Analysis: Identifying and analyzing competitors Competitor analysis frameworks (Porter’s Five Forces) Competitive intelligence gathering techniques Unit 4: Strategic Choice and Decision Making: Strategic decision-making frameworks (SWOT, TOWS, Ansoff Matrix) Game theory concepts in strategic decision making Unit 5: Strategy Implementation and Control: Strategic planning process Strategy implementation challenges Monitoring and evaluation of strategy Balanced scorecard Unit 6: Strategic Renewal and Change Management: Recognizing the need for strategic change Managing resistance to change Implementing change effectively	“Strategic Management” by John David “Business Analysis and Valuation” by Joshua Rosenbloom “Competitive Strategy” by Michael E. Porter
Legal Environment of Business	Unit 1: Introduction to Business Law: Understanding the legal system Sources of law The Indian Contract Act The Sale of Goods Act Unit 2: The Indian Contract Act: Formation of a contract Types of contracts Performance of contracts Breach of contract Remedies for breach of contract Unit 3: The Sale of Goods Act: Sale and agreement to sell Rights and duties of buyer and seller Transfer of ownership Risk and title Unit 4: The Negotiable Instruments Act: Types of negotiable instruments (bills of exchange, promissory notes, cheques) Negotiation and transfer Rights and liabilities of parties Unit 5: The Companies Act: Incorporation of a company Types of companies Company management Shareholder rights Corporate social responsibility Unit 6: Intellectual Property Rights: Patents Trademarks Copyrights Trade secrets The importance of intellectual property rights for businesses	“Intellectual Property Rights” by Prabuddha Ganguli “Business Law Today” by Roger LeRoy Miller, Robert W. Hillman “The Companies Act, 2013 Bare Act”
Decision Science	Unit 1: Introduction to Decision Making: Nature and types of decisions Models of decision making (rational, bounded rationality) Individual vs. group decision making Unit 2: Individual Decision Making: Biases and heuristics in decision making Overcoming cognitive biases Improving individual decision-making skills Unit 3: Group Decision Making: Group dynamics Techniques for effective group decision making Devil’s advocate Multi-voting Consensus Decision making Selecting the appropriate Technique Unit 4: Decision Making Under Uncertainty: Risk assessment Probability and expected value calculations Decision trees Decision making under risk and uncertainty Unit 5: Creativity and Innovation in Decision Making: Fostering creativity in decision making Design thinking process Using innovation tools and techniques for better decisions Unit 6: Ethical Issues in Decision Making: Ethical frameworks for decision making Corporate social responsibility Ethical dilemmas in business decisions.	“Decision Making for Managers” by Richard A. Coase “Judgment in Managerial Decision Making” by Jeanne Liedtka, Micheal Quinn Patton “Statistics for Business and Economics” by Thomas Doane, David Hoogenboom
Entrepreneurship	Unit 1: Introduction to Entrepreneurship: Understanding the entrepreneurial mindset Types of entrepreneurs The entrepreneurial process Identifying entrepreneurial opportunities Unit 2: Identifying and Evaluating Business Opportunities: Identifying market needs and customer problems Opportunity evaluation frameworks (SWOT, feasibility studies) Unit 3: Developing a Business Plan: Components of a business plan (executive summary, market analysis, marketing plan, financial projections) Writing an effective business plan Unit 4: Financing and Launching a New Venture: Sources of funding for new ventures (bootstrapping, angel investors, venture capital) Financial planning and management for startups Unit 5: Managing and Growing a New Venture: Building and managing a startup team Marketing and sales strategies for new ventures Managing growth and scaling the business Unit 6: Harvesting the Venture: Exit strategies for entrepreneurs (acquisition, IPO, going public) Planning and managing the exit process	“The Startup Owner’s Manual” by Steve Blank, Bob Dorf “Value Proposition Design” by Alexander Osterwalder, Yves Pigneur “Business Model Generation” by Alexander Osterwalder, Yves Pigneur

MBA in Finance Syllabus

An MBA in Finance typically consists of 4 semesters, with the 3rd semester falling near the middle of the program. However, the specific curriculum can vary depending on the university or program you choose. Here are some general insights into what you might expect in the 3rd semester of an MBA in Finance program:

Subject	Best Books
Quantitative Methods and Statistics	“Applied Statistics and Probability for Engineers and Scientists” by Jay L. Devore, Kenneth N. Berkley  “Business Analytics: Modeling, Analysis, and Applications with R by James R. Evans, David A. Bush  “Statistics for Business and Economics” by Thomas Doane, David Hoogenboom
Tools and Frameworks for Decision Making	“Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Information” by Annie Duke “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman  “Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die” by Chip Heath, Dan Heath
Business Law	“Business Law Today” by Roger LeRoy Miller, Robert W. Hillman “Understanding Business Law” by Kenneth E. Thompson “The Legal Environment of Business” by Roger LeRoy Miller, Robert W. Hillman
Operations Management	“Operations Management: Processes and Supply Chains” by Roger G. Schroeder, Steven L. Meyer “Operations Management for Competitive Advantage” by Robert S. Kaplan, Robin Cooper  “Designing the Customer Experience: A Guide to Journey Mapping” by Mike Gospe, Chip Heath
Corporate Finance	“Financial Management for Dummies” by Michael Lehman, Brandon Frazee “Fundamentals of Corporate Finance” by Richard A. Brealey, Stewart C. Myers “Corporate Finance” by Jonathan Berk, James R. DeAngelo

MBA in Marketing Syllabus

The 3rd semester often builds upon the foundational marketing knowledge acquired in the first year, delving deeper into advanced marketing strategies and frameworks alongside potential electives for specialization. It contains subjects like International Marketing, Business Marketing, Strategic Brand Management etc.

Subject	Best Books
Entrepreneurship and Managerial Economics	“The Startup Owner’s Manual” by Steve Blank, Bob Dorf “Managerial Economics & Business Strategy” by Michael Baye, Jeff Prince “Innovation Strategy and Management” by Jeff Hiatt
International Marketing	“International Marketing” by Philip R. Cateora, Mary C. Gilly “Global Marketing Strategy” by Philip R. Cateora, Mary C. Gilly “International Marketing Research” by Patrick D. Cravens
Business Marketing	“The Challenger Sale” by Matthew Dixon, Brent Adamson “Buying for Value: Strategic Procurement Techniques” by Michael Porter “Business-to-Business Marketing” by George S. Benson
Strategic Brand Management	“Brandwashed: Tricks Companies Use to Manipulate Our Minds and Persuade Us to Buy” by Martin Lindstrom “Strategic Brand Management: Building, Evaluating, and Sustaining Brand Equity” by Kevin Lane Keller, Mary C. Farley, Stewart Duncan “Brand Relevance: Making Competition Irrelevant” by David Aaker
Advanced IT Tools or Information Systems and Applications	“Business Intelligence and Analytics: Tools, Techniques, Applications, and Technologies” by Ramesh Sharda, Dursun Delen, Efraim Turban “Managing IT in the Digital Age” by Peter Weill, Michael P. Cihra “Big Data Analytics: A Practical Guide for Businesses” by Michael Minelli, James Thomas, Lance Doshi

MBA in HR Syllabus

As you navigate the crucial 3rd semester of your MBA in Human Resources (HR), the program gears up to equip you with advanced knowledge and practical skills. This semester delves deeper into core HR functions, exploring strategic talent management, compensation and benefits structures, and intricate employment law considerations

Subject	Best Books
Fundamentals for Human Resource Management	“Human Resource Management” by Gary Dessler, Paul Sparrow “Managing Human Resources” by Wayne F. Cascio “The HR Answer Book: Practical Answers to the Most Frequently Asked HR Questions” by Richard Ulrich, Brian E. Joyce, Wayne F. Cascio
Econometrics for HRM	“Econometrics for HR: An Applied Approach” by Alan B. Krueger, David Card “Econometrics in Practice: A Guide to the Literature” by Clive W.J. Granger “Applied Econometrics: A Modern Approach” by Russell Davidson, James G. MacKinnon
Entrepreneurship and New Ventures	“The Startup Owner’s Manual” by Steve Blank, Bob Dorf “Business Model Generation” by Alexander Osterwalder, Yves Pigneur “The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries
Finance and Financial Considerations in HR Management	“Human Resource Management and Finance” by Robert C. Liden, Robert B. Duncan “Financial Management for Dummies” by Michael Lehman, Brandon Frazee “Human Resource Management and Business Strategy” by Michael R. Losey, Frederick G. Folger
Employment Relations Laws	“Employment Law for HR Professionals” by Lela Rowe, David Lewis “The Essential Guide to Federal Employment Laws” by Susan R. Meisinger  “Labor Relations Law: Cases and Materials” by Michael C. Bender, Robert T. Linnan

MBA in IT Syllabus

Gearing up for the pivotal 3rd semester of your MBA in Information Technology (IT)? This phase often delves deeper into advanced IT management concepts, equipping you with expertise in areas like Database Management, and Administration, ERP, E-Customer Relationship Management (CRM) etc.

Subject	Best Books
Database Management and Administration	“Database Systems: Design, Implementation, and Management” by Carlos Coronel, Steven Morris, Peter Rob “Database Administration: The Complete Guide to DBA Practices and Procedures” by Craig S. Mullins  “SQL in 10 Minutes, Sams Teach Yourself” by Ben Forta
Managerial Skills Development	“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey “Emotional Intelligence 2.0” by Travis Bradberry, Jean Greaves  “Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting the Right Things Done” by The Arbinger Institute
ERP – Advanced Business Application Programming	“Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems: Concepts and Practice” by David Chappell “Programming for Enterprise Integration: A Developer’s Guide” by James McGovern “Mastering SAP ERP HCM” by Supriya Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Sanjay Mishra
ERP – System Administration	“Oracle Applications Administration Handbook” by Shelley Craig “SAP NetWeaver System Administration Handbook” by Partha Dey, Bhaskar Sarma “ERP Systems Administration in a Nutshell” by Lars K. Nielsen
E-Customer Relationship Management (CRM)	“The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It” by Michael E. Gerber  “Customer Relationship Management: Strategy, Implementation, and Optimization” by Paul Greenberg “The Effortless Experience: Conquering Customer Service” by Matthew Dixon, Karen Kimsey-House, Rick DeLorean

Conclusion

By thoroughly engaging with the diverse subjects offered in the 3rd semester, students gain a comprehensive understanding of critical business functions and decision-making processes. This intensive phase prepares them for leadership roles and success in their chosen career paths within the dynamic world of business.