All governments have attached high priority to foreign direct investment (FDI) since the 1970s. It is important to understand why this has been the case and pose the question whether the Strategic Development Act (SDA) contributes to creating an inve

Need-based entrepreneurship has always been around – for those who are savvy enough to understand the need and do something about it. There have been successful female entrepreneurs who have built and continue to build businesses on needs they

The US-based Heritage Foundation (HF) has constructed a global index of economic freedom. Sri Lanka’s score has improved significantly post-war and declined a bit in 2014. The importance of the index has less to do with overall measures and sco

It is easy to take a running tap for granted, but water scarcity is a serious problem in many parts of the world. It is believed that over one billion people worldwide do not have access to clean and safe drinking water, according to.....

People are the lifeblood of all organisations. Adding new people to an organisation is not unlike having a blood transfusion. If the new blood is not good match, the body will suffer and ultimately reject the transfusion. That is the risk of all orga

Positive sentiments during the post-war era attracted a large number of new investors to the capital market. Many investors were able to reach their financial goals while a few others did not earn profits as expected. Several factors would have attri

We live in an incredibly connected world that is wired 24/7. Information flows at a rate faster than the average individual can decipher fast enough. It helps to spread the word, such a connected world, when we are doing well or our businesses need a

John R. Hendrie wrote in 2005, and, I quote, “It used to be so easy being a hotelier. Your guest wanted a good mattress, a clean bathroom, and perhaps easy access to a pool. And, room amenities were not a loss leader, for your prices reflected

The occurrence of mineral sands was discovered mainly in the northeast coast of Sri Lanka in 1904 during the period of the Principal Mineral Surveyor Dr. Ananda Coomaraswamy from the Colonial Office.

Financial reporting is a language that companies (public or private, non profit organizations, state or local governments) use to communicate to users of financial statements about their financial position.

The holiday shortened month of April has been merry thus far for the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) with the index gaining 3.1 percent (and by 185 points) during the first three weeks of the month.

There can be discrepancy in the instructions given in relation to the company, quantity and the price. For an example, an investor might state that he gave instructions for 100 shares to be purchased even though his advisor has purchased 1000 shares.

In the last article we noticed just how good the 360-degree assessments are, if implemented correctly. But there is a major reservation! In order for the 360-degree feedback system to be successful, there must be employee acceptance of the system.

Bethany Mota is no Sheryl Sandberg; she is 18 and yet to get a degree in business studies. But Mota, who is better known to millions of teenage girls on YouTube as “Motavator”, has already created a million dollar fashion and media empire

Alcohol sales would have no doubt peaked during the last week or so, along with Avurudu festivities across the country – rural and urban alike. The use of alcohol is embedded in the daily lives of many ordinary citizens in our island nation. D

Palm oil mills are in an enviable position to harness enormous amounts of renewable energy with high efficiency, the potential which remains largely unrealised, palm oil expert Krishna Moorthy says.

In 2009, Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals were a mere 447 thousand. By 2010 the arrivals increased almost 50 percent to 654 thousand. That number is estimated to have almost doubled by 2013 to almost 1.3 million. The current plans are for this numb

In the 1990s, organisations started to change from highly structured pyramid-like hierarchies towards flatter and leaner shapes. The autocratic management styles that suited a pyramid structure won’t work in the modern organisation with its wid

During the past few weeks we have addressed the need of educating yourself on the stock market prior to investing. An equally important factor is to manage your relationship with the stockbroker firm/investment advisor and refrain from unwanted dispu

All health sector workers – doctors, nurses, midwives and other paramedics – share the responsibility for delivering good health services in government hospitals. Duties and roles of these professionals are intertwined. Health workers who

There were recent press reports that a number of trade unions have submitted proposals to the National Pay Commission requesting establishment of; 1. a national wages commission for the private sector, 2. a national minimum wage, 3. an unemployment b

It seems much. According to the Gender Global Entrepreneurship Development Index, the conditions that foster high potential female entrepreneurship are three-fold - encouraging an entrepreneurial environment, entrepreneurial eco-system and entreprene

Although the subject of sustainability in tea plantations had been discussed on many occasions before, yet in view of its importance to the tea sector and also as many issues still remain unresolved, this article re-examines this subject.

One of the most sacred tenets of management is the need for clear accountability. As such, organisations spend enormous amounts of time and energy defining jobs, roles, and goals — and then figure out who to reward or penalize when things go we

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) witnessed an increase in Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) since the beginning of the year as a result of the incentives given by the budget for the year 2014 and the prudent measures taken by market stakeholders.

In today’s world, filled with stress, ambition and ruthless pursuit of career goals, environments and people can turn toxic without much notice. The toxicity generated can have a deadly effect on others, especially those caught by surprise. Whe

Last year Verité Insights examined the trading relationship between Sri Lanka and the countries that had voted for and against the UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka both in 2012 and 2013. The findings were important.

A recent report released (March) by the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) indicates that the stock balance of the global natural rubber industry at the end of 2013, specifically that of the Asia Pacific region, is in a position of production ex

International and national oil and gas companies always assess the macro business environment and make careful assumptions or assessments of their positions in such uncertainty.

Some people are able to make an entrance – whether socially or professionally, pleasant enough for others to notice them. First impressions count – even though some would like to believe otherwise. Making a sound first impression will alw