Essentials of Business Environment, 10/e, by K Aswathappa
Author : K Aswathappa
Published by : Meena Pandey
Publisher : Himalaya Publishing House Pvt. Ltd
Reviewed By : Neeraj Rajbanshi, Professor – Marketing
                      All India Management Association, New Delhi

About the Author :          K. Aswathappa is former Dean – Academics, at Acharya Institute of Management and Sciences, Bangalore.  Prior to this, he was the Dean, Faculty of Commerce and Management, Bangalore University, and Director, Canara Bank School of Management Studies, Bangalore University.  He has published 20 books on various subjects on management.

He has guided more than 20 Ph.Ds and has been adjudicating theses of several universities.  He was the member of several bodies in Bangalore University and on the Boards of Studies of many other universities in the country.

Currently, he is visiting professor in several B-Schools and is active in updating and writing books.

Book Description :
Business environment is one of the most influencing factors on the survival and successes of any business today.  It affects the decisions, strategies, processes and performance of the business.  Thus the understanding of Business Environment is crucial for business managers, government officials, academicians, politicians and anyone connected in any manner to business.

The tenth edition of the book being reviewed is a very comprehensive compilation of most of the facets of business environment viz social, political, economic and technological.  Though the legal aspects have not been covered as a separate part but finds mention under different heads.

Each part of the book covers broad but related topics that make reading and assimilating the subject an easy and smooth task. The book has been written in a simple language easy to understand by one and all.

Structure of the Book
The book is divided into 6 parts A to F, each having a number of chapters totaling 38.  Each chapter begins with learning objectives:

Part A has 5 Chapters dealing with Introduction to Business and its environment, Globalization, Strategies for going Global, FDI, WTO & Trading blocks.  This part discusses some of the Global factors having impact on domestic businesses.  The chapters on FDI and WTO have dealt concisely but precisely, implications for India.

Part B deals with technological environment and how it influences businesses.  It touches Innovation – the essence to technological superiority, technology and its impact on economy, technology management, e-commerce etc.

Part C consists of 4 Chapters dealing with political institutions, the constitution of India, state intervention and the declining role of government in business.  The chapter on “End of Government in Business” beautifully analyses the rationale and importance of state intervention.

Part D comprises of 21 Chapters dealing with economic environment, and various Acts and Regulations affecting Indian businesses: It covers all important topics from Industrial policy, Licensing, Privatization, Public Sector enterprises, the small scale industries, Monetary and Fiscal Policies, Stock exchanges, India’s Foreign Trade etc.  Inclusion of competition Act is a welcome step.  Chapter on New Economic Policy, Balanced Regional Development makes interesting reading.

Part E of the book has 6 Chapters and deals with the social and cultural aspects that influence businesses.  Chapter on Business and Society and Social Audit are extremely relevant in today’s context.

Part F has one chapter on Natural Environment and discusses the nature of physical environment and its influence on functioning of a firm.

The book is a very welcome step and has successfully bridged the one point information gap in the area of Business Environment.

103 boxes in the books is a great value addition and indeed very informative.