ANNAMALAI UNIVERSITY

DIRECTORATE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION

M.B.A.
FIRST YEAR

Academic Year : 2019 - 2020

ASSIGNMENT TOPICS
This booklet contains assignment topics. Students are asked to write the
assignments for EIGHT papers as per instructions.
Last date for submission: 31.03.2020 08-04-2019
Last date for submission with late fee ` 300/- : 15.04.2020

NOTE:
1. Assignments sent after 15.04.2020 will not be evaluated.
2. Assignments should be in the own handwriting of the student concerned and
not type-written or printed or photocopied.
3. Assignments should be written on A4 paper on one side only.
4. All assignments (with Enrolment number marked on the Top right hand corner
on all pages) should be put in an envelop with superscription “MBA
Assignments” and sent to The Director, Directorate of Distance Education,
Annamalai University, Annamalainagar – 608 002 by Registered post.
5. No notice will be taken on assignments which are not properly filled in with
Enrolment Number and the Title of the papers.
6. Students should send full set of assignments for all papers. Partial assignments
will not be considered.

ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Write assignments on any TWO topics in each paper out of the FOUR. For each
Topic the answer should not exceed 15 – pages. Each assignment carries 25 marks
(2 topics). You are expected to write two topics for every subject.

Dr. M. ARUL
DIRECTOR
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1.1 PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT

1. Management is said to have universal application. How do you justify the
Universality of Management? Give examples to illustrate your arguments.
2. “The importance of strategic planning is now fully realized by the Indian
corporate sector than before”- Discuss
3. Explain about the personal challenges involved in becoming a manager and a
leader in today's turbulent environment.
4. Without effective management the resources will remain as resources cannot be
converted into productive utilities - Do you agree? Give reasons.

1.2 ACCOUNTING FOR MANAGERS

1. Enumerate the ratios that measure a firm’s overall effectiveness and specify the
related formula.
2. “Depreciation is a process of allocation and not of valuation.” Comment.
3. It is said that only cash cost are relevant for capital budgeting decision.
However, depreciation which is a non-cash cost is a prominent part of cash flow
analysis for such an investment decision. How do you explain this paradox?
4. It is said, “cost accounting is a system of foresight and not post-mortem
examination; it turns losses into profit, speeds up activities and eliminates
wastes”. Discuss in detail this statement.

1.3 MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS

1. “The objective of Managerial Economics is to provide framework for analysing
business decisions. Instead of presenting detailed list of rules for specific
decision-making, managerial economics addresses the larger economic forces
that shape day-to-day decision-making”. Critically analyse the above statement.

2. “Outline the various steps which would be necessary if you were asked to
forecast demand for a typical mass consumption item”.

3. “If the production function is homogeneous with constant returns to scale

everywhere, the returns to a single variable factor will be diminishing”.–
Comment.

4. “Short-run average variable cost curve is saucer-shaped but the short-run

average total cost curve cannot be saucer-shaped”. Discuss in detail.
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1.4 LEGAL ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS

1. Keerthi purchases some goods on credit from Durai, payable within 3 months.
After 2 months, Keerthi makes out a blank cheque in favour of Durai, signs and
delivers it to Durai with a request to fill up the amount due, as Keerthi does not
know the exact amount payable by him.
Durai fills up fraudulently the amount larger than the amount payable by
Keerthi and endorses the cheque to Bala in full payment of Durai’s own due.
Keerthi’s cheque is dishonoured. Referring to the provisions of the Negotiable
Instruments Act, 1881, discuss the rights of Durai and Bala.
2. Describe the provisions of The Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008 and how
does it differ from The Indian Partnership Act, 1932.
3. Explain the effect of a contract made by an agent with a third party – (a) where
the agent discloses the existence but not the name of the principal; and (b)
where the existence of the principal is not disclosed.
4. “Consumer Protection Act,1986 aims to provide for better protection of the
interests of consumers and for that purpose to make provision for the
establishment of consumer councils and other authorities for the settlement of
consumers’' disputes and for matters connected therewith”- Examine.

1.5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND STATISTICS

1. Which measure of central tendency is used for the following situations? Justify
your answer.
a) Government wanted to decide the living standard of people based on
monthly income in various taluks in a state and wanted to compare the
taluks economic status. The family monthly incomes of various taluks were
collected. Which central tendency measure will be appropriate and why?
b) The state government wanted to introduce two types of family card based on
subsidy. The data were the same as the question (a). Lower the income the
subsidy will be more and higher income group will have less subsidiary. In
this situation which measures of central tendency is most suitable and give
your reason.
c) The government has a plan to introduce health policies based on the family
income. The policies are to be designed so that the family members will get
health benefits and the nominal payment levels will be fixed based on their
annual income of families. How will you go about it using averages and
which one you prefer in this case? Also state the reasons.
2.
a) Assume that you are planning to conduct market survey about green food
products from the public using questionnaire as a tool for data collection.
You are conducting pilot study to validate the tool and to perform data
collection. You want to decide the same size and how will you decide?
Explain.
b) For the same study, you want to know the satisfaction of the green food
product consumers and when the population is known, how will you decide
your sample size?
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3. Give a situation to apply cluster analysis and explain the steps as well as the
expected result according to you.

4. Assume that you carried out ANOVA using a statistical package. Please sketch
the important outputs are to be discussed in this analysis. Give interpretation,
for the whole result.

1.6 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

1. The study of international business is not different from the study of domestic
business. Thus, there is no point in having a separate course on international
business. “Evaluate this statement”.
2 ‘’Some argue that the WTO is the third pillar of global business. But many
argue that the WTO is the Wrong Trade Organisation’’. Critically comment.
3. You are the assistant to the CEO of a small textile firm that manufactures
quality, premium priced and stylish clothing. The CEO has decided to see what
the opportunities for exporting and asked you for advice as to the steps the
company should take. What advice would you give?
4. “Export incentives are major factor to encourage the development of the FDI” –
Do you agree or disagree? Justify your answer.

1.7 MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION

1. You have recently joined a branch of a Bank as its manager. Write a report to the
head office on the short falls in the routine work of the branch.
2. Design an Agenda and Minutes of an annual general body meeting. (Assume your
own choice of company)
3. Explain the process of designing and developing oral presentation. Also, prepare a
five minutes presentation to address your managers on any matter of your choice.
4. Develop a complaint letter as a dealer to the manufacturer about the replacements
of defective products. Highlight the complaints pointed out by the customers
regarding the products.

1.8 ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

1. Prepare an interview schedule for the concept Personality and its components,
conduct an interview with a few executives of any one organization known to
you and present the results with critical analysis.
2. To highlight the concept, components, process, and importance of Groups in an
organization prepare a role play script and explain group dynamics.
3. After listing out the qualities and theories of leadership view YouTube on
executive leadership and present the outcome of your perception on leadership.
4. Make telephone calls to your friends and seniors working in various
organizations and collect information about their Organizational Culture,
analyze them and present them with issues and strategies.
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M.B.A. - Assignment- /1ST Year/ AUP/709/C-900
ANNAMALAI UNIVERSITY PRESS 2019 - 2020