This study examines whether leaders’ unethical behaviours discourage people from participating in activities initiated by community-based programmes, and whether the impact of unethical leadership is moderated by the genders of leaders and community members. We conducted a vignette experiment...

Sri Lanka underwent a political transition with presidential and parliamentary elections in late 2024. The new authorities expressed commitment to the program. Reform efforts are bearing fruit with growth recovering, low inflation, increased revenue collection, and reserves accumulation. By...

The Country Opinion Survey in Sri Lanka assists the World Bank Group (WBG) in better understanding how Sri Lanka stakeholders perceive the WBG. It provides the WBG with systematic feedback from national and local governments, multilateral/bilateral agencies, media, academia, the private sector,...

Rice is a staple crop for over half the world's population, and accurate, timely information on its planted area and production is crucial for food security and agricultural policy, particularly in developing nations like Sri Lanka. However, reliable rice monitoring in regions like Sri Lanka...

The Sri Lanka Development Update (SLDU) has two main aims. First, it reports on key developments over the past 12 months in Sri Lanka's economy, places these in longer term and global contexts, and updates the outlook for Sri Lanka's economy. Second, the SLDU provides a more in-depth examination...

Reducing poverty and improving the living standards of the poor and vulnerable populations in Sri Lanka have been one of the country's key goals. The government has designed poverty-targeting programs with relevant government agencies working to support low-income families. The programs include...

Purpose - This paper aims to explore the motivations behind women in a developing South Asian country - Sri Lanka - to embark on entrepreneurship in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, which is a doubly masculine hegemony operating within a culturally nuanced gendered...

Sri Lanka's fiscal adjustment - nearly 8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) since 2021 - has been exceptionally large by both historical and international standards. It has been critical in stabilizing the economy, reducing fiscal imbalances, and restoring macroeconomic stability. With...

The annual inflation rate in Sri Lanka accelerated to record levels in recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the inflation rate had declined to pre-pandemic levels by mid-2024, it is of great importance to identify the factors that caused hyperinflation during the COVID-19...

This study investigates the factors in acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI)- based chatbot application in Sri Lanka's government administration services, which can be applied to developing countries, using an extended technology acceptance model (extended TAM) as a new research framework...

This paper develops a Keynesian stochastic framework to reassess the natural rate hypothesis in the context of the Sri Lankan economy. By embedding fractional Brownian motion to capture persistent inflationary shocks and incorporating nonlinear interactions between unemployment dynamics and...

Purpose - The study examines the impact of behavioral biases, such as herd behavior, overconfidence and reactions to ESG News, on Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) decisions in the Indian context. Additionally, it explores gender differences in SRI decisions, thereby deepening the...

Purpose - A surge in demand for ethical products, including cruelty-free products, has been well documented in recent years, with direct ramifications for businesses. This trend towards ethical consumption seemed to be swiftly replicated in Eastern countries, especially in South Asian nations,...

Purpose - This study aims to investigate the relative impact of firm-created (FC) and user-generated (UG) social media marketing communication on fashionwear customers' purchase intention (CPI) in Sri Lanka. The primary objective is to identify the influence of social media marketing on the...

Maritime industry transports over 90% of traded cargo annually and accounts for 3% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Asia and the Pacific region process 64% of global cargo, has 9 of the largest 10 ports globally, and provide over 65% of seafarers employed in the industry to support...

This study examines the socioeconomic impacts of large-scale land conversion from agriculture to industry on affected households, focusing on Sri City, an industrial hub in South India established under the SEZ Act 2005. Data from 250 households in and around Sri City were collected on...

Global evidence is mounting that more gender diversity in banking, including having more women in leadership, leads to better outcomes for organizations, their employees, and investors. There is increasing recognition of the importance of workforce diversity and equity along various dimensions,...

The Sri Lankan economy has shown early signs of stabilization with improved fiscal and external balances, supported by a recovery in remittances and tourism and the continued debt service suspension. However, this will be insufficient to reverse crisis-induced welfare losses as poverty levels...

Global evidence is mounting that more gender diversity in banking, including having more women in leadership, leads to better outcomes for organizations, their employees, and investors. There is increasing recognition of the importance of workforce diversity and equity along various dimensions,...

In 2022-2023, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) initiated a multi-country research study focusing on women's advancement in private commercial banking in South Asia. The study covered 20 private commercial banks across three countries - Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. As the largest...