Effect of promoting country of origin as an ethnocentric appeal in developing local brands: special reference to telecommunication industry of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is emerging as service sector driven economy with the GDP penetration of 50%-60% from service sector. After imposing the open economy policy in 1977, local brands had to gear ahead with intensive competition came from international brands. Telecommunication industry of Sri Lanka has been dominated by international brands, but local brands are strategically promoting the concept of country of origin (CO) or being local as a motive for citizens to deliberately purchase locally originated brands. In this context researchers viewed this branding practice, and selected 200 respondents from four geographical areas under the stratified probability sampling method to investigate the effect of country of origin in terms of brand performance. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analysis executed by PCA (principal component analysis) factor analysis accompanied with testing two hypotheses revealed that Country of Origin (CO) or promoting as being local had impacted less significantly on brand awareness and recalled power development of telecommunication brands against the competitive foreign brands. However, it has a significant impact on brand recalling power.Country of origin, ethnocentrism, local brands, telecommunication., Consumer/Household Economics, D12, L96,

Isolation and characterisation of Sri Lankan yeast germplasm and its evaluation for alcohol production

Use of inferior yeast cultures represents one of the reasons for low fermentation efficiencies in Sri Lankan alcohol distilleries that use sugarcane molasses. The present study isolated and characterised yeast strains found in natural environments in Sri Lanka and evaluated their performance under laboratory conditions in an effort to select superior strains for industrial fermentations. Yeasts were characterised based on morphological and physiological features such as sugar fermentation and nitrate assimilation. Ethanol production, alcohol tolerance and growth rate of the most promising strains were monitored following laboratory fermentations of molasses. Over a thousand yeast cultures were collected and screened for fermentative activity and a total of 83 yeast isolates were characterised as higher ethanol producers. Most of these belonged to the genus Saccharomyces. Certain strains produced over 10% (v/v) alcohol in molasses media during 72 h laboratory fermentations. Only two strains, SL-SRI-C-102 and 111, showed an appreciable fermentation efficiency of about 90%. The latter strain produced the highest level of ethanol, 11% (v/v) within a 48 h fermentation and exhibited improved alcohol tolerance when compared with the baker's yeast strains currently used in Sri Lankan alcohol distilleries. This study highlights the benefits of exploiting indigenous yeasts for industrial fermentation processes

Jaqalanka Closure Report

This document is part of a digital collection provided by the Martin P. Catherwood Library, ILR School, Cornell University, pertaining to the effects of globalization on the workplace worldwide.  Special emphasis is placed on labor rights, working conditions, labor market changes, and union organizing.FLA_Jaqalanka_Closure_Report.pdf: 96 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

CMFRI Newsletter No.031 January- March 1986

Abstract not availabl

Hull loss accident model for narrow body commercial aircraft

Accidents with narrow body aircraft were statistically evaluated covering six families of commercial aircraft includingBoeing B737, Airbus A320, McDonnell Douglas MD80, Tupolev TU134/TU154 and Antonov AN124. A risk indicator for eachflight phase was developed based on motion characteristics, duration time, and the presence of adverse weather conditions.The estimated risk levels based on these risk indicators then developed from the risk indicator. Regression analysis indicatedvery good agreement between the estimated risk level and the accident ratio of hull loss cases per number of delivered aircraft.The effect of time on the hull loss accident ratio per delivered aircraft was assessed for B737, A320 and MD80. Equationsrepresenting the effect of time on hull loss accident ratio per delivered aircraft were proposed for B737, A320, and MD80,while average values of hull loss accident ratio per delivered aircraft were found for TU134, TU154, and AN 124. Accidentprobability equations were then developed for each family of aircraft that the probability of an aircraft in a hull loss accidentcould be estimated for any aircraft family, flight phase, presence of adverse weather factor, hour of day, day of week, monthof year, pilot age, and pilot flight hour experience. A simplified relationship between estimated hull loss accident probabilityand unsafe acts by human was proposed. Numerical investigation of the relationship between unsafe acts by human andfatality ratio suggested that the fatality ratio in hull loss accident was dominated primarily by the flight phase media

Aid and trade in water and electricity in tsunami-affected countries: India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand

In the four countries most affected by the tsunami - India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, multinational companies have been pursuing lawsuits to claim compensation for failed private projects in water and electricity - compensation which could cost the countries more than the official aid for the Tsunami emergency from the USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France, the European Union, and China combined . Despite strong public opposition, the World Bank and other donors continue to promote privatisation in both water and electricity in these countries

Impacts of Colombo-Katunayake Expressway Bridge Opening on Water Quality at Madabokka in Negambo Lagoon, West Coast of Sri Lanka

The proposed 5 year Colombo- Katunayake expressway construction project which is targetto reduce travelling time between Colombo and Katunayake international airport in SriLanka. This project would build 42 bridges and 88 culverts. One of the bridges opened atMadabokka inside the Negambo Lagoon is identified as highly productive ecosystem whichprovides breeding, feeding and security grounds for variety of aquatic lives. Thus, currentStudy the seasonal impact on Madabokka is carried out using water quality analysis.Water samples from nine locations of three main sites (southern side, Northern side andoutside of the Madabokka) are analysed for physical, (temperature, salinity, pH andtransparency or sechchi depth) chemical, [NO3, NO2, PO4, SiO2, Total suspended solids(TSS), and Dissolved Oxygen (DO)], and biological parameters (chlorophyll a,phytoplankton and zooplankton) once in two months during the year 2012.Results indicate that average salinity and temperature are varied from 14.24-24.54 PSU and310C (September) – 340C (March) respectively, while the warmest water is existed insouthern part of Maddabokka which has no free exchange with Negambo lagoon. However,the observed spatial and temporal variation would be related to climatic conditions ratherthan bridge constructions. Both the lowest (4.6) and the highest values (7.9) pH values andwere recorded outside Maddabokka during June and March respectively. Low pH values inmonth of June would be associated with South-West monsoon and particular low valuescould be a result of fresh water runoff canals from Katunayake airport area. Sechchi depth isalways ≤ 1.00m and higher depth remained as turbid water due to rapid constructions. DOvalues are varied from 5.9 - 8.3 mg l-1 with no impacts from the bridge constructions. TSSvalues are varied from 13.9-84.3 mg l-1 and the highest value is recorded in southern side ofthe bridge during November. Level of nutrients, (Nitrite; 0.05-5.34 mg l-1, Nitrate; 0.06-0.17mgl-1, Phosphate; 0.00-0.84 mg l-1, Silicates; 2.68-14.88 mg l-1) are varied temporally andthere is no construction interferences. Chlorophyll a (1.10-20.51 mg l-1) is distinctive intemporally and no spatial variations. The highest abundance (355000 Ind/L) of Phytoplanktonare recorded in Southern side of the bridge in March. All guilds were dominated by centricdiatoms. The lowest and the highest Zooplankton abundance (27 ind/l and 530 ind/L) arerecorded at outside of Madabokka during March and September respectively. Speciesdiversity (7 groups) is high in southern part of the Madabokka and dominated by Calanoids inJune and November.

A preliminary study on the status of vesicular Arbuscular mycorrhizal associations with mangrove plants in Sri Lanka

The symbiosis between Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and mangrove plant species was investigated in five mangrove swamps in Sri Lanka. Soil samples were collected from rhizosphere areas of dominant mangrove plants in Sarasalai area in Jaffna, Kakkapalliya in Pambala, Negambo lagoon, Trincomalee, and Manmunai Batticaloa, from a depth of 0-20 cm on from March to September 2018, during low tide period. Collected soil samples were clay loam in texture. For all five composite samples AMF spores were extracted using wet sieving and decanting method. Most common mangrove plants species were identified and their underground growing root tips were extracted to assess the colonization percentage of AMF. The results were compared using a one-way ANOVA in Minitab 16.0. AMF were mostly found in the form of hyphae and were commonly associated with most of the mangrove species investigated. AMF species belonging to Glomus, Gigaspora, Scutellospora and Acaulospora were identified in all areas. Root colonization was observed in all species. AM fungal root colonization varied by plant species and site. Lumnitzera racemosa was common to Jaffna and Pambala and the colonization potential was high in Jaffna compared to that of Pambala, but was not significant (at p < 0.554). Rhizophora apiculata in Pambala and Negambo was not significantly different (p<5) so as Avicennia marina in Pambala Batticaloa and Tricomalee. Furthermore, colonizing AMF species can be identified and recommended for inoculating mangrove seedlings in deforested areas for better growth and development of sustainable mangrove ecosystem