BBA 305 Leadership, Power and Politics Notes cover all four GGSIPU units in 77 pages: 12 case studies, 22 diagrams, 31 short-answer and 23 long-answer exam questions, 46 MCQs and four HOTS practice cases. They follow the NEP-based BBA scheme that applies from academic session 2024-25 onwards.
Written by Prateek Talwar, Founder, Unnati Educations, ACS (ICSI) · Reviewed by Sheetal Kirola, BBA and B.Ed (University of Delhi, SOL), 6 years in BBA · Checked against the GGSIPU BBA Scheme & Syllabus (NEP Based, Revised), w.e.f. 2024-25 · Updated 14 October 2026 · Editorial policy
Scheme: NEP Based BBA, Revised | Applies to: academic session 2024-25 onwards | Verified against: GGSIPU BBA Scheme & Syllabus (NEP Based, Revised), w.e.f. 2024-25, checked 13 Oct 2026
BBA 305 Leadership, Power and Politics at a glance: GGSIPU BBA Sem 5 credits, units and exam pattern
BBA 305 is one of the two Human Resource Management electives in Semester 5, usually paired with BBA 303 Negotiation Skills.
| Code and title | BBA 305 Leadership, Power and Politics |
|---|---|
| Course and semester | BBA, Semester 5 (HRM specialisation) |
| Category and credits | Discipline Specific Course / Major (elective) · 4 credits · L-4, T-0 |
| Marks | 100: 40 internal + 60 end-term |
| Internal 40 marks | Class test 15 + assignments, presentation, viva or group discussion 25 |
| Applies to | NEP-based revised BBA scheme, w.e.f. 2024-25 |
| End-term paper pattern | Not printed in the official BBA PDF |
| Units and hours | 4 units: 14 + 16 + 16 + 14 = 60 hours |
| Paired lab | None (theory paper) |
Pass marks and re-appear rules come from GGSIPU Ordinance 11 (examinations and evaluation); the BBA scheme prints no pass percentage for this paper.
It sits beside BBA 301 Financial Management in the list of GGSIPU BBA Semester 5 papers.
BBA 305 Leadership, Power and Politics Notes unit-wise: 12 case studies and 54 exam questions across 4 units
These BBA 305 Leadership, Power and Politics IPU notes run from page 8 to page 77, and every unit closes with an Exam Corner: short answers, long-answer frameworks, MCQs, a revision table, a glossary and a HOTS case.
Notes for every other paper in the course are listed under GGSIPU BBA notes.
BBA 305 Unit 1: Nature of Leadership
Also covered as "Nature of Leadership & Developing Leaders" (pages 8 to 23). It defines leadership (Koontz and O'Donnell, Drucker, Northouse), settles the art-or-science debate, covers six approaches and answers ten myths.
It then compares leadership and management in a 10-point table and builds leaders through 12 traits, the 70-20-10 model and leader-communication. Count: 3 case studies, 5 diagrams, 7 short and 4 long questions, 10 MCQs.
| Approach | Key question | Main idea |
|---|---|---|
| Trait | Who is a leader? | Inborn qualities (Stogdill) |
| Behavioural | What does a leader do? | Behaviour can be learnt (Ohio State, Michigan) |
| Contingency | When does a style work? | Style must fit the situation (Fiedler) |
| Indian / value-based | Why lead? | Dharma, service, welfare of all (Kautilya) |
Quick look: the question each leadership approach answers (from page 13)
- Approach
- Trait
- Key question
- Who is a leader?
- Main idea
- Inborn qualities (Stogdill)
- Approach
- Behavioural
- Key question
- What does a leader do?
- Main idea
- Behaviour can be learnt (Ohio State, Michigan)
- Approach
- Contingency
- Key question
- When does a style work?
- Main idea
- Style must fit the situation (Fiedler)
- Approach
- Indian / value-based
- Key question
- Why lead?
- Main idea
- Dharma, service, welfare of all (Kautilya)
BBA 305 Unit 2: Strategic Leadership and Culture
The longest unit (pages 24 to 44). It covers trait, behavioural (Managerial Grid) and contingency theories (Fiedler, Hersey-Blanchard, Path-Goal), transactional vs transformational leadership and four styles.
The applied half covers ethics, impression management, Schein's culture levels, Tuckman's team stages, Senge, Kotter on change, crisis leadership, women leaders and remote teams. Count: 5 case studies (Amul, Satyam, Maggi, Indra Nooyi, TCS), 7 diagrams, 8 short and 7 long questions, 12 MCQs.
| Basis | Autocratic | Democratic | Laissez-faire | Situational |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decisions | Leader alone | Leader + group | Group | Varies |
| Morale | Low | High | Mixed | High if well applied |
| Best for | Crisis | Skilled teams | Experts, R&D | Dynamic settings |
Quick look: four leadership styles side by side (from page 31)
- Basis
- Decisions
- Autocratic
- Leader alone
- Democratic
- Leader + group
- Laissez-faire
- Group
- Situational
- Varies
- Basis
- Morale
- Autocratic
- Low
- Democratic
- High
- Laissez-faire
- Mixed
- Situational
- High if well applied
- Basis
- Best for
- Autocratic
- Crisis
- Democratic
- Skilled teams
- Laissez-faire
- Experts, R&D
- Situational
- Dynamic settings
BBA 305 Unit 3: Power and Influence
Pages 45 to 62. Power is defined through Robbins, Weber and Pfeffer and tied to dependency, then split into French and Raven's six bases, power vs authority (Barnard's acceptance theory) and personal vs positional power.
Influence comes through Yukl's tactics, Cialdini, distributive vs integrative bargaining and Thomas-Kilmann, followed by hubris and decision biases, power sharing, gender and power, and misuse. Count: 2 case studies (Taj Hotels, ICICI-Videocon), 5 diagrams, 8 short and 6 long questions, 12 MCQs.
| Basis | Delegation | Participation | Empowerment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Task + authority passed | Staff involved in decisions | Autonomy and ownership |
| Decision lies with | Subordinate, within limits | Leader and group | The employee |
| Power shared | Low to moderate | Moderate | High |
Quick look: delegation vs participation vs empowerment (from page 56)
- Basis
- Meaning
- Delegation
- Task + authority passed
- Participation
- Staff involved in decisions
- Empowerment
- Autonomy and ownership
- Basis
- Decision lies with
- Delegation
- Subordinate, within limits
- Participation
- Leader and group
- Empowerment
- The employee
- Basis
- Power shared
- Delegation
- Low to moderate
- Participation
- Moderate
- Empowerment
- High
BBA 305 Unit 4: Organizational Politics
Pages 63 to 77. Politics is defined through Robbins, Pfeffer and Lasswell, split into legitimate and illegitimate behaviour and traced to its causes, with Ferris's political skill.
Then come positive vs negative politics, silos, five coalition types, career politics (PIE model), network politics, a 7-step diagnosis with the power-interest grid and 12 survival strategies. Count: 2 case studies (Tata-Mistry, a bank merger), 5 diagrams, 8 short and 6 long questions, 12 MCQs.
| Network | Purpose | Members |
|---|---|---|
| Operational | Do the current job well | Team, colleagues, vendors |
| Personal | Personal and career growth | Mentors, alumni |
| Strategic | Future priorities, stakeholder support | Senior leaders, outsiders |
Quick look: Ibarra's three professional networks (from page 70)
- Network
- Operational
- Purpose
- Do the current job well
- Members
- Team, colleagues, vendors
- Network
- Personal
- Purpose
- Personal and career growth
- Members
- Mentors, alumni
- Network
- Strategic
- Purpose
- Future priorities, stakeholder support
- Members
- Senior leaders, outsiders
Leadership as a process, not a position, in management: excerpt from page 11 of the BBA 305 notes
Excerpt from page 11
Many students assume that whoever sits in the top chair is the leader. Page 11 of the notes corrects this with a simple model: leadership happens between three parts, the leader (traits, skills, vision), the followers (needs, maturity) and the situation (task, culture, crisis). The influence process sits in the middle, and when the shared goal is achieved, feedback flows back so that leader and followers both grow.
Why leadership is a process
The notes give five reasons. It is interactive: the leader influences followers and is influenced by their feedback. It is continuous, because influence is built through repeated actions over time; one speech does not make a leader. It involves the situation, so the same person may lead well in one setting and fail in another. It is goal-directed, moving a group towards a shared purpose. And it is earned, not assigned: followers give acceptance on their own when they trust the person.
Position vs process
A position gets its power from a designation and formal authority, so followers respond with compliance because they have to. A process draws on trust, credibility and relationships, so followers respond with commitment because they want to. Positional leadership ends when the post ends; process leadership lasts as long as the influence lasts. Only the person at the top can lead by position, while anyone at any level can lead by process.
The notes make this concrete with two people in the same office: a newly appointed manager giving orders, and a junior engineer whom everyone consults for solutions. The first has a title. The second has followers.
Maxwell's five levels of leadership
The page ends with Maxwell's ladder. At Level 1 (Position) people follow because they have to. At Level 2 (Permission) they follow because they want to. At Level 3 (Production) they follow because of what the leader has done for the organisation, and at Level 4 (People Development) because of what the leader has done for them. At Level 5 (Pinnacle) they follow because of who the leader is. Only the first level depends on position; every higher level is built through the process of influence.
How to write BBA 305 answers: ten-to-fifteen-mark answers with a case, a diagram and a difference table
BBA 305 has no numericals, so marks depend on structure, and these Leadership, Power and Politics notes in English teach one. Every long-answer framework follows one shape: definitions with the author's name, the model with its diagram, a difference table, one Indian or global case, and a conclusion that takes a position.
The notes' exam tips add four habits. A myths answer needs six to eight myths, each with its reality, in a two-column table (page 14). A traits answer ends with "traits are necessary but not sufficient" (page 16). A contingency answer draws the S1 to S4 diagram (page 28). A power answer closes with "positional power gets compliance; personal power gets commitment" (page 49).
The Common Mistakes boxes warn against treating leadership and management as the same, mixing up R1 to R4 with S1 to S4, and calling all politics bad.
Worked example: "Distinguish between leadership and management. Are they complementary?" (15 Marks)
- Meaning of both, with Kotter's "complexity vs change" and Bennis's "doing things right vs doing the right thing".
- A 10-point difference table, then four similarities.
- The Satya Nadella case and the overlap diagram.
- Conclusion: organisations need managers who lead and leaders who manage.
Practise this structure on other papers through GGSIPU BBA important questions.
BBA 305 exam corner: 31 two-to-five-mark and 23 ten-to-fifteen-mark questions by unit
| Unit | Short (2 to 5 Marks) | Long (10 to 15 Marks) | MCQs | Cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit I | 7 | 4 | 10 | 3 |
| Unit II | 8 | 7 | 12 | 5 |
| Unit III | 8 | 6 | 12 | 2 |
| Unit IV | 8 | 6 | 12 | 2 |
| Total | 31 | 23 | 46 | 12 |
Exam questions and case material per unit in the BBA 305 notes
- Unit
- Unit I
- Short (2 to 5 Marks)
- 7
- Long (10 to 15 Marks)
- 4
- MCQs
- 10
- Cases
- 3
- Unit
- Unit II
- Short (2 to 5 Marks)
- 8
- Long (10 to 15 Marks)
- 7
- MCQs
- 12
- Cases
- 5
- Unit
- Unit III
- Short (2 to 5 Marks)
- 8
- Long (10 to 15 Marks)
- 6
- MCQs
- 12
- Cases
- 2
- Unit
- Unit IV
- Short (2 to 5 Marks)
- 8
- Long (10 to 15 Marks)
- 6
- MCQs
- 12
- Cases
- 2
- Unit
- Total
- Short (2 to 5 Marks)
- 31
- Long (10 to 15 Marks)
- 23
- MCQs
- 46
- Cases
- 12
Short answers are written in full; long answers are point-wise frameworks (5 of 10 marks, 18 of 15 marks).
One question per unit, with answer pointers:
- Unit I: "Is leadership an art or a science?" [3 Marks] Pointer: both; a science of knowing (theories) and an art of doing (skill).
- Unit II: "Explain Kotter's 8-step model of leading change. How can resistance to change be overcome?" [15 Marks] Pointer: 8 steps with diagram, then six ways to beat resistance.
- Unit III: "What is BATNA?" [2 Marks] Pointer: Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (Fisher and Ury); a stronger BATNA means more negotiating power.
- Unit IV: "How would you diagnose organisational politics? Discuss strategies for political success." [15 Marks] Pointer: 7 diagnosis steps and the stakeholder grid, then three strategies.
The BBA 305 notes solve 31 short-answer questions and give 23 long-answer frameworks across 4 units, plus 46 MCQs and 12 case studies.
More practice on this paper sits in the BBA 305 important questions.
BBA 305 and the GGSIPU BBA Sem 5 papers it connects to
BBA 305 has no paired lab; the full Semester 5 structure is on the GGSIPU BBA syllabus page.
Every BBA student also takes BBA 301 Financial Management and BBA 325 Information Systems Management Lab this semester.
- Unit III negotiation (BATNA, ZOPA, pages 50 to 51) is the base for BBA 303 Negotiation Skills, whose first course outcome names BATNA and ZOPA.
- Unit IV coalitions and networking (pages 67 to 72) support BBA 317 International Business Negotiation.
- Unit II leading change (pages 37 to 38) leads into the Semester 6 HRM electives BBA 306 Organization Effectiveness and Change and BBA 308 Strategic HRM.
Students picking GGSIPU BBA Sem 5 Leadership, Power and Politics notes for the HRM major can read Units III and IV beside their Negotiation Skills notes.
Who writes and checks the BBA 305 Leadership notes?
- Prateek Talwar: writer of these notes · Founder, Unnati Educations · Associate Company Secretary (ACS), ICSI, membership no. 58704, since 15 May 2019 · B.Com, University of Delhi (School of Open Learning), 2012 · Profile
- Sheetal Kirola: subject reviewer, BBA, Unnati Educations · BBA and B.Ed, University of Delhi (School of Open Learning) · 6 years of experience in BBA · Profile
Prateek mapped every section to the official units (scheme w.e.f. 2024-25); Sheetal checked the models and case facts. 2026-27 edition, updated 14 October 2026. See our editorial policy.
The same team prepares GGSIPU important questions for every course.
Do the BBA 305 notes cover the full GGSIPU syllabus?
Yes. Every topic in the four official units of BBA 305 has a matching section in the notes; the unit check found no gap.
| Official unit | Official topics | Where in the notes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit I | Nature of Leadership, Leadership vs Management, Developing Leaders (traits, junior leaders, leader-communication) | Sections 1 to 10, pages 8 to 19 | Covered |
| Unit II | Leadership Theories and Styles, Ethics, Impression Management, Culture, Diversity, Teams, Vision, Learning Organizations, Change, Crisis, Women, Digital and Remote Leadership | Sections 1 to 14, pages 24 to 41 | Covered |
| Unit III | Power and its sources, Power vs Authority, Bases of Power, Influence Strategies, Psychology and Ethics of Power, Institutionalization, Power Sharing, Gender, Pitfalls | Sections 1 to 11, pages 45 to 58 | Covered |
| Unit IV | Meaning and Relevance, Positive and Negative Politics, Silos, Coalition, Career and Network Politics, Diagnosis, Strategies, Survival | Sections 1 to 11, pages 63 to 74 | Covered |
BBA 305 official syllabus topics mapped to the notes
- Official unit
- Unit I
- Official topics
- Nature of Leadership, Leadership vs Management, Developing Leaders (traits, junior leaders, leader-communication)
- Where in the notes
- Sections 1 to 10, pages 8 to 19
- Status
- Covered
- Official unit
- Unit II
- Official topics
- Leadership Theories and Styles, Ethics, Impression Management, Culture, Diversity, Teams, Vision, Learning Organizations, Change, Crisis, Women, Digital and Remote Leadership
- Where in the notes
- Sections 1 to 14, pages 24 to 41
- Status
- Covered
- Official unit
- Unit III
- Official topics
- Power and its sources, Power vs Authority, Bases of Power, Influence Strategies, Psychology and Ethics of Power, Institutionalization, Power Sharing, Gender, Pitfalls
- Where in the notes
- Sections 1 to 11, pages 45 to 58
- Status
- Covered
- Official unit
- Unit IV
- Official topics
- Meaning and Relevance, Positive and Negative Politics, Silos, Coalition, Career and Network Politics, Diagnosis, Strategies, Survival
- Where in the notes
- Sections 1 to 11, pages 63 to 74
- Status
- Covered
Official source: GGSIPU BBA Scheme & Syllabus (NEP Based), w.e.f. 2024-25. The official PDF gives each unit a lead phrase rather than a separate title, so the unit names here follow those phrases.
Every course in GGSIPU notes is mapped to its official PDF the same way.
BBA 305 Leadership notes FAQs
How do I get the full BBA 305 notes?
Send a WhatsApp message to 9899436384 using the "Get Full Notes" button on this page. The full BBA 305 notes come as a printed book, not as a PDF. Our team shares the details on WhatsApp and dispatches the book, which reaches you within 5 to 7 days at most; the exact time depends on your location.
Are the BBA 305 notes available as a PDF download?
No. The complete BBA 305 Leadership, Power and Politics notes are sold only in book form. The only PDF on this page is a seven-page watermarked sample with the cover, course outline, first index page and one content page from each unit, so you can judge the layout, diagrams, tables and writing style before you place an order.
How is BBA 305 marked, and what is the passing mark?
BBA 305 is marked out of 100: 40 internal and 60 end-term. The internal 40 is a 15-mark class test plus 25 marks for at least two activities such as assignments, presentations, viva-voce or group discussion. The BBA scheme does not print a pass percentage for this paper, so check GGSIPU Ordinance 11 on ipu.ac.in for end-term minimums and re-appear rules.
Is BBA 305 compulsory in GGSIPU BBA Semester 5?
No. BBA 305 is an elective in the Human Resource Management specialisation, listed with BBA 303 Negotiation Skills. Under the Major-Minor scheme you choose two papers for the major and one for the minor; under the Double Major scheme you choose two for each major. Electives run only if your college offers them, so confirm the list with your institute.
Which unit of BBA 305 needs the most preparation?
Unit II, Strategic Leadership and Culture, is the largest part of the BBA 305 notes: 21 pages, 7 diagrams, 5 case studies and 7 long-answer frameworks, more than any other unit. It has 16 teaching hours, the same as Unit III. Start with its theories and styles, which Units III and IV build on later.
Do the BBA 305 notes follow the 2024-25 NEP syllabus?
Yes. The BBA 305 notes follow the NEP-based revised BBA scheme that applies from academic session 2024-25. Page 2 of the notes copies the official course objectives, all four course outcomes, the unit hours and the CO-PO mapping, and the syllabus map above links each official topic to its section and page in the notes, unit by unit.
Get the full BBA 305 Leadership, Power and Politics Notes on WhatsApp
| Part | Pages | Page range |
|---|---|---|
| Cover, outline, readings and index | 7 | 1 to 7 |
| Unit I: Nature of Leadership | 16 | 8 to 23 |
| Unit II: Strategic Leadership and Culture | 21 | 24 to 44 |
| Unit III: Power and Influence | 18 | 45 to 62 |
| Unit IV: Organizational Politics | 15 | 63 to 77 |
| Total | 77 | 1 to 77 |
Pages per unit in the full BBA 305 notes book
- Part
- Cover, outline, readings and index
- Pages
- 7
- Page range
- 1 to 7
- Part
- Unit I: Nature of Leadership
- Pages
- 16
- Page range
- 8 to 23
- Part
- Unit II: Strategic Leadership and Culture
- Pages
- 21
- Page range
- 24 to 44
- Part
- Unit III: Power and Influence
- Pages
- 18
- Page range
- 45 to 62
- Part
- Unit IV: Organizational Politics
- Pages
- 15
- Page range
- 63 to 77
- Part
- Total
- Pages
- 77
- Page range
- 1 to 77
Format: printed book only (not available as a PDF). Delivery: within 5 to 7 days at most; the exact time depends on your location.
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Unnati Educations is an independent education provider based in Vikaspuri, Delhi. We are not affiliated with, authorised by, or endorsed by Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU). 'GGSIPU' and 'IPU' are used only to describe the syllabus our notes follow. For official information, visit ipu.ac.in.
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