CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS TO ENHANCE THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IN HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF A DEVELOPING COUNTRY: EVIDENCE FROM SRI LANKA

Author(s):  
T.M.A. Tennakoon ◽  
Kennedy Gunawardena ◽  
S.P. Premaratne

This study through an exploratory approach review the challenges and constraints faced in enhancing entrepreneurship education in developing countries using Sri Lanka as a case study. Previous studies on the subject matter is very scarce and even in international journals only few papers appeared on entrepreneurship education in developing countries. The purpose of this paper is to study the current entrepreneurship education system in Sri Lankan state universities with reference to challenges and constraints and to propose an action plan to raise entrepreneurship education in Sri Lanka to be in par with that of developed nations so that these universities can act as the centerpieces of business innovations and entrepreneurship development. This paper employs an exploratory study approach by analyzing current entrepreneurship education system in Sri Lanka by reviewing secondary data such as various journals and government publications to build the arguments and recommendations outlined. Among constraints and challenges for the development of entrepreneurship education, lack of resources, lack of entrepreneurial skills in lecturers, poor stake-holder engagement, weak government policies and industry � university gap are common to most developing countries. In addition with its free education policy, Sri Lankan universities are faced with strict university entrance procedures and lack of selection of desired courses for majority of students. Findings of this study and salient suggestions will be an invaluable toolkit for policy makers to design effective strategies for entrepreneurship education in developing countries.

Author(s):  
T.M.A. Tennakoon ◽  
Kennedy Gunawardena ◽  
S.P. Premaratne

This study through an exploratory approach review the challenges and constraints faced in enhancing entrepreneurship education in developing countries using Sri Lanka as a case study. Previous studies on the subject matter is very scarce and even in international journals only few papers appeared on entrepreneurship education in developing countries. The purpose of this paper is to study the current entrepreneurship education system in Sri Lankan state universities with reference to challenges and constraints and to propose an action plan to raise entrepreneurship education in Sri Lanka to be in par with that of developed nations so that these universities can act as the centerpieces of business innovations and entrepreneurship development. This paper employs an exploratory study approach by analyzing current entrepreneurship education system in Sri Lanka by reviewing secondary data such as various journals and government publications to build the arguments and recommendations outlined. Among constraints and challenges for the development of entrepreneurship education, lack of resources, lack of entrepreneurial skills in lecturers, poor stake-holder engagement, weak government policies and industry � university gap are common to most developing countries. In addition with its free education policy, Sri Lankan universities are faced with strict university entrance procedures and lack of selection of desired courses for majority of students. Findings of this study and salient suggestions will be an invaluable toolkit for policy makers to design effective strategies for entrepreneurship education in developing countries.


2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Kent Baker ◽  
N. Jayantha Dewasiri ◽  
Weerakoon Banda Yatiwelle Koralalage ◽  
Athambawa Abdul Azeez

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the dividend policy determinants of Sri Lankan firms and why they pay dividends.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses several quantitative approaches to investigate dividend determinants using market (secondary) data of 190 Sri Lankan firms and 1,330 firm-year observations. Dividend determinants are also identified using survey (primary) data from 141 of the 190 firms. Triangulation is then used to facilitate validation of the data through cross-verification from two data sources.FindingsAnalysis of the market data reveals that firm size, industry impact, corporate governance, free cash flow, earnings, past dividends, profitability, investment opportunities, net working capital, concentrated ownership structure and investor preference represent the most important dividend determinants. Survey data confirm these findings. The evidence supports the pecking order, signaling, free cash flow, catering and outcome theories using both secondary and primary data and the bird-in-the-hand theory using survey data.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are useful not only for corporate decision makers in establishing an appropriate dividend policy but also for shareholders in making investment decisions. Because the current study is limited to Sri Lanka, future researchers should study the same phenomenon in other countries using the triangulation approach.Originality/valueThis study provides a hybrid approach to dividend policy research by using both primary and secondary data in a single study. It is the first dividend study in Sri Lanka to use a triangulation approach.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vilasini De Silva ◽  
Jun Yan

<p>Mobile media has been rapidly evolving in the market with novel technological features. It has captured the advertising field in a revolutionary manner. Unlike in developed countries mobile media is less popular in developing countries. This study has been designed to explore the Sri Lankan consumers’ attitudes towards mobile advertising. Self-administrative questionnaire was applied to collect data and 413 valid responses were gathered. The results show that, i) Demographics (age, family income) and ii) Experience with internet advertisements are predictors of attitude towards mobile advertising. Experience with internet advertisements has significant moderating effect on attitude on mobile advertising.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-193
Author(s):  
Kariyawasam Pinikahana Gmage Lahiru Sandaruwan ◽  
Suvajit Banerjee

Background: Grabbing the emerging opportunities, from the escalated global demand for processed seafood due to the modern lifestyle induced changes in the food consumption pattern of the households, could be a great advantage for Sri Lanka to increase its international trade activity. This could also help Sri Lanka earn more revenues by adding value through the processing of the raw fish and through that eliminating high postharvest loss during the peak seasons. Objective: This research intends to study the patterns of global and Sri Lankan trade in the seafood sector and identifies the determinants in terms of their impacts on the processed seafood export. Methods: The Gravity Model was run with the secondary data collected from UNCOMTRADE. The panel data include seafood export data of Sri Lanka from 2001 to 2014 with 107 countries and 144 products. Results: However, only one % of the Sri Lankan processed seafood adds value to the ultra-processed level, so it cannot reach the maximum potentials in job creation and profitability. This study has found that the elasticity values of tariff and non-tariff measures (NTMs) are higher for the processed seafood than the unprocessed seafood. This way, the processed seafood becomes more vulnerable to changes in tariff and NTMs than the unprocessed seafood. Conclusions: The conversion of unprocessed seafood into processed seafood can improve the export revenue for Sri Lanka but these conversions are increasing the vulnerability of seafood exports due to the stringent market barriers.


Author(s):  
M.S.H.U. Karunarathne

Convergence of India-China interests on Sri Lankan context became critical during post conflict period as it provided the platform for these two powerful nations to check and balance their interests. This paper aims at discussing the impact of their interests on post conflict Sri Lanka. The main objective of the study is to theoretically analyze the convergence of Indo-China interests on above context and their impact on Sri Lanka. To achieve aforesaid objectives qualitative approach has been adopted and secondary data is the main type of data obtained from various sources such as books, journal articles, newspapers, government records and other relevant documents available in both printed and electronic versions. Document analysis, theoretical analysis and descriptive analysis are used to analyze data. In document analysis documents are interpreted to give meaning and it collects available data related to the study and interprets them to find out specific issues. Concepts derive from literature review and theoretical analysis helps to develop broader understanding on those issues and collect new knowledge. Descriptive analysis also used in certain areas to provide comprehensive understanding of collected data. The research findings conclude Chinese influence over the other regions seems inevitable with its rise as a global economic and military power which is perceived as a threat by India. India is also trying to match Chinese rise resulting suspicion and fear psychosis among one another’s achievements.  Both are engaged in a competition to achieve goodwill of their neighbors.  Sri Lanka has become convergence point for both India and China due to its strategic importance in the Indian Ocean and it was intensified during post conflict period. Both attempted to attract the post conflict reconstruction projects but China impressed more positively on Sri Lankan policy makers since its aid came with no influences for domestic politics. India raised the issue on reconciliation and power devolution and even supported UN resolution against Sri Lanka. Chinese approach was more peaceful and beneficial for Sri Lanka whereas India


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinithi Dissanayake

Purpose First, this paper aims to explore the extent of the global reporting initiative (GRI) sustainability key performance indicator (KPI) usage in sustainability reporting by businesses operating in Sri Lanka. Second, using a contingency theory approach, this research examines the factors which promote or inhibit the use of the GRI framework to adopt sustainability KPIs in a developing country context, Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach Content analysis and semi-structured interviews are used in this study to explore the key factors which affect the usage of the GRI framework by Sri Lankan companies in adopting sustainability KPIs and reporting on sustainability. Findings The findings indicate that the GRI framework is increasingly used for sustainability reporting by Sri Lankan companies because of its flexibility, consistency, legitimacy and its focus on continuous improvement. However, company managers also shed light on the extensive number of KPIs in the GRI framework making selections challenging and the consequent difficulties associated with adapting these KPIs for companies operating in a developing country context. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to extending the broader literature on sustainability reporting in developing countries and specifically on sustainability KPIs. Second, this paper adds to the current empirical research on sustainability reporting in Sri Lanka where the literature is still sparse. Third, this study highlights the key factors that support or hinder the usage of the GRI framework in a developing country context. Practical implications Important insights for GRI, other standard-setting agencies and businesses can be drawn from the findings of this study. By capitalising further on the training and the educational courses provided by GRI, GRI can be involved in mitigating some of the pressing issues faced by the reporting companies. Originality/value This study adds to the limited research on sustainability reporting and sustainability KPIs in developing country contexts. It shows how companies in Sri Lanka are engaging with sustainability KPIs and sustainability reporting, but are also constrained by the GRI framework as its standards are not tailored to issues in developing countries.


Author(s):  
Sushil K. Sharma ◽  
Jatinder N.D. Gupta

The past few years have seen a rise in the number of companies’ embracing e-commerce technologies in developing countries and the volume of e-commerce has been growing. However, as compared to developed nations, developing countries still have been lacking in e-commerce. This chapter identifies some of the reasons that may be responsible for lack of e-commerce in developing countries. For the scope of the study, we have limited developing countries to China, India, Indonesia, Philippines and Sri Lanka. The study identifies factors at the macro level to understand why the adoption of e-commerce in developing countries has been not taking off as expected.


2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 53-59
Author(s):  
D. M. Ravindra

The ICT policy of Sri Lanka has been largely contributed by both local and international institutions with the holistic purpose of enhancing quality of mass and providing sustainable outset for a knowledge society. The methodology followed by the author was secondary data review and the review report discusses the origin of ICT policy and how it integrates with broad set of stakeholders especially with education, government, industry and masses of Sri Lanka. This article provides a review of how successfully Sri Lanka initiates working programmes by the support of institutions accompanied with new policy frameworks. The key insight of this review article educates the importance of strategic implementation of ICT to strengthening country development plans operating as a value adding hub to industries and communities. The contribution of ICT as an enabler to succeed different sectors has been discussed under different segments. Finally, it concludes the way and progress what ICT should have in future to broadening opportunities for third world countries.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (12) ◽  
pp. 152-157
Author(s):  
Zunoomy M.S. ◽  
Munas M.H.A.

Nominal sentence is a specific aspect of a language. It consists of a subject and predicate. The predicate reflects the subject. Second language learners of Arabic at the level university face difficulties in creating sentences consisting of a subject and predicate and in translating them into Tamil. At the same time, they have learned Arabic grammar in Sri Lankan Arabic Colleges with the 5 – 7 years and also Tamil is their native language. Thus, this research aims to identify the grammar errors when writing nominal sentences and to translate them to Tamil and to rely on the reasons for them. To this, the research uses descriptive analytical methodology through a quantitative approach. It uses a questionnaire for primary data among the undergraduates of the Department of Arabic Language, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka. At the same time, secondary data were gathered from researches, books, articles, website articles. The research finds that the undergraduate has the enough theoretical knowledge about the nominal sentence and they have no confuse to develop a nominal sentence. At the same time, in the practical part, they are neutral level in writing a nominal sentence, in finding the error from them a, and in translating them into Tamil. Hence, the practical part is difficult for the undergraduates than the theoretical part.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (04) ◽  
pp. 1850032 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vathsala Wickramasinghe ◽  
Khaleel Malik

Many advanced economies are at the forefront of the growth of university–industry (U–I) collaborations. But many developing countries have yet to fully implement this type of important linkage phenomenon. We report empirical findings from our study conducted in Sri Lanka to provide more explanations on the nature of U–I collaboration in developing countries. We used multiple methods to collect empirical data, namely a questionnaire survey, interviews with university academic staff and a few company managers, held focus group workshops and exploited secondary data on national government sponsorship initiatives linked to U–I collaborations. This paper discusses key practical implications around current modes of U–I collaborations, barriers to collaboration and funding of collaborations, which provide a number of valuable lessons for the advancement of knowledge.


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