DU SOL B.Com (Hons) Management Principles and Applications Syllabus – Semester 1 (Latest 2026)

This page explains the complete Management Principles and Applications syllabus for B.Com (Hons), Semester 1 under Delhi University – School of Open Learning (SOL).

Course Overview

This paper introduces students to the foundations of management, decision-making, planning, organizing, leadership, and control.

Unit-Wise Official Syllabus (As per SOL Study Material)

The subject is divided into five major units:

UNIT I: Introduction to Management

Lesson 1: Management – An Introduction

• Meaning and nature of management
• Objectives of management
• Management as an art, science, and profession

Lesson 2: Classical School of Thought

• Contributions of Taylor
• Fayol’s principles
• Weber’s bureaucracy

Lesson 3: Neo-Classical and Modern School of Thought

• Human relations approach
• Behavioural approach
• Systems and contingency approach

Lesson 4: Management – The Contemporary Theories

• Emerging trends in management
• Modern management perspectives

Focus: Theoretical foundation. Questions from thinkers and their contributions are common.

UNIT II: Planning and Decision Making

Lesson 5: Planning

• Meaning and importance
• Types of plans
• Planning process

Lesson 6: Strategic Planning

• Vision and mission
• SWOT analysis
• Corporate strategy basics

Lesson 7: Business Environment

• Micro and macro environment
• PESTLE analysis

Lesson 8: Decision Making

• Decision-making process
• Types of decisions
• Techniques of decision making

Focus: Practical application and conceptual clarity.

UNIT III: Organising and Staffing

Lesson 9: Organising

• Meaning and principles
• Types of organisational structures

Lesson 10: Organisation Structure – Elements

• Authority
• Responsibility
• Accountability
• Delegation

Lesson 11: Organisation Structure

• Line organisation
• Functional organisation
• Line and staff

Lesson 12: Staffing

• Recruitment
• Selection
• Training and development

Lesson 13: Motivation

• Theories of motivation
• Maslow
• Herzberg

Focus: Structure-based and theory-based questions are common.

UNIT IV: Leadership and Control

Lesson 14: Leadership

• Meaning and importance
• Leadership styles

Lesson 15: Leadership Theories

• Trait theory
• Behavioural theory
• Situational leadership

Lesson 16: Communication

• Process of communication
• Barriers
• Types of communication

Lesson 17: Control

• Meaning
• Control process
• Techniques of control

Lesson 18: Managerial Control Techniques

• Budgetary control
• Non-budgetary control

Focus: Application-based and theory comparison questions.

UNIT V: Contemporary Issues in Management

Lesson 19: Contemporary Challenges in Management

• Globalisation
• Corporate governance
• Ethics

Lesson 20: Entrepreneurship and Innovation

• Meaning of entrepreneurship
• Innovation concepts

Lesson 21: Ethics and Values

Lesson 22: Sustainable Management

Focus: Conceptual understanding and descriptive answers.

Exam Pattern Explained

1. Theory Examination

• Total Marks: 70 or 75 (depending on academic session)
• Duration: 3 Hours
• Question Structure:
  • One compulsory short-answer section
  • Long-answer questions with internal choice
  • Case-study based questions may appear

Students must verify the current marking scheme from the official SOL website for their batch.

2. Internal Assessment

• Total Marks: 25 or 30 (as per session structure)
• Usually includes:
  • Written assignment
  • Internal test

Internal marks are significant and should not be ignored.

Question Format (Typical Pattern)

Though the structure may slightly vary:

• Short notes (definitions or thinker contributions)
• Long descriptive answers (12–15 marks)
• Case-based analytical questions
• Comparison-based questions (e.g., Taylor vs Fayol)

There are no numericals in this paper.

Unit-Wise Focus & Practical Weightage Insight

Important Note:
Delhi University does not publish fixed unit-wise weightage. The following analysis is based on previous year question papers.

High-Weightage Areas

• Classical thinkers (Taylor, Fayol)
• Planning and strategic planning
• Motivation theories
• Leadership theories
• Organisational structure

These areas frequently produce long-answer questions.

Moderate Weightage Areas

• Communication
• Decision-making techniques
• Control process

Often appear as 8–10 mark questions.

Short-Answer Oriented Areas

• Definitions (management, delegation, authority)
• Contemporary issues
• Ethics

These usually appear in compulsory sections.

Important Topics for Exams

Students should prepare:

• Differences between classical and modern theories
• Fayol’s 14 principles
• Maslow and Herzberg comparison
• Types of organisational structures
• Steps in planning and control
• Barriers to communication

Structured answers with headings fetch better marks.

Common Confusions Clarified

1. Management vs Administration

Management focuses on execution; administration focuses on policy formulation.

2. Authority vs Responsibility

Authority is the right to command; responsibility is the obligation to perform.

3. Leadership vs Management

Leadership influences people; management coordinates resources.

4. Planning vs Strategy

Planning is broader; strategy is long-term direction-setting.

NEP vs Old Batch Clarification

Under NEP framework:

• The paper remains 4 credits.
• Internal assessment weightage may differ slightly.
• Case-study based questions are increasing in frequency.

Core syllabus content remains largely consistent.

Students should confirm whether their batch follows CBCS (old) or NEP structure.

B.Com (Hons) vs B.Com Programme Difference

• Hons students are expected to provide deeper theoretical explanation.
• Analytical comparison questions are more common in Hons.
• Programme syllabus may be slightly less detailed.

However, core management concepts remain the same.

How to Prepare Practically

1. First complete Unit I (theoretical foundation).
2. Then study planning and organising (Units II & III).
3. Finish with leadership and contemporary issues.

Make separate short notes for thinkers and theories.

Answer presentation should include:

• Definition
• Explanation
• Example
• Conclusion (if required)

Short FAQ

Is this subject theory-based?

Yes. It is fully descriptive and conceptual.

Are case studies important?

Under recent trends, case-based questions are becoming common.

Is memorising enough?

No. Understanding thinker contributions and applying them to situations is necessary.

Does SOL reduce syllabus?

No. The SOL syllabus aligns with Delhi University’s prescribed framework.

Final Academic Summary

Management Principles and Applications in Semester 1 builds foundational understanding of:

• Planning
• Organising
• Staffing
• Leadership
• Control

It introduces both classical and modern management theories.

Students who:

• Understand management thinkers
• Write structured answers
• Practice past year questions

generally perform well in this paper.

Also Read:

DU SOL B.Com (Hons) Principles of Microeconomics Syllabus – Semester 1

DU SOL B.Com (Hons) Environmental Science Syllabus – Semester 1 (Latest 2026)

References:

B.Com (Hons) Semester 1 Syllabus – DU SOL 2026