Area: Economic Environment and Policy

PGDM

Course Title : Business Environment

 
 
 
 
Instructors:  
Dr Ratna Vadra( Course owner) 
Dr Subhajit Bhattacharya  
Dr V.J Sebastian 
                                                        Dr Ranjana Agarwal  
 

Faculty Contact hours ( for students): To be shared by individual Faculty in the first session
  

Course Outline: Business Environment

Credits: 3
No of Sessions: 20

Course Description

Globalisation of markets and the resulting competition and interdependence of economies have
continued to increase over the years, leading to rapid changes in technology, organizational
structure, and economic conditions. These changes throw up new challenges and opportunities
for business. To face these challenges and to benefit from the opportunities, managers need to
scan, asses and forecast the business environment. Based upon such assessment and forecasts,
appropriate business strategies can be formulated, which would give them long run-competitive
advantage. This in turn requires a very good understanding of the Indian and global business
environment, which the course on Business Environment would provide. This course may be
considered a pre-requisite for other courses such as strategy/entrepreneurship etc, and enable
graduates to pursue careers in business consulting and advisory services.

Course Objectives
 To familiarize students with various aspects of business environment.
 To familiarize students with key macro-economic variables and their usefulness in the
decision making process in business.
 To expose students to recent changes in the economic and non-economic environment,
particularly in the Indian context, and to illustrate them with the help of case studies/case
lets.

Learning Outcomes:
Based on the course, students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate competency in analyzing the nature and structure of business
environment using various tools such as SWOT/PESTEL/Five forces .
 2. Have good understanding of various aspects of Indian economy and its relation to
business.
3. Analyse different policy measures taken by the Government and understand its
implications for business.

Pedagogy: Lecture, classroom discussion, presentation, project and assignments.

Evaluation

Sl no. Component Weight (%) Learning

Outcomes
I Internal Assessment 50
a) Group Project 20 1, 2, 3
b) Class participation 10 1, 2, 3
c) Quiz 20 1, 2
II End term 50 1, 2, 3

Readings

Text Book: Business Environment - Shaikh Saleem, Fourth edition,

Pearson
Other References Books

 Business environment- Text and Cases by M.B. Shukla, Taxman Publications,

2012.
 Agarwal, A.N: Indian economy: Problems of Development and Planning, (New
Delhi: Wishwa, 2016).
 Cherunilam, Francis, Business Environment (Himalaya Publishing House, 2016).
 David P. Baron, Business and Its Environment(7th Edition)
 CMIE Reports, various issues.
 Economic Survey, Latest issues
 India Development Report, latest issue
 Stiglitz, Joseph E., Globalisation and its discontents (Penguin books, 2002)).
 Virmani, Arvind, Propelling India from socialist stagnation to global power
(Academic Foundation, 2006).
 World Development Report, Various Latest Issues.

b) Journals & Magazines:

  Business Today
 Business World
 Business India
 Economic & Political Weekly
 Asia Week
 Economist
c) Newspapers Articles (To be distributed in the class for analysis).

Session /Topic
Session No. Topics Reference
1&2 Introduction Business
Structure of Business Environment Environment -
‐ Market Shaikh Saleem,
‐ Non-Market Fourth edition,
Pearson, chapter
1, pp1-27.

David P. Baron,
Business and Its
Environment(7th
Edition) ,
Chapter 1
 

3&4 India’s Growth Story Business

‐ Planning Period Environment -
‐ Reform Period Shaikh Saleem,
‐ Last Decade Fourth edition,
‐ Implications for Business Pearson, chapter
18,19, 20.

5 Paradigms in Indian Industrial Policies Business

‐ Industrial Policy Resolutions Environment -
‐ New Industrial Policy 1991 Shaikh Saleem,
‐ Current Industrial Policy paradigm Fourth edition,
Pearson, chapter
2, pp29-65.
Chapter 3. pp.66-
87.

6 Industrial Policy Paradigm Business

‐ New Initiatives Environment -
‐ Industry 4.0 Shaikh Saleem,
Fourth edition,
Pearson, chapter
2, pp29-65.
Chapter 3. pp.66-
87.
7 India’s Fiscal Policy Paradigms Business
‐ Trends Environment -
‐ Implications for Business Shaikh Saleem,
Fourth edition,
Pearson, chapter
4.pp108-126.

8 India’s Monetary Policy Paradigms Business

‐ Trends Environment -
‐ Implications for Business Shaikh Saleem,
Fourth edition,
Pearson, chapter
4.pp88-103.

9 India’s Exchange Rate Policy Business

‐ Trends and Implications Environment -
‐ FEMA Act Shaikh Saleem,
‐ Role of RBI Fourth edition,
Pearson, chapter
6.

10 India’s Investment Environment Business

‐ Overview Environment -
‐ Factors and Trends in Last Decade Shaikh Saleem,
‐ Implications for Business Fourth edition,
Pearson, chapter
21, pp589-642.

11 India’s Investment Environment Business environment

‐ Analysis of Few Sectors : Text and cases, Justin
Paul ,chapter 12 and
13.
12 Foreign Investment in India in Last Decade
‐ Trends in Portfolio Investment Economic Survey / RBI
‐ Trends in Foreign Direct Investment Annual Reports and
‐ Doing Business in India (WB Report) Handouts

Doing Business Report,

2020 by the World
Bank
13-16 Global Business Environment Business Environment -
‐ WTO: A Brief Note (1 session) Shaikh Saleem, Fourth
‐ RTAs: Trends, Performances and Issues (1 session) edition, Pearson,
‐ Brief Overview of Business Environment of some select chapter 25pp726-762.
regions (Asia-Pacific, EU, North America, Latin America, chapter 26 pp 764-808.
MENA) (2 sessions)
Business environment :
Text and cases, Justin
Paul ,chapter 4, 5, 6, 7 ,
8.
17 India’s Trade Policy and Performances of Last Decade Business Environment -
Shaikh Saleem, Fourth
edition, Pearson,
chapter 23, pp668-700.
18 WTO, RTAs and India: Engagement and Performances Handouts and ppt
19 & 20 Country Risk Analysis: Workshop