Course Plan: Understanding Business

Teacher Name: A.R. Vijaya Chandran (Kengeri Campus)

Class: 1st Trimester, Core Subject (Section A)
Subject & Code No: Understanding Business; MBA 143
Total No. of hours: 15
(2Hours/Week)

1 Credit

1. Course Overview
This paper is offered as a core paper in the first trimester. This course will prepare students for a
challenging and rewarding career of understanding and managing business.
2. Learning Objectives
a) To give a general introduction to management studies and a brief outline on history and
development of management thought.
b) To provide an understanding about the function of planning and controlling.
3. Prescribed Text
1. Harold Koontz & Weihrich Heinz., Essentials of management. 9th Edn, TMH Publications.
4. Reference Books
1. Prasad L.M., Principles and Practices of Management. New Delhi: Sultan
Chand & Sons.
2. Sherlekar S.A., Management, Mumbai: Himalaya Publications.
3. Stoner James A.F. & Freeman Edward R., Management. New Delhi:
Prentice-Hall of India Private Limited.
4. Decision Making Using Microsoft Excel, S Christian Albright, Christopher
Zappe, Wayne Winston
5. Daft Richard L., The New Era of Management. Cengage Publications.

5. Session Content and Schedule:

Syllabus Topic break-up
Unit
Unit1

Unit 2

Hrs Date

Teaching Assignments Readings

Method

Nature and purpose of 4

Management
Meaning;
Scope;
Managerial levels and
skills; Managerial Roles;
Management: Science, Art
or Profession; Universality
of Management.

7th&
14th
June

Lecture
and
discussion

Evolution of Management 4
Thought
Ancient
roots
of
management
theory;
Classical
schools
of
management
thought;
Behavioral
School,
Quantitative
School;
Systems
Approach,
Contingency
Approach;
Contemporary
Management thinkers &
their contribution. Ancient
Indian
Management
systems
&
practices.
Comparative
study
of
global
management
systems & practices.

21st Lecture
& 28th and
June discussion
/case
analysis

Types of plans; Steps in 4

Planning
Process;
Strategies, Policies and
Planning
premises
(Planning
approaches),
Forecasting & MBO.

5th
July,
12th
July

Lecture
and
discussion
/case
analysis

Reading materialChapter1 including

case study,Harold
Koontz Heinz
Weihrich Essentials of
Management

Research
based
assignment:
Compare
management
practices
(POSLC) of
key
economies in
the
world
namely
U.S.A., Japan,
China, India,
U.K., France,
Germany,
Russia
&
Brazil.

Reading
materialChapter 1 including
case study, Harold
Koontz
Heinz
Weihrich Essentials of
Management

1.
Group
presentations
on action plan
preparation to
organize
events
e.g.
Blood
Donation
Camp,
A
Housing Loan
Mela,
A
Musical Night
by
Jagjit
Singh,
A
management
Fest,A
Job
Fair, An Auto
Expo,National
Games,Filmfa
re Awards.

Reading
materialChapter
4&5
including case study,
Harold Koontz Heinz
Weihrich Essentials of
Management

Visual Material
1.
Management
using Indian
Mythology, Author Devdutt Patnaik
Chief Belief Officer,
Future Group.
2.
Documentary
by Tom Peters

Unit4

Mid Term Exam

18th
-22nd
July

Nature of organizational 3
control; control process;
Methods and techniques of
control; Designing control
systems.

26th
Lecture
July and
& 2nd discussion
Aug
(1)

End Term Exam

18th
-22nd
July

Chapters 1,4&5

Assignment
based
on
contemporary
issues
&
trends
1.
Identify cases
where
companies
have
failed
due to faulty /
absence
of
adequate
control
systems. ( For
ex.
Audit
failure
at
Satyam
computers)

Reading
materialChapter 18 & 19
including case study,
Harold Koontz Heinz
Weihrich Essentials of
Management

Chapters
1,4,5,18&19

PLEASE NOTE:
The function of organising is covered under OB II.
The function of staffing is covered under HRM
The function of Leadership is covered under Leadership.
Evaluation Criteria
6. CIA I Questions + Research based assignment

(20 marks)

7. CIA II - Case Study Analysis and Assignment based on contemporary issues & trends (20 marks)

8. Mid trimester examination: 18th-22nd July 2014 - Chapters1, 4 & 5 , Harold Koontz & Heinz
Weihrich Essentials of Management Tata McGraw Hill
(50 marks)

9. Learning Methodology & Skill Development:

1. 1.Group presentations on action plan preparation to organize events e.g. Blood Donation Camp,
A Housing Loan Mela, A Musical Night by Jagjit Singh, A management Fest, A Job Fair, An
Auto Expo, National Games, Film fare Awards.
2.Forecasting Techniques for demand estimation
3. Case discussions and analysis.

\
10. End-term exams: 28th August to 4th September 2014
11. Attendance

Faculty: A.R. Vijaya Chandran

HOD/ Coordinator

(50 marks)
(10 marks)