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Inledning: Att skönhet och attraktivitet ger fördelar i livet har bekräftats i många studier. Tänderna är en bidragande faktor till hur människor bedömer varandra. Vita tänder föredras i många fall och missfärgade tänder är minst önskvärt. En studie visar att endast skillnader i tändernas utseende kan påverka hur vi uppfattar en annan människa och vackrare tänder kan få en person att uppfattas som mer intelligent och mer framgångsrik.Syfte: Syftet med studien var att undersöka om det finns någon skillnad i bedömningen av personlighetsdrag utifrån ett blekt, ett missfärgat och ett omanipulerat bett, samt jämföra resultatet mellan hur tandläkarstudenter i Sverige och Sri Lanka bedömer detta.Material och metod: Ett fotografi på en man och en kvinna manipulerades till tre olika utseenden: Blekt, omanipulerat och missfärgat. En enkät för att mäta karaktärsdrag utformades. Enkäten, ett fotografi av sex möjliga och ett informationsblad delades ut till totalt 126 tandläkarstudenter på respektive universitet. Resultat: Signifikanta skillnader fanns i Sverige mellan kvinnan med det blekta bettet och kvinnan med det missfärgade bettet. I Sri Lanka fanns en signifikant skillnad mellan det omanipulerade bettet på kvinnan och det missfärgade bettet på kvinnan. Slutsats: Det fanns ingen signifikant skillnad mellan Sverige och Sri Lanka på hur bilderna bedömdes. Inom länderna fanns dock signifikanta skillnader på hur studenterna tolkade karaktärsdragen på de olika bilderna. I Sverige bedömdes det blekta bettet som mest positivt och det missfärgade som mest negativt. I Sri Lanka bedömdes det omanipulerade bettet som mest positivt och det missfärgade som mest negativt.

<p>This thesis is a study of the patterns of change within Sri Lankan Tamil tradition, with a particular focus on the nineteenth century. It endeavours to accomplish two things. First, by the examination of colonial Sri Lanka against a detailed consideration of the pre-existing society and culture, the thesis shows that the colonial period, far from being one of great change and disjunction with the past, in fact experienced a very gradual course of social change which was facilitated by the widespread incorporation of traditional structures that gave colonial society a much needed stability and a peaceful environment where trade and commerce could prosper. ~econdly, by taking this approach, the thesis demonstrates that the nineteenth century Anglo-Saxon Protestant missionaries eventually fell into the traditional role of sannyasins, a role, as this work shows, that had been adopted by the Jain mendicants and the Buddhist bhikkhus who had preceded them. The thesis first demonstrates that the sannyasin, although in a fundamental sense an enemy of caste, having turned his or her back on caste society, has nevertheless deeply influenced Hindu society, partfcularly when organized as a community of renouncers. The thesis then goes on to argue that the Protestant sannyasins likewise, in the establishment of male and female boarding schools, advocated a form of communal renunciation, which contributed .to the formation of a parallel society alongside the caste society, and which became instrumental in initiating many changes within Tamil culture in Sri Lanka.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Yes / Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the entrepreneurial attitudes of upcountry vegetable farmers in Sri Lanka with respect to the characteristics of innovation, opportunity seeking and risk taking and considers their implications for rural development efforts. Design/methodology/approach – The study was carried out in the hilly areas of the Badulla district in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka. Primary data were collected through a survey using a researcher-administered questionnaire as the data collection instrument and the individual farmer as the unit of analysis. Findings – Most vegetable farmers in the upcountry areas were found to be attitudinally entrepreneurial. Entrepreneurial attitudes were determined more by educational background and farming experience than age, gender, extent of farmland, type of farming and ownership of farmland. Farming experience related positively with innovation, opportunity seeking and risk taking, but farmers’ educational background showed no significant association with innovation. Research limitations/implications – It is suggested that farmer-owned companies with appropriate institutional arrangements could reduce transaction costs for buyers, and introduce accessible rural finance schemes to enhance provision of assets and technology. Such a rural setting would gain from initiatives on marketing alternatives and entrepreneurial skill development. Future research could benefit from analysis of the financial and social performance and entrepreneurial skills of vegetable farmers. Originality/value – The entrepreneurial attitude of farmers is an under-researched area of study particularly in the Sri Lanka context. Rural development initiatives could target entrepreneurial farmers based on these criteria to achieve maximum production impact. However care needs to be taken to consider the potential distributive impact of such targeting on farmers regarded as non-entrepreneurial. / This publication would not have been possible without the funding provided by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) under its academic fellowship programme. Assistance provided by Ellie Fixter (ACU, London) and Max Wellingham (British Council, Manchester) is sincerely appreciated.

Modern rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties produce very high yields under high input and favorable environments. Limited work has been done to develop plant types suitable for less than optimal environments at moderate N management levels. The objectives of this study were: 1) to examine the relationship between the uptake of N and different leaf characteristics, sink size, and grain yield of three morphologically distinct rice varieties; 2) to examine the CO2 exchange rates (CER) of rice varieties in relation to light, N management, water use efficiencies (WUE), and N use efficiency (NUE): and 3) to determine characteristics of rice varieties that are associated with productive potentials under low N management levels. A greenhouse experiment was conducted in 1989 at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA and a field experiment was conducted in Sri Lanka at two locations in 1990. In the greenhouse experiment three varieties (a traditional, an intermediate, and a modem variety) were grown under four N management (rate and time) treatments: viz 1) a 0 N control, 2) 200 mg N kg⁻¹ of soil split into two applications, 3) 200 mg N kg⁻¹ of soil split into three applications, and 4) 400 mg N kg⁻¹> of soil split into three applications. Competitive use of fertilizer N for the development of either large leaf area or high leaf N content per unit leaf area (LNLA) varied with the rate and timing of N fertilizer application and rice variety. When N supply was limited and early N applications were restricted, the intermediate variety increased LNLA in the flag leaf with little increase in total leaf area of the plant. Specific leaf weight did not differ with N management except for the low value of the N control treatment. Increased N applications reduced stomatal density. Total stomatal number leaf⁻¹ varied little within cultivars indicating that N fertilization enables the leaf to increase leaf area and thereby disperses the fixed number of stomates. Carbon dioxide exchange rates were higher in the flag leaf than lower leaves and were directly correlated to LNLA. / Ph. D.

Sri Lanka achieved a high level of self-sufficiency in rice in the 1980s through a series of investments on irrigation, technological change, and marketing and trade policies. However, more than two decades of expansion in the international rice market has diminished the validity of rice self-sufficiency policies as an economic development strategy. As a consequence, trends in the international market through their impacts on reducing investments such as rice research, extension, and irrigation development have adversely affected the ability of Sri Lanka to maintain the same levels of rice self-sufficiency in the future. In the domestic policy area however, some degree of indecision exists in undertaking reforms necessary to take advantage of the trends in the international rice economy. Given the overwhelming influence rice has on the direction of national agriculture policies in Sri Lanka, it is critical to resolve this indetemlinacy pertaining to rice policies. The objectives of the present study are to estimate the producers' response to numerous policy variables that impact on the levels of rice production, and the country's ability to manage food-security under a regime of market-friendly policies. A supply response model based on the choice of technique approach with endogenous determination of technology was specified to capture the effects of policy variables on rice output determination. The dynamic effects of technology, prices, and investments on productivity are therefore accounted for in the model. The supply response system is composed of blocks of equations for determination of investment in quasi-fixed inputs, choice of technology, and yields. Data for the period since 1974 during which notable changes took place in the rice supply situation in Sri Lanka were used in the analysis.. Results suggest that a major share of rice output growth in Sri Lanka is explained by the producers' response to government-supplied, technology-related variables such as irrigation and research. Rice supply response to input and output prices was slight relative to the response to technology variables. Model simulations showed that, under a regime of more market friendly policies, continuation of current investment trends and policies would lead to a worsening of rice self-sufficiency levels over the next 10 years. It was also observed that with modest growth in irrigation and research investments, it is possible to maintain rice self-sufficiency at levels comparable to the present. / Ph. D.

Yes / ¿Part 1: The congestion of humanitarian space¿, assesses what affect the rapid proliferation of the international aid community¿s presence in Sri Lanka has had on local level relationships and emergency response capacities. It contends that the burgeoning presence of aid agencies resulted in humanitarian assistance becoming a hotly contested and competitive activity. It goes on to identify the possible factors that have contributed to the rapid congestion of this space in suggesting an explanation of why the humanitarian communities¿ normative standards appear to have failed.

No / Throughout much of the 25-year Sri Lankan conflict, attention has focused on the confrontation between the majority Sinhalese and the minority Tamils. The views of the country¿s Muslims, who are 8 per cent of the population and see themselves as a separate ethnic group, have largely been ignored. Understanding their role in the conflict and addressing their political aspirations are vital if there is to be a lasting peace settlement. Muslims need to be part of any renewed peace process but with both the government and LTTE intent on continuing the conflict, more immediate steps should be taken to ensure their security and political involvement. These include control of the Karuna faction, more responsive local and national government, improved human rights mechanisms and a serious political strategy that recognises minority concerns in the east. At least one third of Muslims live in the conflict-affected north and east and thus have a significant interest in the outcome of the war. They have often suffered serious hardship, particularly at the hands of the Tamil rebel group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Since 1990 Muslims have been the victims of ethnic cleansing, massacres and forced displacement by the insurgents. The 2002 ceasefire agreement (CFA) was a disappointment to many Muslims. They had no independent representation at the peace talks, and many feared that any agreement that gave the LTTE exclusive control of the north and east, even in a federal arrangement, would be seriously detrimental to their own interests. Despite talks between Muslim leaders and the LTTE, they continued to suffer violent attacks. Since the resumption of large-scale military action in mid-2006, Muslims have again been caught up in the fighting in the east. Dozens have been killed and thousands displaced. They have also come into conflict with a new, pro-government Tamil paramilitary group, the Karuna faction. Memories of LTTE oppression are still fresh, and rancorous disputes with Tamils over land and resources remain potent in the east. Muslim political leaders have often been divided, representing different historical experiences and geographical realities as well as personal and political differences. Muslims in the east and north ¿ who have been fundamentally affected by the conflict ¿ often have very different views from those who live in the south among the Sinhalese. Nevertheless, there is consensus on some key issues and a desire to develop a more united approach to the conflict. Muslims have never resorted to armed rebellion to assert their political position, although some have worked with the security forces, and a few were members of early Tamil militant groups. Fears of an armed movement emerging among Muslims, perhaps with a facade of Islamist ideology, have been present since the early 1990s, but most have remained committed to channelling their frustrations through the political process and negotiating with the government and Tamil militants at different times. There is no guarantee that this commitment to non-violence will continue, particularly given the frustration noticeable among younger Muslims in the Eastern province. In some areas there are Muslim armed groups but they are small and not a major security threat. Fears of armed Islamist movements emerging seem to be exaggerated, often for political ends. Small gangs have been engaged in semi-criminal activities and intra-religious disputes, but there is a danger they will take on a role in inter-communal disputes if the conflict continues to impinge upon the security of co-religionists. There is increasing interest among some Muslims in more fundamentalist versions of Islam, and there have been violent clashes between ultra-orthodox and Sufi movements. This kind of violence remains limited and most Muslims show considerable tolerance to other sects and other faiths. Nevertheless, the conflict is at least partly responsible for some Muslims channelling their frustrations and identity issues into religious disputes. Muslim peace proposals have tended to be reactive, dependent on the politics of the major Tamil and Sinhalese parties. Muslim autonomous areas in the east are being pursued but seem unlikely to be accepted by the present government. Muslims are concerned about Colombo¿s plans for development and governance in the east, which have not involved meaningful consultation with ethnic minorities and do not seem to include significant devolution of powers to local communities. In the longer term, only a full political settlement of the conflict can allow historical injustices against the Muslims to be addressed and begin a process of reconciliation. The LTTE, in particular, needs to revisit the history of its dealings with the Muslims if it is to gain any credibility in a future peace process in which the Muslims are involved. Only an equitable settlement, in which Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim community concerns are adequately addressed, can really contain the growing disillusionment among a new generation of Sri Lankan Muslims.

A descriptive type of research was conducted to study the Cooperative Extension Service in the United States with implications for the Agricultural Extension Program in Sri Lanka. The Commonwealth of Virginia's Cooperative Extension Service was selected for detailed study and information was collected through literature reviews and personal interviews. Based on the writer's experience and available materials, information concerned with the Agricultural Extension Program in Sri Lanka was presented. The information on organizational structure and operation of the cooperative agricultural extension program in Virginia, including the history of agricultural extension programs in the United States; cooperative extension work at Federal, state and county levels; responsibilities of extension personnel; program planning and evaluation; flow of information and teaching methods; staff development; and 4-H activities were collected and compared with similar aspects of the agricultural extension program in Sri Lanka. The comparison of the Cooperative Extension Service in the United States and the Agricultural Extension Program in Sri Lanka shows both differences and commonalities. Basic functions and the general objectives of both extension programs are almost the same, but there are differences between the two extension programs in organizational structure, subject matter coverage, approach to the clientele, procedures of program planning and implementation, staff development and in 4-H activities. Based on the findings of this study, the following most important conclusions were drawn: (1) a lack of formal functional relationship between the Agricultural Extension Service and the higher educational institutes has limited the use of personnel and resources available in the institutes; (2) the lack of job descriptions for agricultural extension workers leads to confusion of their duties and responsibilities; (3) the Agricultural Extension Service in Sri Lanka has not used local clientele committees during the program development process; (4) the village level extension workers do not have input in the preparation and implementation of the programs at the local level; (5) an evaluation unit or commitment for evaluation is neglected in the organizational structure of the Agricultural Extension Service in Sri Lanka; (6) the demonstration method of teaching has been overlooked and is used too infrequently in agricultural extension education activities; (7) technical assistance provided by extension workers is limited to agricultural production; and (8) young farmers program activities have been neglected for many years. Based on the selected conclusions of this study, the selected recommendations were made to help strengthen the Agricultural Extension Service in Sri Lanka: 1. that a formal functional relationship be established between the Agricultural Extension Service and the higher educational institutes; 2. that the duties and responsibilities of extension workers at the various levels be defined; 3. that advisory committees be organized at each hierarchy level of the organizational structure of the Agricultural Extension Service; 4. that agricultural extension programs be developed and implemented at local levels; 5. that an evaluation unit be created as a part of the Agricultural Extension Division; 6. that the demonstration technique be used as a primary teaching method; 7. that the competency level of extension personnel be improved through a systematic and planned preservice and in-service preparation programs; and 8. that village level extension workers organize young farmers clubs in each of their ranges. / Master of Science

This study investigates how the listed companies in Sri Lanka gain financial benefits from Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting. As businesses increasingly adopt ESG reporting to disclose their commitment to sustainability, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and ethical governance, understanding its impact is crucial. However, in developing nations like Sri Lanka, the empirical relationship between ESG reporting and financial performance remains poorly understood. By examining how ESG reporting affects financial performance metrics such as Return on Equity (ROE) and Return on Assets (ROA), this study aims to fill this knowledge gap.Using a quantitative approach, this study analyses the ESG reporting and financial data of a sample of two hundred thirteen listed companies in Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) Sri Lanka. The secondary data used for the study, was collected from published annual reports of the listed companies and Refinitiv Eikon database for the period from 2021 to 2023. The quantitative analysis includes regression and correlation techniques to assess the relationship between ESG reporting and financial performance. The results show a weak positive relationship between financial performance and ESG reporting, indicating that although ESG reporting practices may improve financial outcomes of the listed companies in Sri Lanka, this relationship is not particularly strong in the Sri Lankan context. By presenting real-world information from the perspective of emerging markets, this study adds to the body of literature on ESG reporting in academia. It emphasizes the value of strong ESG reporting systems and provides investors, politicians, and accounting professionals with useful insights. The study emphasizes the necessity of further investigations into ESG practices with a view to properly identify the consequences of ESG reporting practices for sustainability and value creation in Sri Lanka and beyond.