http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/10931 Sat, 02 May 2026 08:13:37 GMT 2026-05-02T08:13:37Z http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/10970 Human Resource Management Practices as Predictors of Organisational Innovations: An Analysis of Manufacturing SMEs in Japan Gamage, A.S. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are prevalent across the Japanese economy, accounting for the lion‘s share of its GDP. Their importance is indicated not only by the large share of GDP, but also by the number of companies, total number of employees, and value of shipments etc. However, since last two decades, this sector has no longer been a thriving source of growth. The business failure rate remains high while firm entry rate has slipped downward. One of the reasons for high rate of business failures in SMEs is the lack of attention they are paying to the Human Resource Management (HRM) practices of their businesses when compared with their large counter parts. Therefore, the broad aim of this study is to investigate HRM practices in SMEs in Japan. Specifically, this study aims to investigate whether HRM practices are significant predictors of innovations in SMEs, as measured by the number of new products, process and administrative developments which are crucial to face global competition. Further, this study attempts to examine the relationship between HRM practices and organizational innovations shedding some light on the link between the two. A structured questionnaire was developed and sent to 436 SMEs in Aichi Prefecture and 144 firms responded to the questionnaire resulting in 32 per cent response rate. Based on the data analysis, it was found that there is a strong positive relationship between HRM practices and organizational innovations in manufacturing SMEs in Japan. Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/10970 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/10969 Policy Failure on Poverty Reduction in Bangladesh: Seeking an Alternative through RNFE Kabir, M.L. Poverty remains an overarching problem for policy makers in Bangladesh since its independence in 1971. Though the country has experimented different socialist as well as open market policies to alleviate poverty, still more than 40 per cent of its population remain below the national poverty line. This paper attempts a critical evaluation of the contemporary poverty reduction policies implemented in Bangladesh and argues why such policies have failed to succeed at the given socio-economic structure of Bangladesh. A framework of analysis has been developed to delineate these arguments graphically. Furthermore, this paper demonstrates why the development of Rural Non-Farm Economy (RNFE) would be a better policy option to alleviate poverty under the current socio-economic context of Bangladesh, and presents a statistical model that can be used as an alternative framework for poverty reduction through RNFE development in Bangladesh. Similar models may also be adopted in other developing countries of Asia. Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/10969 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/10967 Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth in South Asian Region Saparamadu, A. A. D. T. This study attempts to investigate the determinants of foreign direct investment and the influence of inward foreign direct investment over economic growth in South Asian region. Having identified the gap of analysis of previous literature in this regard, this study was carried out using panel data for the period 1980-2010, adopting panel least square method. Results of the study indicated that there is a significant positive influence of foreign direct investment over economic growth in the South Asian region. The gross domestic product, size of the government, population, gross domestic capital formation and human capital played a momentous role in determining foreign direct investment. To investigate the causality between foreign direct investment and economic growth, Pair-wise Granger Causality tests were employed that suggested the causality is bidirectional at 5% level of significance and uni-directional at 1% level of significance. Further, Pedroni Residual based Cointegration Test confirmed the existence of a long term influence of foreign direct investment over economic growth. Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/10967 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/10966 Measuring Time-varying Market and Currency Risks with Stochastic Dominance: Evidence from Country Level Stock Returns Jayasinghe, P. In this paper, time-varying market and currency risks among a selected set of developed and emerging economies are compared in terms of stochastic dominance. For this purpose, time-varying exchange rate exposure and market betas are obtained through a multivariate model that explicitly allows for time-varying second moments. Two betas are not assumed to be orthogonal and we explicitly allow for non-orthogonality. The cumulative distribution functions of time-varying betas in the sample indicate that stock returns in emerging economies are more exposed to currency risk, though their exposure to market risk is moderate. On the contrary, the stock returns in developed economies are more exposed to market risk while their exposure to currency risk is remarkably low. There is also evidence to establish the notion that, during the postcurrency crisis period, currency risk in Korea is fading out over time. Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/10966 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z