Metrics, the numbers and measurements that help you run your business are among the most crucial tools business leaders have at their disposal. They show you where you’ve been, and they help you set goals for where you want to go. They point a

When one looks at the impact of low natural rubber (NR) prices on profitability, two aspects emerge. On the one hand, it appears to be a simple topic but on the other, immensely complex, covering global geo-politics- the rural poor in the developi

Aprominent economist in his recent weekly column in the Sunday Times newspaper, has observed the following. There has been an economic resurgence since the end of the war in 2009 (7.3 percent growth i n GDP this year). However the following critic

In the first part of t his article, I have discussed the ten key proposals appearing in the section 2 (‘A Developed Economy’) of the recently released election manifesto of the Presidential Candidate of the common opposition, Maithripa

It is a comprehensive document; in fact, the most extensive opposition elections manifesto for some time. Ranil Wickramasinghe’s 2005 manifesto was not more than 20 pages. Sarath Fonseka’s two-page 2010 manifesto was worse. It hardly h

So far in this series of articles, we have reviewed a business model for high-performance, zero-mistakes execution, the HRO. We saw that great leaders make a profound difference in moments of crisis, in periods of intense change, in the early stag

Agentleman was given an application form to apply for a loyalty card at a supermarket. It was a three-page booklet written in small text. He simply didn’t have the time to read all of it and was directed by the salesman to sign it as it enta

Female migrant workers make a vital contribution to the Sri Lankan economy, mainly through remittances. However, this economic gain often comes at a heavy social cost on the children they leave behind. This article, written to coincide with the In

As of December 12, 2014, the All Share Price Index (ASPI) is still up 21 percent year-to-date despite losing around 4 percent from the all-time second highest peak of 7,548 index points reached on November18, 2014.

The revitalized Hingurana Sugar Factory managed under Gal Oya Plantations (Pvt) Ltd, a subsidiary of the LOLC Group has recorded the highest ever sugar production of 19,960 metric ton for the year 2014/15 through successful sugar cane cultivation

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 count

  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.

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 chang

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 uni

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 dep

“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 o

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 everyo

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 fo

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

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 i

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

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. Th

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 i

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 T

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 alwa

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

“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 N

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 women

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 wil

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 Fut