Masters Theses - Faculty of Social Sciences
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Item Resourse sharing among Sri Lanka libraries(1989) Ranasinghe, R.H.I.S.Item The Jaffna kingdom and the contribution of Tamils in ancient Sri Lanka(2009) Dasanayaka, D.A.S.This study analyses the contribution of Tamils to the Sinhalese kingdom and the history of the Tamil kingdom areas close to Jaffna and the Sinhala Buddhist heritage in the area. The primary sources and the secondary sources related to the period, archeological remaining and other sources are used to obtain information. By analyzing the data sources, identifying Tamils, their political influence on the Sinhala kingdom, the cultural contributions, the origins and evolution of the Jaffna kingdom, the Sinhala Buddhist heritage in the area are provided in the dissertation. It is revealed that the Tamils lived in the ancient era, and the origins of the Jaffna kingdom was marked in the 14th century.Item Paddy cultivation insurance scheme in Sri Lanka; its implementation and farmer’s contribution. (Based on 4 selected districts)(2008) Rambukwella, R.Y.D.M.R.N.K.The agricultural insurance scheme which aimed at the security of investments and economic stability of the farmer is an important risk management tool. The agricultural insurance scheme has insured 40% of the total of the paddy fields in 1977/1978, however, in 2004/2005, it reveals a 1% decrease. In the Maha season 2004/2005, only 2% of the paddy cultivation lands were insured. Agricultural insurance is not implemented with the request of the farmers, and the voluntary participation with this regard is at a very low level. The reasons are the insufficient compensation for damages, the delay in receiving compensation, lack of transparency in estimating damages and low estimations. 99% of the farmers involved in the insurance scheme have entered it with the purpose of obtaining cultivation loans. 50% lacks awareness about cultivation insurance. However, when comparing with the government sector, the private sector is far more effective. However, it is revealed that the main objectives such as investment security and economic stability, are not achieved through the insurance scheme. For a successful insurance for cultivation, observation, quick estimation of damages, quick compensation, could be implemented, and the power of the authorities can be divided. Trained officers should be sent to estimate the damages. A successful service should be available to make the farmers aware of the insurance and benefits. When obtaining loans from government banks, insurance for cultivation should be made compulsory. There should be a strong base without political interference.Item A study based on the Farmer Organizations in major irrigation schemes (based on the Girithale irrigation scheme)(2008) Edirisuriya, E.M.A.K.There are 32 irrigation schemes in Sri Lanka. These agricultural colonies originated as development projects. Though the government had many objectives, the farmers faced issues. Therefore, in order to resolve farmer issues, the government implemented strategies to improve public participation in development projects. Accordingly, Farmers Organizations were established, and the government expected to get the participation of the public in these organization. This dissertation aims at evaluating the success and failure of the Farmer Organizations. The first chapter discusses the research problem, significance, aims, scope, methods and limitations. The second chapter focuses on the origins and evolution of Farmer Organizations. The expected functions of Farmer Organizations, the experience, irrigation establishing and management are discussed. The third chapter focuses on how the concept of Farmer Organizations has been used in the Asian irrigation system. A discussion was presented as to how the same concept has been used in India, Pakistan, Philippine, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia and the and the success of it in those countries. The fourth chapter presents the aim and objective of establishing Farmer Organizations, the success and failure related to Girithale area. Further it discusses how the Farmer Organizations are used in irrigation management. Comparison of Asian irrigation management with Sri Lankan irrigation management, origins of Farmer Organizations in Girithale, their function, the impact on income and future commercial agreements, the contribution of women , family nutrition, production are discussed. Finally, how the future of Farmer Organizations should be formed, how they can be used for uplifting lives are summarized.Item Political advertising and songs (A study based on the songs with protesting quality; “Vidodhaakalpa geetha’)(2008) Dasanayaka, P.D.S.Song is an aesthetic media. The main aim of this research is to prove how the song has been used to cultivate protesting attitude in public, and socialize it in Sri Lanka. This identifies the song in different perspectives. Moreover, this studies the evolution of Virodhaakalpa literature, communicative concepts, how songs spread in world’s literature as well as in prison and how it became popular in Sri Lanka via musical shows. Specially the focus was laid on the politics related musical shows. The aim was to show that the aesthetic mode called song can be used to popularize political purposes. Popularizing those political purposes via songs has got its positive and negative effects. The song, protest and politics became intertwined fields. The other fact this study proves is that any form of art cannot exist without politics. Earlier the subjects in songs were love, curiosity, and sex. Though the content is about protest, it could give other messages. Except providing mere entertainment, the song has contributed for social change.Item Providing Financial Aid for Small Industries(2008) Jayatilake, R.M.The expectation of each government that came into power since the independence aimed at uplifting the living standards of people, increasing the mode of income, uplifting employability and then targeting the development via various development projects. In the closed economy that existed in 1978, many industries emerged which used local raw material, and due to that various sectors developed. However, after 1978, with the open economy, local industries faced a massive collapse, imported goods were available in the markets than the local goods. Developing small industries in a country like Sri Lanka will facilitate the development process. For these the physical and human resources should be utilized effectively. By looking at the 1971-1988/89 social conflicts, it is visible that the cause was the lack of contribution of the most important part in the work force in economic and social development. Therefore, the youth should be facilitated to commence businesses by providing them with support that can be used for development. However, it was seen that they face issues in starting and continuing small industries. It is seen that these small industries collapse or remain at the same level shortly after they start. When analyzing the reasons, focusing on informal financial investments was identified as the main cause. Therefore, those who do small industries focus more on informal financial investments. Do they have unique reasons? What are the results they face when going into informal financial investments? A sample of 105 participants from Hingurakgoda Divisional Secretariat division were given questionnaires. 20 entrepreneurs were met and data was received. Data was also obtained from financial suppliers. Secondary data was collected from books, journals, and previous research. Internet was used for other important sources. In analyzing the data, it was revealed that the small industries get financial loans with less number of conditions from the informal sector. The percentage was 42%. And the formal financial investment was 27% and semiformal -31%. When taking formal and semi formal into account, it is 58%. Semi formal and informal as a percentage is 73%. The reasons are; getting loans in a short time, closeness to entrepreneur, lose bail conditions, the acceptance of any valuable assets as bail by the informal sector. The special reason for the small industries to reach informal financial sector are: engaging in traditional business, lack of proper planning in business, less attention of formal sector for small industries, waiting for a long time to get loans from formal sector and lack of flexibility in bail. Due to these reasons small industries still reach informal sector. The limitation of the development of the business conducted by obtaining loans from informal sectors is that they have to pay a huge sum of interest to the lender. Then, the business lacks financial stability and they seek a loan in informal ways. Getting closer to entrepreneurs, improving the functioning of formal sector, spreading them in regional levels, classification of loans, changing the interest rates, formalizing formal sector to get loans in short time, addressing the need of officers, making the tasks efficient are the steps to support the small industry entrepreneurs to reach formal sector.Item A study on how communication behaviors affect the production of an effective teacher (with special reference to primary teachers)(2007) Dasanayake, T.D.M.S.A.This research paper focuses on identifying communication behaviors and strategies to develop communication skills in primary teachers, as they are the facilitators in the teaching-learning process. “Teachers' communication” is defined as transferring knowledge, attitudes, skills and talents from the teacher to the student. Communication behavior is something that one could see, and under this topic there are sub-communication behaviours. The aim of developing communication behaviour is to enhance teacher’s productivity, which also includes motivation, teacher-student relationship and time management. The new primary education curriculum attempts to impart skills and provide children with a meaningful primary education. The role of the primary teacher cannot be underestimated. Currently there are over 55,000 (55,712) primary teachers in grades 1-5 and more than seventeen hundred thousand (1,799,38) primary students receive their service (School Census 1998). Therefore, developing communication behaviours, and the productivity of primary teachers helps to solve many problems related to primary education and contributes directly to the formation of a successful student. The role of the teacher is to provide students with knowledge. However, communication behaviors associated with teaching-learning activities have not been identified so far. Though one could see satisfactory examination results, teacher’s role is being questioned today. Moreover, there are external factors such as unemployment, problems in productivity of human resources, corruption and violence. These factors indicate that the teacher’s role is not at a satisfactory level. Although training, career based courses and programs are implemented in Sri Lanka, there are no measures to enhance the teacher's communication skills. The vocational development courses are not up to the level to train teachers, which is a major challenge at present. The recruitment of untrained teachers also gives negative results. Therefore, the objectives of this dissertation are; to identify the strategies to develop communication behavior of the teachers, to inquire on how the communication behavior affects the student learning, to examine the communication behavior of teachers in learning-teaching process, to examine the need for communication practices to enhance professional productivity of the teachers to achieve national development goals. This research used 30 selected primary school teachers in the Rathnapura area, to investigate the changes in the field of primary education over the past ten years. Participant observations, questionnaires, and attitude scales revealed a wide range of information about the primary teacher's understanding on communication behavior and its use. Interviews were held with subject experts and that revealed that changes are needed from the bottom level. The solutions such as incorporating vocational development courses, establishing a respectable teaching service, creating a team of communication behavior instructors, implementing primary syllabus reforms and overcoming common challenges can be cited. Professional ethics are to be followed in every profession and it is common to teachers too. Therefore , to give the maximum service to the students the teachers should be equipped with effective communication behaviours, as revealed in the present study.Item Funding for fertilizer for paddy cultivation (Based on Mahaweli C Zone)(2008) Dissanayake, D.M.G.By the year 2005, 37% of the total paddy production in Sri Lanka came from the lands belonging to the Mahaweli Scheme, and the contribution of the Mahaweli "C" Zone alone to the National Paddy Production was about 6%. Out of 29296 families living in the Mahaweli C zone, 24559 families were engaged in paddy cultivation. Post-independence governments have been involved in the development of paddy cultivation through legislation, institutional structures, irrigation schemes and various subsidies. But instead of reviving economically, paddy farmers have fallen into poverty and indebtedness as paddy cultivation has become unprofitable. The continuing rise in the cost of production relative to the income received from the production has had a detrimental effect on profitability. A major factor influencing the increase in production costs is the increasing use of chemical fertilizers instead of organic fertilizers to increase productivity and the rising prices of chemical fertilizers in the international market. The cost of paddy production carried out without fertilizer subsidy is about 31% of the cost of fertilizer in the structure. There are several methods that paddy farmers can follow to finance the purchase of fertilizer in the Mahaweli C Zone. Use of their savings, borrowing from voluntary societies, borrowing from family relatives, borrowing at high interest from professional lenders, borrowing from the formal financial sector and mortgaging their gold. etc. and the source of which of these various methods is popular has been studied here. According to a survey conducted in the Batalayaya area in the Mahaweli C Zone, 55% of farmers finance the purchase of fertilizer for paddy cultivation using gold pawn loans. Another 26% borrow from voluntary societies, while only 2% minority resort to formal finance.