Hambantota Port heralds Aegean Highway of K Line

K Line, the pioneer in maritime transportation of cars has further strengthened its confidence in the Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port (MRMRP) in Hambantota with the maiden call of its RO/RO carrier MV ‘Aegean Highway’ yesterday. This vessel previously deployed on Australian – Europe – USA sector has now been engaged on Persian Gulf service with effect from July 28 this year

360 Degree Feedback: The good, the bad, and the ugly

Want to make your team members really unhappy? Care to create uproar in your organization that rivals in ferocity any change you’ve ever introduced in your history? Want to stir up all of the dormant fireballs hidden just below the surface in your organization?

Important tips to become a successful stock investor

The thought of investing in the stock market may seem a little frightening at first, especially for those who have never done so. Wading into any uncharted territory is scary, but armed with knowledge and guidance, the stock market is not so difficult to navigate and shares should form an integral part

Higher education should be open more to pvt.sector – Prof. Samarajiva

While the government should not pull out from its commitment to the primary and secondary education sector, more opportunities should be granted for the private sector at higher education level, said former Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Director General Professor Rohan Samarajiva.

Proprietary software made more accessible

The revolution will be a quiet one, it will certainly be gradual, yet inevitable!  It will first happen in our office, beginning with what would be a steady...

Lessons businesses can learn from swimmer Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps didn’t merely win medals; he rewrote swimming – and Olympic history at the London Olympics, emerging the most decorated Olympian...

Airtel Lanka relocates corporate office to WTC

Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, announced that the corporate office of Airtel Lanka would gain a new identity through its relocation to the spacious corporate hub of Colombo, the World Trade Centre (WTC).

SriLankan Airlines wins HRM Awards 2012

SriLankan Airlines demonstrated its high level of professionalism in human resource management and development when it won a Silver award in the Government-Owned Business category at the recently concluded National HRM Awards 2012, organised by the Organisation

Smart Media felicitates award winning clients

On the theme ‘Taking the Business of Annual Reporting International’, Smart Media - The Annual Report Company held a ceremony to felicitate and recognise its Sri Lankan and international clients who had won awards at the League of American Communications Professionals (LACP) Vision

Brandix Group wins Gold at National HRM Awards

Commitment to excellence in Human Resource Management has won the Brandix Group a Gold award at the 2012 HRM Awards presented by the Association of Human Resource Professionals in partnership with Aon Hewitt, the largest human resource consulting group in the world.

What will South Asia look like in 2025?

South Asia is among the fastest growing regions in the world, but it is also home to the largest concentration of people living in conditions of debilitating poverty, human misery, gender disparities, and conflict. In my book, Reshaping Tomorrow, I ask if South Asia is Ready for the Big Leap.

Know thyself: Corporate culture begins with introspection

Another reader of this column writes: “I am a management trainee in a medium-sized business organisation. I was attending a workshop on Management Essentials recently and the trainer was briefly discussing the importance of a company’s culture in adapting to changes of outside business

Are you a stock market investor or a trader?

It’s no exaggeration to say that the world of stock-buyers is made up of two kinds of people: Those who buy to hold and those who buy to sell. Put it another way, it’s made up of investors and traders. Many people believe investing in the stock market and trading in the stock market are one

Recognizing unsung heroines of economy

It took me a visit to a friend who runs a small garment supplying company, to realize just how advanced the Sri Lankan garment industry is...

Manipulation in the Sri Lankan stock market

A stock market is expected to present a level playing field to all investors. However, stock holders trading in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) have encountered hurdles to trading, coming from both major private investors

ZILLIONe wins Microsoft Country Partner award

ZILLIONe Technologies (Pvt) Ltd. proudly announced that it had won the 2012 Microsoft Country Partner of the Year Award for Sri Lanka at Microsoft’s prestigious Worldwide Partner Conference,

Case for global NR sustainability framework

There had been a steady growth in the development of voluntary national eco-labelling and private CSR strategies. Over the course of the past decade, these approaches have been complemented by growth in the use of global and sector-wide voluntary standards and sustainability initiatives (VSIs), such as Fair Trade, Forest Stewardship Council, Rainforest Alliance, Round table on Sustainable Palm Oil etc.

Investing in the stock market: Points to ponder

Before an investor buys or sells shares, he needs to contact a stockbroker, licensed with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) to carry out the transactions on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE).

3-D strategy for employees, management and company

A young reader of this column working as a management trainee in a business organisation wrote to me last week. She said, “Our MD informed us that from October, the company is planning to introduce a Career Management programme

Greatest challenge of Biotechnology

Can the great potentials of biotechnology be directed towards ensuring food security and economic development in the developing world?

Source code - boon or bane of software development companies?

What really is a source code? To the uninitiated, it is a kind of product DNA which software development companies carefully put together and it forms the base to develop...

Sky is the limit – women who conquered the clouds

All she had at the beginning was a passion to conquer the skies that had until then been limited mostly to men – she was Amelia Earhart, the first woman to have piloted a plane...

Cathay accepts Skytrax “World’s Best Business Class” award

Through listening to customers and incorporating their feedback in product design, Cathay Pacific Airways was voted “World’s Best Business Class” in the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards™ programme, in which more than 18 million airline passengers from across the world picked their choices.

Brandix crowned Asia’s ‘Best Brand’ for second year

Sri Lanka’s top apparel exporter Brandix has been adjudged Asia’s ‘Best Brand’ for the second consecutive year by the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council and won three more awards at the 2012 CMO Asia Awards for Excellence in Branding and Marketing held at Park Royal, Singapore.

PHDT awarded quality mgt certification

The Plantations Human Development Trust (PHDT) has been awarded the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System Certification by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI), the accredited body in Sri Lanka by the International Standards Organization.

The other side of IIFA

Although many Sri Lankans have not-so-fond memories about the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) due to scandals surround it, a book has been written by a member in the Steering Committee of IIFA outlining how the event rolled out.

Economic freedom and the Asian century

So many facets of the “Asian century” are discussed heatedly. But one is glossed over — economic freedom. Market liberalisation is a crucial enabler of Asia’s current awakening. Its “negative” acts – removing restrictions that repress economic activity – have unleashed the animal spirits of ordinary people, and they are transforming Asia and the world in the process. But there is much unfinished bus

Skilled human resource base crucial to attract FDIs

Dinesh Weerakkody,  Chairman, Commercial Bank of Ceylon in this interview talks of some of the challenges faced by our policy makers, and the need to mould our younger generations into a way of thinking that is geared suitably to engage in a global talent war. Excerpts:

Gliricidia – the multifaceted wonder plant

I do not think it necessary for me to emphasize on the use of the legume Gliricidia for its many uses in this country. Hence the Legume Gliricidia Maculate has been the most useful legume available in this part of the world. It is since initially time immemorial’ been a source of green manure to build up the organic matter or humus content on essentially soils planted with Tea (Thea sinensis) at elevation ranges below about 4000ft above sea

Speak in harmony: Effective communication by design

Communication affects all areas of our lives, business and personal. But do you ever wonder if you could be communicating better? In this information age, we have to send, receive and process huge numbers of messages every day.