19 research outputs found
An assessment of the role of business entrepreneurs in conflict transformation - a case study of South Eastern Sri Lanka
Last three decades of Sri Lankan history has been overshadowed by
conflict and war. Fortunately, the war came to an end and now the peace is very much
evident in the country. However, the dividends of peace have yet to come for the
people living in conflict areas. Social and economic status of the post-war period has
continued to be the same. Meaningful measures of recovery from war to peace have to
be initiated. This paper investigates the present status and contribution of business
entrepreneurs in helping the post-war recovery of the conflict affected South - East
region of Sri Lanka which has a ethnically, religiously and linguistically mixed
population.
Data were collected from the entrepreneurs and people through an intensive
field investigation carried out in the South-East region using a questionnaire. The study
employed both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques.
The results revealed that the entrepreneurs are ethnically segregated and lack
interactions across ethnic boundary. The reason for such pattern of entrepreneurship is
that the existing businesses mainly target consumers in an ethnically homogeneous
population. This has led to in ethicizing other aspects of business establishments as
well. For example, in most business establishments, employers, employees and
customers are from the same ethnic group. War and conflict may have influenced this
pattern of entrepreneur behavior. The ethnic discrimination and negative perception
towards other ethnicity groups have been deeply rooted among the entrepreneurs in this
region. The present trend of spread and contribution of entrepreneurship is not a healthy
sign for the post-war recovery. Attempts have to be made to diversify all aspect of
business establishment which would target the best outcomes and best benefits to most
in the region. Then the entrepreneurs will surely help erasing off the marks of war in the
minds and hearts of people leading to healthy and free society
INTEGRATING FOREST RESOURCE VALUES INTO NATIONAL INCOME ACCOUNTING: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS
The traditional System of National Accounts (.\"NA)neglects the Total EconomicValue (TEl) oftheforest resource, and any degradation to which it is subjected.This study proposes an Environmental and Natural Resource Accounting(ENRA) frameworkfor theforest resource in Sri Lanka. The economic values ofmarketed and non-marketed commodities are estimated by various techniques.Changes in the monetary value of the timber stock are computed from estimatedeconomic accounts, using the net price method. The results for 1995 put the TEVof the forest resource at Rs 13,-100 million. The total depreciation offoresttimber stock in 1995 was Rs -116 million. The true contribution of the forestresource to the National Income (NI) was 2.2-1% of the Gross Domestic Product((IDP). However, the contribution of the forest resource as estimated by thetraditional ,,)"iYAwas reported by the Central Bank ofSri Lanka as only 0.2% 0/the GDP. This misleading estimate may have led to under-investment in theforestry sector in the past. This past under-investment needs to be compensatedfor in thefuture national investment in forestry
Japan's Grass-roots Technical Cooperation in Social Business Development and Poverty Alleviation: The Conceptual Relationship
Innovative Value Addition in Tea (Camellia sinensis)%253A A Comparative Analysis between Sri Lanka and Japan
Sri Lanka is the third largest tea exporter in the world, but nearly 60%25 of its total exports are comprised of bulk tea. Bulk tea secures the lowest prices in world tea market. Sri Lanka earned an average value of US24.24 per kilogram over the same five-year period in Japan, a highly innovative tea-producing country. The objective of this study is to examine the root causes of product innovation in Sri Lanka, as compared to Japan, by conducting a historical analysis followed by a survey and key informant discussions. Sri Lanka has mainly focused on incremental innovations in blending, flavoring and packaging than radical innovations. About 98%25 of the tea produced in Sri Lanka is black tea, produced mainly in large scale-processing factories. The focus on economies of scale and heavy dependence on traditional product baskets and market destinations have bottlenecked product innovation capabilities in Sri Lanka. In contrast, Japan produces a large number of innovative beverage and non-non-beverage products. Their main beverage type is sencha (58%25), followed by many other beverages including gyokuro, kabusecha, matcha, tamaryokucha, black tea, oolong tea, fermented teas and white tea. The Japanese produce a variety of non-beverage products including confectionaries, snacks and cosmetics made from same tea plant that beverage tea is made from. Having a large number of processing factories (4698), Japans product innovation capabilities are mainly attributed to firm-level factors and support services. This study recommends that Sri Lanka should link together farmer organizations, processing factories, research institutes and universities to make its tea industry more innovative and flexible and consequently more profitable and sustainable. Foreign direct investment and partnerships presumably would be instrumental in bringing in much needed funding, expertise and advanced technology to stimulate product innovation
Organizational Culture and Management Strategies for Product Innovation: A Case Study of Food Processing Firms in Sri Lanka
The Role of the Japanese Technical Intern Training Programme on Workforce Development in Thailand and Laos
Japanese Assistance for Capacity Building of Social Businesses through Grass-roots Technical Cooperation in Sri Lanka : Performance, Opportunities and Challenges
Strengths and Weaknesses of Human Resource Development in Japanese Higher Educational Institutions : A Study on Foreign Students in Japanese Universities (1)
Strengths and Weaknesses of Human Resource Development in Japanese Higher Educational Institutions: A Study on Foreign Students in Japanese Universities (2)
Fluorescent Signalling Crown Ethers; \u27Switching On\u27 of Fluorescence by Alkali Metal Ion Recognition and Binding in Situ
Sodium and potassium ions enhance the fluorescence quantum yield of the N-(9-anthrylmethyl)monoaza crown ethers (1) in methanol by factors of up to forty-seven while all other electronic spectral parameters remain unaltered