Will Privatization Of Plantation Research Management Benefit?

Substantial empirical evidence shows that technology from private research, such as new plant varieties, fertilizers, pesticides, machinery etc has contributed to agricultural development, economic growth, and poverty reduction in developing countries.

Will Global Natural Rubber Prices Fall Further?

  NR market is on a slow track mainly on account of a lull in demand across the globe, after the historic boom in the beginning of this decade.

South Asia to suffer most from climate change

On his recent visit to Sri Lanka, Vice President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Dr. Bindu N Lohani held a media roundtable briefing on the book ‘Assessing t he costs of climate change and adaptation in South Asia’.

Lack Of Liquidity Creation In Banking System Of Sri Lanka

Banks are a vital institution in modern economies that they perform two key functions. Banks manage the payment system of the economy and through intermediation they eliminate market inefficiencies and provide liquidity (funds) for the deficit units collecting funds from the excess units.

Executing right strategic swing at right moment ends up in grand success

Any business today faces change on all fronts – economic, regulatory, competitive, customer and access to resources. Consequently, every company is adjusting its strategy and that implies change. As a leader, the success of your strategy depends on your people – and whether they will be able to implement the strategy and achieve the goals.

Stock Market Volatility: Key To Maximum Returns

“Look at market fluctuations (volatility) as your friend rather than your enemy; profit from folly rather than participate in it.” -Warren BuffetVolatility is an inherent phenomenon in financial markets across the globe. The impact of volatility depends on the investor’s perception towards its (volatility) dynamics. An optimist would explore the limitless opportunities in a volatile market while a pessimist would tremble in

What Company Culture Is And Why It Matters

Before the Internet age, work was what we did for a living – when a placement occurred, someone was interviewed and hired. There was an employment contract and there were job descriptions and performance reviews so everyone knew where everyone stood. There was no worry about a culture – no one really bothered about one.

Natural Gas Emerges As ‘New Gold’

Natural gas is creating a new reality for economies around the world.Three major developments of the past few years have thrust natural gas into the spotlight: the shale gas revolution in the United States, the reduction in nuclear power supply following the Fukushima disaster in Japan, and geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

How to develop Sri Lanka’s wood-based industry

A conference and workshop under the theme “Wood Based Industry – Way Forward’ organized by the Wood Based Industrialist Association of Sri Lanka (WBIA), will be held at the Export Development Board (EDB) Auditoriumon on November 28.

The ‘Ten Commandments’ of hospital design

Hospitals are expensive to build and complex to manage. The design of a new hospital provides an opportunity to rethink hospital design, and especially to consider how improved design can help reduce staff stress, fatigue, increase effectiveness in delivering care, improve patient safety, reduce patient and family stress, and improve overall healthcare quality.

Global Big Players Collaborate To Save Tea Industry

Although global tea plantations are under threat from climate change and competition for land, life without tea is unthinkable for the billions of people who rely on their cherished cups of tea to get them through the day.Tea crops the world over are facing multiple threats, from climate change and water shortages to rural de-population and low wages. Therefore, serious are these threats that some of the world’s biggest tea companies are

Can Five Hub Strategy Work Without South-india Focus?

Geographically, Sri Lanka is located in the Indian Ocean, almost hanging from the Indian subcontinent, having been terrestrially connected to it as recently as the Chandragupta Maurya period, as described by the Greek ethnographer, Megasthenes. The two landmasses are now divided only by a thin strip of sea that many have crossed swimming at a stretch.

Analysis On Devastating Landslides In Haldumulla - Koslanda Areas

Awide coverage was given in the local and foreign news and electronic media on the above natural disaster, which occurred on October 29, 2014, resulting in the loss of innocent lives and serious damage to property, including estate dwellings. It is reported that at least 250 people including children have been buried alive and another 150 have not been accounted for as yet.

Drifting away from market-oriented economic policies towards state interventions and populist handou

The Budget 2015 presented to the Parliament a few days ago reflects the government’s effort to please as many as possible, perhaps in view of the upcoming elections.As Dr. Nimal Sanderatne rightly stated in his regular column in the Sunday Times newspaper, “Political compulsions rather than economic imperatives determine an election year budget”.

Drought, A Menace To Tea And Rubber Profitability

Economists have reported that drought occurring frequently could have a pervasive impact on the economy of the country. The prospect of an improvement in the trade balance, and consequently a significant overall balance of payments surplus is always threatened by drought conditions. Agricultural production and hydropower generation can be affected adversely.

What followers want from leaders: looking through other side of the telescope

In the past weeks, we have reviewed t he behavioural traits of leaders that would motivate followers. We spoke of four attributes - engage, enrol, energise and empower. But there is one more E! This E is empathy. In order to appreciate the role empathy plays in leadership, you first need to have a clear understanding of what empathy means. Empathy is the experience of understanding the other persons’ thinking from their perspectiv

We are all jayasundariyans now!

“We are all Keynesians now,” Richard Nixon, then US President said, but the original phrase was from Milton Friedman. It expressed the reluctant embrace of Keynesian economics, in a time of financial crisis, by leaders such as Nixon, who had formerly favoured less interventionist policies. Friedman later clarified. According to him, the original statement has been “In one sense, we are all Keynesians now; in another, n

Will womenomics work for Japan?

We like to think that Asian women have come far and long in ensuring fair career opportunities but that certainly doesn’t seem to be the case for everyone. Although Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has prided himself on his stance on womenomics, the average Japanese careerwomen, it seems, are trying their best to ‘lean-in”, to borrow Sandberg parlance. They are opting out of careers instead – when they realise that th

Shared Prosperity: A Goal To Reduce Inequality

We have made tremendous progress over the last quarter century in the fight against poverty. In 1990, 36 percent of the world’s population, or 1.9 billion people, earned less than US $ 1.25 a day. By next year, we estimate that that rate will have declined to 12 percent – a two-thirds reduction in 25 years. This means that, by next year, one billion fewer people will be living in extreme poverty than in 1990.

Global financial centre competitiveness and impact on Sri Lanka’s Economy

In order to understand whether our global financial system is working efficiently, the Long Finance Group was established in 2007 by Z/Yen Group in conjunction with Gresham College, London.This group publishes papers under the Financial Futures Series “in order to initiate discussions on the changing landscape of global finance.”

Risky business of price controls and guaranteed prices

The anticipated national elections have spawned a spate of misguided and unaffordable claims and counter claims. There have been calls for price controls for ‘essential commodities’ and a higher guaranteed price for paddy farmers as well as the introduction of a guaranteed price for fish.

Investment drive deepens economic ties between China and ASEAN

While global attention has been fixed on the geostrategic discord between China and its neighbours in Southeast Asia, their economies have been discovering new harmonies.

Monetary policy transition lag worries Central Bank

The unusual monetary policy transition lag - the time taken for the monetary policy action to reflect in market interest rates and inflation is puzzling Central Bank (CB) officials, as even after 20-months in to the monetary easing, the projected private credit is yet to materialize.

People’s Bank cuts pawning exposure by Rs.120bn

The second largest state sector bank, People’s Bank has cut its pawning exposure by as much as Rs.120 billion from January 2013 through September 30, 2014,

How do we protect children from Internet and Facebook?

Facebook has gained immense popularity as a social media website. It serves to connect millions of people across the world.

PLANTATION MANAGEMENT NEEDS TO BE DYNAMIC AND INNOVATIVE

It is believed in business circles that the plantation industry is no longer a dominant force in Sri Lanka’s economy.

CAL cautions investors despite Softlogic’s fair cash offer

Though the mandatory offer price of Rs.22 per share for Odel PLC (Odel) shareholders is a fair price, an investment bank has cautioned investors over its highly subjective nature and the valuation being entirely based on historical figures.

CB keeps key policy rates steady

The Central Bank (CB) yesterday decided to keep key policy rates unchanged for the ninth consecutive month in October as it sees a slight turnaround in the private sector credit growth and inflation remaining at benign levels with further downward pressure expected.

Latest career advancement move - Paying women employees to freeze their eggs

Apple and Facebook, two of the world’s biggest techno companies are willing to  pay women staff to freeze their eggs because the companies want to help them build their careers– or as the women would like to have it, empower them to overcome family-related drawbacks in their careers.

Poverty and MDGs in Sri Lanka: What more needs to be done?

Poverty – a condition where people’s basic needs for wellbeing are not being met - is a multidimensional issue that affects most, if not all, nations. Despite huge success in reducing poverty in many parts of the ...........