COLUMNSGetting the right people in the right place
Henry Ford once said: “I am not the smartest, but I surround myself with competent people.” I think it’s safe to say that Henry Ford had more than a mild degree of success. Love him or hate him, he rocked the world. We’ve heard in a variety of ways, people saying that a leader should surround himself with people better than him.
Understanding ETEM: Key to make Sri Lankan hotels more customer-focused
The Evolving Tourists Expectation Model (ETEM)
In this column a fortnight ago, the authors introduced their new concept: ‘Evolving Tourists Expectation Model’ (ETEM). Encouraged with the interest it created, the authors decided to write this follow up article.
Economics of incompetency
An economy can suffer and growth affected in two ways when analysed from a non-economist’s point of view. One aspect is gross inefficiencies of all what one does. Inefficiencies in that context were addressed in my earlier column comparing with nations that took a different direction addressing precisely that factor.
First failure in Geneva: Trap, blunder or model?
However bad Sri Lanka’s foreign policy is and external relations are, they have yet to hit the nadir that they did under President Jayewardene in the 1980s.
The first-ever resolution on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka adopted in Geneva by the Human Rights Commission was in March 1987, while the first decision, which it ‘recalls’ in the resolution, was in March 1984, as was reported in the Lanka Guardian at the time (Vol 9, No 23, April 1 1987, p18).
Thoras humble Lions
Thomians rugby has been on the decline in the past few years and the inevitable demotion surprised nobody. At their expense Wesley were promoted and now occupy the No. 2 slot behind the Petes. There was a time in the not too distant past when the Thomians produced some good quality players who went on to play club and national level rugby.
Business pickups for SL from IPL 2013
Sports embargo
The reality is that there is a trade embargo at play with the GSP+ fallout. But we never thought a sports embargo will be enforced on Sri Lanka. Then it happened. When the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu wrote to the Prime Minister of India that she would not permit any Sri Lanka cricketer or umpire to participate in Chennai, it was the first realisation of the word sports embargo to Sri Lanka.
Land ownership, patent rights and FDI
- Exemptions: Where purchase is in interest of national economy/includes substantial foreign remittance
- 100% tax on foreign purchase of lands.
- Who defines? Who decides? Whither transparency?
In nations emerging from a colonial exploitative relationship, the ownership of land by non-nationals has always been an emotional issue.
Mileage from Milgram
We are going through tough times with few having “holes in hearts” and many having “holes in pockets”. With the shocking electricity price hike in the aftermath of the New Year, I thought of writing on another type of an electricity shock. Today’s column is all about what Professor Milgram did with electricity shocks, which now is acclaimed as one of the most significant experiments on human obedience. Let’s look at the Milgram experiment in detail.
Loss-making key public enterprises: Postponing the needed reforms will be fatal pretty soon
The power shock is to be followed by other shocks too
When the new electricity rates were announced last week, newspaper headlines cried “power paralysis,” “power shocks” and “power betrayal”. Given the increase this time – more than 60% in a single increase – it is not unusual for media to express their shock in equally shocking terms.
However, the media and political reaction to the electricity rate increase appears to have been concentrated on this single one-off incident, ignoring the more alarming big picture emerging in the country’s public enterprise sector.
BBS championing change: Dilantha
“We are not engaged in any activities that are harmful to society, nor are we causing religious disharmony,” claims Bodu Bala Sena strongman Dilantha Withanage.
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