Books For MBA Students In Every Specialization That Should Not Be Missed

Master's in Business Administration, MBA is one of the most sought-after educational degrees in the world. Every year countless students in India appear for CAT exams to get into the best B-Schools. But getting into a B-school is just the start of the journey on which you will have to take many monumental decisions. And one such decision which every first-year MBA student has to make is choosing a specialization. A lot of things factor into making this decision like job prospects, growth prospects, your interests, etc.

While other things might have clear parameters, a lot of students have difficulty figuring out what field would be most interesting for them. This is why we have listed 5 books for MBA students in every specialization. These books will help you gain insight into what the field is about and how that industry functions. Check out the list below:

Marketing Books for MBA Students

Marketing Management by Philip Kotler and Kevin Lane Keller - This book is considered the holy grail for marketing and is hence the first book recommended in every Marketing course. The book contains all the basic principles and concepts relating to the field- like the 4 P's of marketing, consumer behavior, STP strategy, and many more.
Blue Ocean Strategy by Renée Mauborgne and W. Chan Kim - In this book authors talk about an interesting marketing strategy which is that a company should work towards creating brand offerings in the unexplored, untapped market, which they call the blue ocean. And move away from the already existing competitive market they refer to as the red ocean, as a mode of working smart.
Purple Cow by Seth Godin - This book talks about the concept of the 4 P's of Marketing in proper detail. Seth also takes examples of famous brands and introduces innovation as the 5th P in marketing. Reading his book will give you an insight into how you can make something exceptional.
Confessions of an Advertising Man by David Ogilvy - This book comes from the Kings of Advertising, who is the creator of some of the most successful campaigns for companies the world over. In this book, he also talks about how to think like an advertising executive and how one can work towards making a brand sell more.
Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout - Positioning a product is one of the most important concepts in Marketing. This book contains lots of topics related to product branding and the creation of a perception about the product in the market and amongst consumers.

Finance Books for MBA Students

Fault Lines by Raghuram Rajan - In this book, Rajan explains the reasons behind the 2008 financial crisis. This book will give you in-depth knowledge about what exactly happened and what are the various economic flaws that exist in the world of finance and more.
Security Analysis by Benjamin Graham and David Dodd - This book is a classic in the field of fundamental equity investment. It contains everything from the techniques used in value investing to the approach followed by Warren Buffet.
The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing by Benjamin Graham and Jason Zweig - Another classic from veteran Benjamin Graham, this book was first published in 1949. But it is just as relevant today as it was when regularly since it's revised on a regular basis. The book contains details about long-term investment approaches and other information.
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki - Most of you must have heard of this book, and owing to its popularity the author followed it up with two more books. This book seems to have changed the perception of money and investing among people. Robert is an active advocate of Financial Education and wishes to create improve financial awareness amongst all.
Common Sense on Mutual Funds by John Bogle - This book simplifies the concept of mutual funds for all and helps them understand the nitty-gritties. It talks about the ways a portfolio should be created keeping the current market scenarios in mind.

Information Technology (IT) Books for MBA Students

The Industries of the Future by Alec Ross - The focus of this book is the evolution of the industry due to constant change in technologies. It covers almost every tech topic under the sun, varying from robotics to artificial intelligence to cybercrime, and also answers a lot of questions students may have regarding these segments.
Tools and Weapons: The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age by Brad Smith and Carol Ann Browne - The book talks about how technology has empowered us, while also discussing the disadvances and the threats that have come along with it. For example cyberattacks, loss of privacy, etc.
The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future by Kevin Kelly - This book takes readers on a ride into the future and lists technologies that according to the author will become an integral part of all our future lives.
Innovation and Its Enemies: Why People Resist New Technologies by Calestous Juma - This book addresses multiple debates that many of us have heard (or had) over the years like how the rise of artificial intelligence leads to loss of jobs or other concerns for mankind. The author tries to address these concerns by giving unbiased opinions about them.
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel - PayPal founder, Peter Thiel, takes the opportunity to explain his journey in this book. He talks about his learnings and experiences and even sheds light on various business philosophies and strategies that he used to become a successful entrepreneur.

Operations Books for MBA Students

Toyota Production System: Beyond Large Scale Production by Taiichi Ohno - Toyota features as a case study in almost every operations book of MBA students and the theme for this book is one similar line. This book explains the relevance of lean production and how it improves production. The author also discusses the concepts of just in time and lean manufacturing.
Avoiding a Supply Chain Apocalypse: The Best of Dr. Tom’s Advice by Tom DePaoli - In this book, the experiences of the author and the strategies, and tactics used by him in managing supply chain and purchasing processes during his career are discussed. Every piece of advice given by the author is relevant and should be understood properly.
The Goal by Eliyahu M Goldratt - This book is a novel with an amazing storyline whose protagonist is a plant manager. The story highlights how he along with his mentor tries to break the conventional ways of thinking to save his plant. The book tries to explain how one can induce disruptive and out-of-the-box thinking which is the need of the hour.
My Years With General Motors by Alfred P. Sloan Jr. - This book has left a mark on countless readers and continues to do so. It gives an insight into the creative business management and events that occurred at General Motors and how they were managed.
Total Value Optimization: Transforming your Global Supply Chain into a Competitive Weapon by Steven J Bowen - The author discusses the value-based supply chain in his book which can become a competitive advantage for a company when compared to the competitors.

Human Resource (HR) Books for MBA Students

Human Resource Management by Gary Dessler - This is a part of the MBA curriculum in many institutions, as it explains every HR management concept in great detail. This book covers every key aspect of the human resources segment of the business world.
Investing in People: Financial Impact of Human Resource Initiatives by Wayne Cascio and John Boudreau - Human resources are one of the most important resources in any organization. This book uses various case studies to explain concepts like employee behavior, employee well-being, absenteeism, etc. The authors approach the concepts from a technical angle and explain their relevance in proper detail.
Work Rules by Laszlo Bock - This book consists of several examples from all across the industry, with due emphasis on Google and the reasons why Google is amongst one of the top places to work at. The book talks about a balance between creativity and structure in an organization.
Predictive HR Analytics: Mastering the HR Metric by Kirsten & Martin Edwards - This book focuses on metrics and analytics. Various case studies are discussed to explain metrics and analytics related to employee turnover, absenteeism, etc. This book is a part of the reading material for many HR analytics classes.
The HR Scorecard by Brian Becker, Mark Huselid, and Dave Ulrich - One of the oldest books in line, it focuses on ways through which strategy, people, and performance can be linked and quantified. It explains how the quantification of activities by HR will help in increasing credibility.

Reading the books we have listed here will help you understand what each specialization under the MBA banner entails. So pick up at least one book from each category (or a category you are leaning towards) and give it a read. It will surely help you determine where your interest lies and whether to do your specialization in a field or not.

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Shivani Goyal

Manager, Content

I am an economics graduate using my qualifications and life skills to observe & absorb what life has to offer. A strong believer in 'Don't die before you are dead' philosophy, at Unstop I am producing content that resonates and enables you to be #Unstoppable. When I don't have to be presentable for the job, I'd be elbow deep in paint/ pencil residue, immersed in a good read or socializing in the flesh.