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Must Read Books for MBA Students: Reading habits are vital for MBA students. Reading not only helps students prepare for MBA entrance exams, but it also broadens their awareness of various sections of life and improves their administrative abilities. Exploring the best books for MBA students offers them new perspectives and environments, increasing their understanding regardless of their background or charges. In his article by Careers360, we have created a list of the top ten best books for MBA students that students should read to complement their learning process and provide them with the insights they need to become successful managers in the future. By incorporating these resources into their study routine, candidates can improve their exam preparation and gain a competitive edge in their MBA journey.
Do you think you have a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from a top business school (Bschool), and are you ready to call scenes? The B-school curriculum does not teach you everything you need in real life. It makes your corporate world smart. So, look beyond your MBA study and preparation materials.
MBA Books also serve as a window to explore the thoughts of a particular genre of experts and then communicate your ideas and thoughts with the author. The list covers a variety of topics in MBA books to read and will help you understand the theoretical concepts you read in classroom practice.
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Here is a list of some old and some new books. We think that will have an effect. These self-study MBA books are appreciated as “a must read” by many around the world. These personal MBA Josh Kaufman books are about entrepreneurs, the real-life corporate situation, turning businesses, and much more.
Please note, the list below is not provided in any order or rank.
Name: Freakonomics Author: Stephen J. Dubner, Steven D. Levitt Year: 2005 Freakanomics is a collection of ‘economic’ articles exploring unusual and diverse subjects that have not traditionally been covered by economists for 80 minute MBA preparation. The book explores the inner workings of the truth about real-estate agents, a crack gang, the secrets of the Ku Klux Klan, and so on. The stories present as a study of the economy, at the root, of incentives. | |
Name: Straight From the Gut Author: Jack Welch Year: 2005 Learn about how “the world’s toughest boss” Jack Welch transcended conventional wisdom and turned General Motors (GE) into a slim and average machine of growth and corporate innovation. In the 1980s, Welch (known as the Neutron Jack) laid off more than 100,000 workers. In the book, he reveals the facts behind this process, the difficult decisions involved, and how he created GE as one of the most successful companies in the world. | |
Name: How to Win Friends and Influence People Author: Dale Carnegie Year: 1936 This book for visual MBA, published about 85 years ago, is still a bestseller. The book teaches the importance of communication at work, how to deal with people, ways to create people like you, and more. It talks about how enlightened people achieve each other’s performance, gain holistic perspectives and express ideas in ways that are heard. To date, the book has sold more than 17 million copies. | |
Name: A Never Before World Author: Rama Bijapurkar Year: 2013 ‘Never Before India’ is a perfect book for the personal MBA master the art of business to give you examples of unique products that can only be created in the newly emerging India to challenge the notion of who exactly creates the middle class in India, this book is an intelligent reading from beginning to end. | |
Name: Connect the Dots Author: Rashmi Bansal Year: 2015 This book explores the ‘serious lives of 20 real-life entrepreneurs without an MBA degree’ and how they expressed their own success. The book has 3 sections - Jugaad, Junoon, and Zubaan. All sections have their own specific stories that will captivate readers and provide a holistic view of how to become an entrepreneur. | |
Name: Beyond the MBA Hype: A Guide to Understanding and Surviving B-Schools Author: Sameer Kamat Year: 2013 “It talks about the unattractive side of the MBA,” says Samir Kamath. “Most books talk about how to get into programs. Most magazines and online articles highlight the excellent salaries that MBA students receive after graduation. Beyond The MBA Hype tries to equilibrium it out by highlighting what B-schools can and can't do. The aim is to make the MBA degree more informative for the reader, ”says Sameer Kamath to Careers360. | |
Name: The World Is Flat Author: Thomas L. Friedman Year: 2005 Friedman talks about his concept of ‘flattening’ the world in the early 21st century, what it means for nations, companies, communities, and individuals around the world. | |
Name: Fortune At The Bottom Of The Pyramid Author: C.K.Prahlad Year: 2004 The book contains several case studies. These cases focus on businesses that thrive with BOPP models. BOPP is a new business model that aims to provide goods and services to the world's poorest people. | |
Name: Outliers Author: Malcolm Gladwell Year: 2008 Malcolm Gladwell explores the factors that make up successful individuals and high achievers. He explores Canadian ice hockey players, Bill Gates, The Beatles, and other examples of ‘perceived intelligence’ and rational decision making. Gladwell talks about a '10,000-hour rule' and says that 10,000 hours of training for a specific task is the key to success. | |
Name: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Author: Stephen Covey Year: 1989 “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” is considered one of the most influential books written by Covey. The author presents seven popular habits because it ‘works': Habit 1: Be Proactive |
Book Name | Author(s) | Description |
Thinking, Fast and Slow | Daniel Kahneman | This book discuss in depth into the two systems of thinking that drive human decision-making: the fast, intuitive, and emotional system, and the slower, more deliberate, and logical system. Kahneman explores how these systems shape our judgments and decisions and offers insights into how we can improve our thinking and avoid common cognitive biases. |
How to Win Friends & Influence People | Dale Carnegie | Dale Carnegie's classic self-help book provides practical advice on how to connect with people, build lasting relationships, and influence others positively. The book offers timeless strategies for effective communication, understanding others' perspectives, and enhancing one's interpersonal skills to achieve personal and professional success. |
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike | Phil Knight | In this engaging memoir, Nike founder Phil Knight recounts the company's early days and its evolution into a global sportswear giant. Knight shares personal anecdotes and business lessons learned along the way, providing readers with an inside look at the challenges and triumphs of building one of the most iconic brands in the world. |
Zero to One | Peter Thiel and Blake Masters | Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal and Palantir, and Blake Masters offer a thought-provoking guide on how to create and innovate in startups. The book emphasizes the importance of developing unique business ideas that create new markets and provides practical advice on building companies that drive significant progress and value. |
Outliers | Malcolm Gladwell | Malcolm Gladwell investigates what makes high achievers different, focusing on the unique factors and circumstances that contribute to extraordinary success. Through a series of compelling case studies and research, Gladwell explores how cultural background, timing, and hard work play critical roles in reaching the pinnacle of success. |
Candidates should refer to "Must Read Books for MBA Students and Aspirants" because these books provide invaluable insights and knowledge crucial for both entrance exams and MBA coursework. They cover a range of topics, including business strategies, management theories, and real-world case studies, which are essential for developing a strong foundation in business concepts. Reading these books helps candidates enhance their analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, and understanding of industry trends.
Additionally, these books often include practical advice and success stories from industry leaders, which can be motivating and offer valuable perspectives on the business world. By incorporating these resources into their study routine, candidates can improve their exam preparation and gain a competitive edge in their MBA journey.
Candidates might be interested in-
These books include significant information on business strategies, management theories, and practical examples that are useful for both admission tests and MBA training.
They address fundamental business ideas, boost analytical thinking, and give practical insights, all of which are useful for tackling MBA entrance exams.
Yes, many of these publications provide real-world examples and success stories to assist students grasp how business ideas are implemented in reality.
Absolutely! These books teach individuals how to think deeply and solve business challenges by combining various tactics and concepts.
Yes, many of these publications include inspirational tales of great business leaders and entrepreneurs, which may be encouraging.
Although they may not cover all topics for an MBA program, they do provide a solid foundation in crucial topics like management, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
A career as Marketing Director is also known as a marketing expert who is responsible for the overall marketing aspect of the company. He or she oversees plans and develops the company's budget. The marketing Director collaborates with the business team to plan and develop the marketing and branding strategies for the company's products or services.
A Business Development Executive (BDE) is a professional responsible for identifying growth opportunities and fostering strategic partnerships to enhance a company's market position. Typically, a BDE conducts market research, analyses industry trends, and identifies potential clients or business prospects. He or she plays a crucial role in developing and implementing sales strategies to achieve revenue targets.
A BDE often collaborates with cross-functional teams, including marketing and product development, to align business objectives. Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills are essential for success in this role. BDE strives to expand the company's customer base, drive sales, and contribute to overall organisational growth in a dynamic and competitive business environment.
Content Marketing Specialists are also known as Content Specialists. They are responsible for crafting content, editing and developing it to meet the requirements of digital marketing campaigns. To ensure that the material created is consistent with the overall aims of a digital marketing campaign, content marketing specialists work closely with SEO and digital marketing professionals.
A sales manager is a revenue-generating source for a company. Any organisation or company which sells a commodity or service requires sales to generate revenue. A Sales manager is a professional responsible for supervising the sales team. An Individual as a sales manager works closely with salespeople, assigns sales territories, sets quotas, mentors the members of the sales, assigns sales training, and builds a sales plan.
The Sales Manager work also includes hiring and laying off sales personnel after evaluating his or her work performance. In bigger entities, sales quotas and plans are usually set at the executive level. He or she is responsible for overseeing the set target or quotas met by salespeople or upholding any policy. He or she guides his or her fellow salespeople and allows them to sell.
Individuals who opt for a career as a business analyst look at how a company operates. He or she conducts research and analyses data to improve his or her knowledge about the company. This is required so that an individual can suggest the company strategies for improving their operations and processes.
In a business analyst job role a lot of analysis is done, things are learned from past mistakes and the successful strategies are enhanced further. A business analyst goes through real-world data in order to provide the most feasible solutions to an organisation. Students can pursue Business Analytics to become Business Analysts.
A marketing manager is a person who oversees a company or product marketing. He or she can be in charge of multiple programmes or goods or can be in charge of one product. He or she is enthusiastic, organised, and very diligent in meeting financial constraints. He or she works with other team members to produce advertising campaigns and decides if a new product or service is marketable.
A Marketing manager plans and executes marketing initiatives to create demand for goods and services and increase consumer awareness of them. A marketing manager prevents unauthorised statements and informs the public that the business is doing everything to investigate and fix the line of products. Students can pursue an MBA in Marketing Management courses to become marketing managers.
An SEO Analyst is a web professional who is proficient in the implementation of SEO strategies to target more keywords to improve the reach of the content on search engines. He or she provides support to acquire the goals and success of the client’s campaigns.
Digital marketing is growing, diverse, and is covering a wide variety of career paths. Each job function aids in the development of effective digital marketing strategies and techniques. The aims and objectives of the individuals who opt for a career as a digital marketing executive are similar to those of a marketing professional: to build brand awareness, promote company services or products, and increase conversions. Individuals who opt for a career as Digital Marketing Executives, unlike traditional marketing companies, communicate effectively through suitable technology platforms.
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