Marketing Management

1. Introduction to Marketing

• Meaning and scope of marketing
• Evolution of marketing concepts
• Marketing concepts and approaches
• Marketing orientations
• Holistic marketing
• Marketing mix (4Ps / extended mix)

2. Developing Marketing Strategy

• Concept of marketing strategy
• Strategic marketing planning process
• Marketing plan
• Marketing control: concept, types, and process

3. Marketing Environment

• Concept of marketing environment
• Micro environment
• Macro environment
• Environmental analysis and scanning

4. Marketing Demand

• Concept of demand in marketing
• Types of demand
• Demand estimation and forecasting
• Demand management

5. Marketing Research

• Meaning and importance of marketing research
• Marketing research process
• Research design and methods
• Data collection and analysis

6. Consumer Behaviour

• Concept and nature of consumer behaviour
• Consumer decision-making process
• Factors influencing consumer behaviour
• Theories and models of consumer behaviour

7. Business Markets

• Nature of business markets
• Business buyer behaviour
• Buying situations and buying centre
• Institutional and government markets

8. Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning (STP)

• Market segmentation: bases and approaches
• Target market selection
• Market positioning
• Positioning strategies

9. Competition Analysis and Strategies

• Nature of competition
• Competitor analysis
• Competitive strategies
• Market leader, challenger, follower, and nicher strategies

10. Product Decisions and Product Life Cycle

• Product concept and classification
• Product mix and product line decisions
• Product life cycle (PLC) concept and stages
• Strategies at different PLC stages
• New product development process

11. Marketing of Services

• Nature and characteristics of services
• Service marketing mix (7Ps)
• Service quality and service delivery
• Challenges in service marketing

12. Pricing Decisions

• Concept and objectives of pricing
• Factors affecting pricing decisions
• Pricing methods and strategies
• Pricing policies

13. Distribution Decisions

• Marketing channels: concept and functions
• Channel design and selection
• Retailing: types and functions
• Wholesaling: types and functions
• Logistics management
• Supply chain management

14. Promotion Decisions

• Promotion mix: concept and components
• Advertising: role, types, and media decisions
• Public relations and publicity
• Personal selling: process and techniques
• Sales promotion tools
• Direct marketing

15. Online / Digital Marketing

• Concept of online marketing
• Digital marketing tools and platforms
• Key terms and concepts in online marketing
• Role of internet in marketing

16. Brand Management

• Concept of brand and branding
• Brand equity
• Brand positioning
• Brand strategies

17. Organizing Marketing Department

• Role of marketing organization
• Types of marketing organization structures
• Coordination and control in marketing department

18. Customer Value and Satisfaction

• Concept of customer value
• Customer satisfaction and delight
• Measuring customer satisfaction
• Value delivery system

19. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

• Concept and importance of CRM
• CRM process and tools
• Relationship marketing
• Customer retention strategies

20. International Marketing

• Concept and scope of international marketing
• International marketing environment
• Entry strategies
• International marketing mix

21. Sustainable Marketing

• Concept of sustainable marketing
• Green marketing
• Social and ethical issues in marketing
• Not-for-profit marketing

22. Rural Marketing

• Concept and scope of rural marketing
• Rural consumer behaviour
• Rural marketing mix
• Challenges in rural marketing

23. Ethics in Marketing

• Ethical issues in marketing
• Social responsibility of marketers
• Ethical decision-making in marketing

24. Recent Trends in Marketing

• Emerging trends in marketing
• Technology-driven marketing changes
• Contemporary marketing practices

25. Logos and Taglines of Brands

• Logos and taglines of Indian brands
• Logos and taglines of international brands

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Strategic Management

1. Strategic Management: Concept and Types

• Meaning and nature of strategic management
• Evolution of strategic management
• Strategic management process
• Levels of strategy
• Types of strategies
• Strategic intent
• Vision and mission statements

2. Environmental Analysis

• Concept and importance of environmental analysis
• Internal environment analysis
• Resource-based view (RBV)
• Core competencies and competitive advantage
• External environment analysis
• Industry analysis
• Environmental scanning techniques

3. Business Strategies

• Industry analysis models
• Porter’s Generic Strategies (Cost Leadership, Differentiation, Focus)
• Competitive advantage of a firm
• Functional strategies (Marketing, Finance, HR, Operations)
• Blue Ocean Strategy

4. Corporate Strategies

• Corporate-level strategy: concept and scope
• Directional strategies (Growth, Stability, Retrenchment)
• Strategic alliances
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Cross-border mergers and acquisitions
• Turnaround management

5. Portfolio Analysis

• Concept of portfolio analysis
• Business portfolio management
• BCG Matrix
• GE–McKinsey Matrix
• ADL Life Cycle Matrix

6. Strategy Implementation, Evaluation and Control

• Strategy implementation: concept and issues
• Strategy and organizational structure
• Leadership and resource allocation
• Strategy evaluation
• Strategic control systems

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Banking and Financial Institutions

1. Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

• Indian financial system: overview
• Role and functions of the Reserve Bank of India
• Monetary authority and regulator of banks
• Credit control measures of RBI
• RBI and economic development

2. Monetary and Fiscal Policies

• Meaning and objectives of monetary policy
• Instruments of monetary policy
• Fiscal policy: concept and objectives
• Fiscal deficit and budgetary policy
• Coordination between monetary and fiscal policies

3. Banking Sector

• Structure of Indian banking system
• Commercial banks: functions and types
• Public sector and private sector banks
• Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)
• Cooperative banks

4. Financial Sector Reforms

• Need for financial sector reforms in India
• Narasimham Committee recommendations
• Liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation (LPG)
• Banking reforms and regulatory changes
• Impact of reforms on financial system

5. Money and Capital Markets

• Concept and components of money market
• Instruments of money market
• Capital market: primary and secondary markets
• Stock exchanges and market participants
• Regulatory framework of financial markets

6. Development Financial Institutions (DFIs)

• Role of institutional finance in industrial development
• Development Financial Institutions in India
• Functions of DFIs
• Changing role of DFIs in liberalised economy

7. Mutual Funds

• Concept and types of mutual funds
• Mutual fund structure and participants
• Net Asset Value (NAV)
• Regulation of mutual funds in India

8. Pension Funds

• Concept and objectives of pension system
• Pension funds in India
• National Pension System (NPS)
• Regulation of pension funds

9. Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)

• Meaning and role of NBFCs
• Types of NBFCs
• Regulation of NBFCs by RBI
• NBFCs vs banks

10. Insurance

• Concept and principles of insurance
• Risk and risk management
• Types of insurance: life and non-life
• Insurance contracts and documentation
• Insurance market and intermediaries
• Regulation of insurance in India (IRDAI)

11. Financial Inclusion

• Concept and objectives of financial inclusion
• Financial inclusion initiatives in India
• Role of banks in financial inclusion
• Impact of financial inclusion on economic development

12. Digital Payments

• Evolution of digital payments in India
• Types of digital payment systems
• UPI, cards, wallets and internet banking
• Digital banking and payment security

13. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)

• Role and functions of SEBI
• Regulatory framework of capital market
• Investor protection measures
• SEBI and market development

14. Credit Rating Agencies

• Concept and importance of credit rating
• Credit rating process
• Credit rating agencies in India
• Role of credit ratings in financial markets

15. Tax Framework in India

• Overview of Indian tax system
• Direct and indirect taxes
• GST framework
• Role of taxation in economic development

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Economy (Indian Economy & International Business)

1. Indian Economic Planning

• Concept and objectives of economic planning
• Evolution of planning in India
• Five-Year Plans and their achievements
• Role of planning in economic development
• NITI Aayog and contemporary planning framework

2. Foreign Investment

• Concept and importance of foreign investment
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
• Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI)
• FDI policy and regulations in India
• Role of foreign investment in economic growth

3. Balance of Payments (BoP)

• Meaning and components of Balance of Payments
• Current account and capital account
• BoP equilibrium and disequilibrium
• Measures to correct BoP imbalance

4. Foreign Trade

• Concept and importance of foreign trade
• Composition and direction of India’s foreign trade
• Trade policy and export–import (EXIM) policy
• Balance of trade

5. World Trade Organization (WTO)

• Objectives and functions of WTO
• WTO agreements and principles
• Role of WTO in international trade
• Issues and challenges faced by WTO

6. World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• Objectives and functions of the World Bank
• Objectives and functions of the IMF
• Role of World Bank and IMF in global economic stability
• India’s relationship with World Bank and IMF

7. Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs)

• Concept of regional trade agreements
• Types of RTAs (FTA, PTA, Customs Union, etc.)
• Regional trade blocs
• Impact of RTAs on international trade

8. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

• Concept and importance of intellectual property
• Types of IPR: patents, copyrights, trademarks, designs, geographical indications
• IPR protection and enforcement
• IPR regime in India
• TRIPS agreement

9. National Income and Economic Growth

• Concept and measurement of national income
• National income aggregates
• Economic growth and development
• Factors affecting economic growth

10. Inflation

• Meaning and types of inflation
• Causes of inflation
• Effects of inflation on economy
• Measures to control inflation

11. Tax Framework in India

• Overview of Indian tax system
• Direct taxes
• Indirect taxes
• Goods and Services Tax (GST)
• Role of taxation in economic development

12. International Economy

• Concept of international economy
• Global economic environment
• International economic institutions
• Issues in global economy

13. Sources of Finance

• Meaning and importance of finance
• Internal sources of finance
• External sources of finance
• Short-term, medium-term and long-term finance

14. Private Equity and Venture Capital

• Concept of private equity
• Venture capital: meaning and features
• Stages of venture capital financing
• Role of PE and VC in business growth

15. Derivatives

• Concept and characteristics of derivatives
• Types of derivatives: forwards, futures, options and swaps
• Uses of derivatives
• Derivatives market in India

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Current Events

1. Sports and Games

• National and international sports events
• Major tournaments and championships
• Records, rankings, and milestones
• Sports personalities and achievements

2. Science and Technology

• Developments in science and technology
• Space technology and missions
• Defence technology
• Biotechnology and health-related innovations
• Information technology and digital advancements

3. Environment

• Environmental issues and challenges
• Climate change and global warming
• Biodiversity and conservation
• Environmental policies, conventions, and agreements
• Sustainable development

4. Schemes and Programmes

• Central government schemes
• State government schemes
• Objectives, beneficiaries, and implementation
• Flagship welfare programmes

5. Polity

• Constitutional developments
• Parliament and legislative affairs
• Judiciary and constitutional bodies
• Amendments, bills, and acts
• Federal structure and governance issues

6. Governance

• Public administration and governance reforms
• E-governance initiatives
• Transparency and accountability
• Citizen-centric governance

7. International Relations

• India’s relations with other countries
• Bilateral and multilateral agreements
• Global organizations and forums
• International summits and meetings

8. Awards and Recognition

• National awards
• International awards
• Awards in sports, science, literature, and public service
• Honours and recognitions

9. Social Development

• Social sector initiatives
• Education and health-related developments
• Women, child, and youth welfare
• Inclusive growth and social justice

10. Economy

• Indian economy: trends and indicators
• Budget highlights and economic surveys
• Monetary and fiscal developments
• Banking, finance, and markets

11. Important Days

• National and international important days
• Themes and significance
• Observance-related current affairs

12. Culture

• Indian art and culture
• Heritage, festivals, and traditions
• Cultural events and initiatives
• GI tags and cultural recognitions

13. Union Budget and Economic Survey

• Union Budget: key announcements and provisions
• Sector-wise budget highlights
• Economic Survey: themes, data, and analysis
• Budgetary impact on economy and society