MBA 4th Semester Syllabus (2024)

The 4th semester of your MBA program is your chance to dive deeper into the complexities of business and emerge a more confident, strategic leader. This guide unpacks the key subjects you’ll conquer, equipping you with a roadmap to success. We’ll explore the course syllabus, recommended readings, and the invaluable skills you’ll gain.

MBA 4th Semester Syllabus

The 4th semester of your MBA program offers a rich blend of subjects designed to refine your business acumen. You’ll delve into simulations, mastering decision-making in a virtual business environment. This semester prepares you to graduate as a well-rounded business leader, ready to tackle real-world challenges.

Subject Name	Unit-wise Syllabus	Best Books
Capstone Simulation	Unit 1: Introduction to the Simulation:  Understanding the simulated business environment Company roles Decision-making processes.  Unit 2: Market Analysis and Competitive Landscape: Analysing market trends Competitor strategies Customer needs Unit 3: Financial Management:  Implementing financial strategies Including budgeting, pricing Resource allocation.  Unit 4: Operations and Supply Chain Management: Managing production Inventory management Logistics management to meet customer demands Unit 5: Marketing and Sales Strategies: Developing marketing campaigns Executing marketing campaigns to promote products and services. Unit 6: Performance Evaluation and Decision Making: Analysing financial performance Making strategic decisions Adapting to changing market conditions.	“Business Simulation Games: A Playful Approach to Learning” by Robert MacIntosh, Paul Glasser, and Michael A. Gassner  “Strategic Management Simulations: A Teaching Tool for the 21st Century” by David A. Whetten and Christopher A. Preuss  “The Art of Business Simulation: Designing and Using Business Simulations for Learning and Decision Making by David Warfield
Ethics and Indian Ethos	Unit 1: Introduction to Business Ethics:  Defining ethical principles Exploring ethical dilemmas in business Understanding corporate social responsibility Unit 2: Ethical Theories: Examining different ethical frameworks (e.g., utilitarianism, deontology, rights-based ethics)  Their application in business decisions Unit 3: Business Ethics in India: Exploring the concept of “dharma”  Its influence on ethical conduct Understanding ethical challenges specific to the Indian business landscape Unit 4: Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility:  Examining the role of ethical leadership Corporate governance practices Social responsibility initiatives Unit 5: Ethical Decision Making in Business:  Applying ethical frameworks to real-world business scenarios Developing personal ethics Fostering ethical organizational cultures Unit 6: Case Studies in Business Ethics:  Analysing real-world ethical dilemmas faced by businesses and organizations Discussing potential solutions and their ethical implications.	“Business Ethics: A Managerial Approach” by Velasquez, Manuel, Andre, Robert, John, Jennifer, & Shanks “Ethics and the Business of India” by Mukhopadhyay, Siddhartha K “Doing Business Ethically in India: A Case Study Approach” by Sanjiv Sachdeva and Sujata Menon
Integrated Decisions Making	Unit 1: Introduction to Integrated Decision Making:  Understanding the interconnectedness of business functions The need for holistic decision-making Unit 2: Problem Identification and Framing:  Defining the problem Identifying key stakeholders Developing a clear problem statement Unit 3: Data Analysis and Information Integration:  Gathering data from various sources Analysing information using quantitative and qualitative techniques Identifying relevant trends Unit 4: Developing and Evaluating Alternatives:  Generating creative solutions Assessing their feasibility Evaluating their impact on different business functions Unit 5: Decision Making Tools and Techniques:  Utilizing decision-making tools like cost-benefit analysis Risk assessment, and scenario planning Unit 6: Communication and Implementation:  Communicating decisions effectively to stakeholders Implementing strategies Monitoring outcomes	“Integrated Business Planning: A Dynamic Approach to Aligning Strategy with Execution” by Kenneth R. Andrews “The Decision Maker’s Guide to Integrated Thinking” by Roger Martin  “Thinking in Systems: A Primer” by Donella Meadows
Leadership Development	Unit 1: Foundations of Leadership:  Exploring different leadership styles, theories, and traits Unit 2: Self-Leadership and Emotional Intelligence:  Developing self-awareness Managing emotions effectively Motivating oneself and others Unit 3: Communication and Influence:  Building strong interpersonal and communication skills Influencing others ethically and persuasively Unit 4: Team Building and Collaboration:  Fostering effective teamwork Resolving conflict Empowering team members Unit 5: Leading Change and Innovation:  Managing change effectively Promoting innovation Creating a culture of continuous learning Unit 6: Ethical Leadership:  Leading with integrity Fostering ethical conduct within organizations Holding oneself and others accountable.	“Leadership & Self-Deception: Getting the Right Things Done” by The Arbinger Institute “The Leadership Pipeline: How to Think, Lead, and Manage for Organizational Results” by Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter, and James Noel “Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence” by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee
Applied Business Research Project	Unit 1: Identifying Research Topic: Selecting a relevant and practical research question aligned with your interests and career goal Unit 2: Literature Review: Conducting a thorough literature review to understand existing research on the chosen topic Unit 3: Research Design and Methodology: Selecting appropriate research methodologies (e.g., surveys, interviews, case studies) Developing a research plan. Unit 4: Data Collection and Analysis: Collecting data using chosen methods Analyzing data using relevant statistical techniques Interpreting findings Unit 5: Writing the Research Report: Presenting research findings in a clear, concise, and well-organized manner Unit 6: Project Presentation and Defense: Effectively communicating research findings Defending the research methodology to an audience	“Business Research Methods” by Donald R. Cooper and Pamela S. Schindler “Writing for Social Science Research” by Robert A. Day and Deborah J. Gastel “The Craft of Research” by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams
Data Science Using R and Python	Unit 1: Introduction to Data Science:  Understanding the fundamental concepts of data science Its applications in various fields Data science lifecycle.  Unit 2: Programming Fundamentals:  Learning the basics of programming Learning data types, variables, control flow, functions, and libraries in R and Python Unit 3: Data Acquisition and Cleaning:  Exploring methods for data acquisition from various sources Handling missing values Cleaning messy data Unit 4: Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA):  Performing EDA techniques to understand data characteristics Identify patterns and trends Formulate research questions Unit 5: Data Visualization:  Creating various data visualizations (e.g., bar charts, scatter plots) to communicate insights effectively Unit 6: Introduction to Machine Learning:  Understanding the basics of machine learning algorithms Exploring supervised and unsupervised learning techniques Building simple models	“Data Science for Business” by Foster Provost and Tom Fawcett  “Hands-On Machine Learning with Scikit-Learn, Keras & TensorFlow” by Aurélien Géron “Python for Data Analysis: Data Wrangling, Visualization, and Machine Learning in Python” by Wes McKinney

MBA in Finance

Gain in-depth knowledge of financial analysis, investment strategies, and corporate governance, preparing you to excel in the dynamic world of finance.

Subject	Best Books
Macroeconomics	“Macroeconomics” by Olivier Blanchard, Paul Krugman, and Robert Wells “The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money” by John Maynard Keynes “A Guide to Macroeconomics” by Begg, David K., Fischer, Stanley, and Dornbusch, Rudiger
Microeconomics	“Principles of Microeconomics” by N. Gregory Mankiw “Microeconomic Theory” by Walter Nicholson “Microeconomics” by Robert S. Pindyck and Daniel L. Rubinfeld
Principles of Marketing Management	“Marketing Management” by Philip Kotler and Kevin Lane Keller “Marketing Research: Applying Marketing Insights from Consumer Research” by Malhotra, Naresh K., and Grover, Rajiv “The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing” by Al Ries and Jack Trout
Corporate Management	“Strategic Management: An Integrated Approach” by Charles W. L. Hill and Gareth R. Jones  “Essentials of Corporate Finance” by Brealey, Myers, and Allen “The Innovator’s Dilemma” by Clayton M. Christensen
Principles of Accounting	“Financial Accounting” by Warren, Reeve, and Fess “Intermediate Accounting” by Kieso, Weygandt, and Kieso “Accounting Principles” by Jerry J. Weygandt, Paul D. Kimmel, and Donald E. Kieso

MBA in Marketing

Explore the intricacies of consumer behavior, marketing campaigns, and digital marketing strategies, equipping you to craft effective marketing plans and drive business growth.

Subject	Best Books
Service Marketing	“Services Marketing: People, Technology, Strategy” by Jochen Wirtz, Jochen P. G. Mückstein, and Christopher V. Service “The Service Revolution: How to Create Value in the Age of the Customer” by James L Heskett, W. Earl Sasser, Jr., and Leonard A. Schlesinger “Designing the Customer Experience: A Guide to Journey Mapping” by Mike Gospe and Chip Heath
E-Business Fundamentals	“E-commerce 2024: Business, Technology, Society” by Kenneth C. Laudon, Carol Guercio Traver, and Raj Arora “Digital Business Strategy: Mastering the New Digital Landscape” by Marc Beverland “Business Models in the Digital Age” by Michael G. Jacobides, Robert Winterhalter, and Georg von der Crone
eCommerce Marketing	“E-commerce Marketing: The Master Plan for Driving Sales Online” by Chris Trimble “Digital Marketing for Dummies” by Ryan Deffenbaugh and John Wiley “Epic Content Marketing: How to Tell Stories, Build Relationships, and Grow Your Business” by Joe Pulizzi and Newt Barrett
Retail Marketing	“Retailing Management” by Joseph V. Stern, Michael S. retailing, and Mary C. Sturdevant *  “Omnichannel Retailing: How to Succeed in the New Era of Shopping” by Michael Levy and Rajiv Dant “The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More” by Chris Anderson
Statistical Methods for Business Decisions	“Statistics for Business and Economics” by Thomas Doane and David Hoogenboom “Business Analytics: Modeling, Analysis, and Applications with R” by James R. Evans and David A. Bush “Applied Statistics and Probability for Engineers and Scientists” by Jay L. Devore and Kenneth N. Berkley

MBA in HR

Master the art of human resource management, from talent acquisition and employee relations to performance management and organizational development, ensuring a thriving work environment.

Subject	Best Books
HRM Planning, Bargaining, and Negotiation Process	“Human Resource Management” by Gary Dessler, Gerry Dessler, and Andrew M. Cole “Negotiation” by Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton “Labor Relations: Negotiating the Collective Bargaining Agreement” by John Fossum
Employee Empowerment	“The Empowered Manager: Positive People Management in a Flat World” by Ken Blanchard, Susan Fowler, and Patricia Zigarmi “Empowered Teams: Creating Self-Directed, High-Performance Work Groups” by Susan C. Lundgren, Susan C. Burke, and Laura A. Hochwarter “First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Most Successful Companies Do Differently” by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman
HR Audit	“HR Audit: A Practical Guide to Assessing and Improving Your HR Functions” by Evelyn R. Rogers and David S. Dover “The HR Audit Handbook” by Alan R. Naylor, Wayne B. Feaster, and Michael C. Knapp “HR Analytics: A Practical Guide for Managers” by Jeff Kaplan and David R. Schwager
Information Systems	“Information Systems for Management” by R.A. Hagel, John L. Henderson, and Richard I. Ives “Business Driven Information Systems” by Kenneth C. Laudon and Jane P. Laudon “Managing IT in the Digital Age” by Peter Weill and Jeanne W. Ross
Organizational Behavior	“Organizational Behavior” by Stephen P. Robbins and Timothy A. Judge “Understanding Organizational Behavior” by Jeanne Gioia, Richard B. Peterson, and Pamela S. Thomas “The Leadership Pipeline: How to Think, Lead, and Manage for Organizational Results” by Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter, and James Noel

MBA in IT

Uncover the intricacies of information systems management, software project management, and information security, empowering you to lead and innovate in the ever-evolving IT landscape.

Subject	Best Books
Information System Management	“Information Systems Management” by Kenneth C. Laudon and Jane P. Laudon “Strategic Management of Information Systems” by James A. Senn “Managing Information Technology in the Digital Age” by Peter Weill and Michael P. Cihra
Software Project Management	“Head First: Software Development” by David Griffiths and Dawn Griffiths “Agile Project Management: Principles and Practices” by Robert C. Martin “The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master” by Andrew Hunt and David Thomas
Software Quality Assurance	“Software Quality Assurance: A Practical Guide” by Linda Westfall, Dorothy Larsen, and Helen Mendonca “Testing Computer Software” by Cem Kaner, James Walker, and Jack Royce “Agile Testing: A Practical Guide for Testers and Agile Teams” by Lisa Crispin and Janet Gregory
Information Security	“Information Security Management Handbook” by Harold F. Tipton and Michael A. Byrd “Cryptography Engineering: Design Principles and Practical Applications” by Niels Ferguson, Bruce Schneier, and Tadayoshi Kohno “Hacking: The Art of Exploitation” by Jon Erickson
E-Business	“E-commerce 2024: Business, Technology, Society” by Kenneth C. Laudon, Carol Guercio Traver, and Raj Arora “Digital Marketing for Dummies” by Ryan Deffenbaugh and John Wiley “Business Models in the Digital Age” by Michael G. Jacobides, Robert Winterhalter, and Georg von der Crone

Conclusion

The 4th semester of your MBA program equips you with a powerful toolkit for navigating the complexities of the business world. By actively engaging with the curriculum, delving into the recommended resources, and participating in class discussions, you’ll solidify your knowledge and refine your practical skills. Remember, the learning doesn’t stop here. Embrace lifelong learning and leverage this newfound knowledge to carve your path to a successful and fulfilling career. We wish you all the best in your endeavors!