Developing a Culturally Appropriate Measure of Effective Leadership for Sri Lanka

Research has shown that characteristics of effective leadership differ in different national cultures. Measures available for evaluating effective leadership are limited. There are tools developed in South Asian countries such as India. However, research has shown Sri Lankan cultural values differ from these countries. This paper identified behaviours and traits of leadership that are perceived as important for an effective leader in the Sri Lankan context. It also presents a Questionnaire for Evaluation of Effective Leadership (QEEL) to assess effective leadership in Sri Lanka, and explains the development process of this questionnaire. The QEEL covers eight aspects: motivation, guidance, communication, decision-making, empathy, integrity, and change management. It was designed in three steps: Item generation, Item identification and Validation. QEEL can also be used by organisations and researchers in other countries with similar cultural values

Integration of the rational, political and justice models of performance appraisals: The case of the Sri Lankan public sector

In recent times there have been urgent calls for reforms in the public sector, and thereby certain private sector management techniques have been advocated to be implemented in the public sector. Special emphasis has been placed on performance management and thereby performance appraisals in this regard. However, research and observation show that performance appraisals have failed in their duty in both the private sector and the public sector in their design as well as their implementation. Performance appraisals literature speaks of three models, namely, the rational, political and justice models. However, they have been researched in isolation and conclusions drawn..

Integration of the rational, political and justice models of performance appraisals: The case of the Sri Lankan public sector

In recent times there have been urgent calls for reforms in the public sector, and thereby certain private sector management techniques have been advocated to be implemented in the public sector. Special emphasis has been placed on performance management and thereby performance appraisals in this regard. However, research and observation show that performance appraisals have failed in their duty in both the private sector and the public sector in their design as well as their implementation. Performance appraisals literature speaks of three models, namely, the rational, political and justice models. However, they have been researched in isolation and conclusions drawn..

Honey, How Can I Help? Gender and Distribution of Unpaid Labour during COVID-19

Societies’ ideologies on the distribution of unpaid labour seem to have remained stagnant despite dramatic shifts in the worlds of work and society. The distribution of unpaid labour has implications for the wellbeing of individuals and the sustainability of their various personal and professional relationships. Our study addressed the less-researched “what” and “why” of the distribution of unpaid labour among dual-earner couples during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a qualitative approach, conducting 32 semi-structured interviews with individuals belonging to dual-earner couples in Sri Lanka. Interview data were thematically analysed using social role theory. Six major findings emanated from our study; (1) the pandemic did not drastically change the distribution of unpaid labour in most dual-earner couples, confirming traditional gender norms; (2) there was a change in the contribution of men towards unpaid labour when the woman was at home (working from home or during maternity leave), or had other means of support from domestic aid or extended family; (3) three clusters of men were identified as “sharing”, “chipping-in”, and “not-my-problem” types, depending on their involvement in unpaid labour; (4) “chipping-in” and “not-my-problem” type men reinforced the notion of gendered distribution of unpaid labour; (5) three clusters of women were identified as “sharing”, “asking-for-help”, and “bearing-the-cross” types; and (6) these couples, and women specifically, endured the unequal division of unpaid labour with the assistance of parents, in-laws, or paid domestic help. Our study has implications for the sustainability of individuals, as well as their wellbeing, families, organisations, and society

Honey, How Can I Help? Gender and Distribution of Unpaid Labour during COVID-19

Societies’ ideologies on the distribution of unpaid labour seem to have remained stagnant despite dramatic shifts in the worlds of work and society. The distribution of unpaid labour has implications for the wellbeing of individuals and the sustainability of their various personal and professional relationships. Our study addressed the less-researched “what” and “why” of the distribution of unpaid labour among dual-earner couples during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a qualitative approach, conducting 32 semi-structured interviews with individuals belonging to dual-earner couples in Sri Lanka. Interview data were thematically analysed using social role theory. Six major findings emanated from our study; (1) the pandemic did not drastically change the distribution of unpaid labour in most dual-earner couples, confirming traditional gender norms; (2) there was a change in the contribution of men towards unpaid labour when the woman was at home (working from home or during maternity leave), or had other means of support from domestic aid or extended family; (3) three clusters of men were identified as “sharing”, “chipping-in”, and “not-my-problem” types, depending on their involvement in unpaid labour; (4) “chipping-in” and “not-my-problem” type men reinforced the notion of gendered distribution of unpaid labour; (5) three clusters of women were identified as “sharing”, “asking-for-help”, and “bearing-the-cross” types; and (6) these couples, and women specifically, endured the unequal division of unpaid labour with the assistance of parents, in-laws, or paid domestic help. Our study has implications for the sustainability of individuals, as well as their wellbeing, families, organisations, and society

Honey, How Can I Help? Gender and Distribution of Unpaid Labour during COVID-19

Societies’ ideologies on the distribution of unpaid labour seem to have remained stagnant despite dramatic shifts in the worlds of work and society. The distribution of unpaid labour has implications for the wellbeing of individuals and the sustainability of their various personal and professional relationships. Our study addressed the less-researched “what” and “why” of the distribution of unpaid labour among dual-earner couples during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a qualitative approach, conducting 32 semi-structured interviews with individuals belonging to dual-earner couples in Sri Lanka. Interview data were thematically analysed using social role theory. Six major findings emanated from our study; (1) the pandemic did not drastically change the distribution of unpaid labour in most dual-earner couples, confirming traditional gender norms; (2) there was a change in the contribution of men towards unpaid labour when the woman was at home (working from home or during maternity leave), or had other means of support from domestic aid or extended family; (3) three clusters of men were identified as “sharing”, “chipping-in”, and “not-my-problem” types, depending on their involvement in unpaid labour; (4) “chipping-in” and “not-my-problem” type men reinforced the notion of gendered distribution of unpaid labour; (5) three clusters of women were identified as “sharing”, “asking-for-help”, and “bearing-the-cross” types; and (6) these couples, and women specifically, endured the unequal division of unpaid labour with the assistance of parents, in-laws, or paid domestic help. Our study has implications for the sustainability of individuals, as well as their wellbeing, families, organisations, and society