Quarterly - NSBM - National School of Business Management

Vol. 1 ; No. 2 ; 15th June, 2015
309, High Level Road, Colombo 05,
Sri Lanka
Tel: +94-11-544-5000
www.nsbm.lk
NSBM
Quarterly
News
Inside....
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A NEW EXPERIENCE IN UNIVERSITY EDUCATION,
page 1
LEAN : A PHILOSOPHY AND A WAY OF LIFE, page 2
NSBM GRADUATES: ENHANCING EMPLOYABILITY,
page 3
CONVOCATION - FEBRUARY, 2015, page 4
STUDENT NEWS, page 5
NSBM NEW Student INTAKE, page 6
STAFF NEWS, page 7
LIBRARY UPDATE, page 8
Quarterly Newsletter of National School of Business Management
NSBM Quarterly
News
NSBM
Green University Town
The objective of the newsletter of the National School of
Business Management, NSBM Quarterly News, is to provide
a medium for disseminating current news, information and
notices about NSBM among students, parents, the industry
and other interest groups. It provides a snapshot of NSBM
on a quarterly basis. It is envisaged that NSBM Quarterly
News will enable NSBM to interact closely with the different
stakeholder groups for better mutual understanding, which,
in turn, will improve the services that it offers to society.
NSBM Quarterly News will be issued in the months of March,
June, September and December. This issue, which is the
second in the series, is released to coincide with the NSBM
Convocation, 2015 (Graduation of students who followed
the Limkokwing Univesrsity, Malaysia, Degree Programmes)
which falls on June 15, 2015.
Each issue will cover news and information related to the
preceding quarter and notices relevant to the next quarter.
Readers are cordially invited to send their comments and
suggestions to the compilers.
A New Experience in University Education
A
new experience in higher education in Sri Lanka will
dawn shortly with the setting up of the NSBM Green
University Town. NSBM will move to an ultra-modern
state-of-the-art campus, the NSBM Green University
Town, in Pitipana, Homagama, about 35 km away from
Colombo, in early 2016. Away from the hustle and bustle
of the city and nestling in the greenery and quiet of a
rural setting, it offers an idyllic environment for those
who wish to engage in higher studies and research.
The Green University Town seeks not only to provide
a novel and unmatched academic experience but also
to set the backdrop for an authentic university life. A
few features, novel and unique to Sri Lanka, that NSBM
Green University Town will offer to its students thus
bringing in a true international flavor are outlined below:
Industry exposure within the campus Industry exposure forms an integral part of the study
programmes conducted by NSBM. This is accomplished
through a variety of strategies at present. However, a
few new initiatives will be added to give a new dimension
to industry exposure to students at the Green University
Town.
The
Day
Operations Room: Simulation
of a business enterprise
The
operations
room
concept
simulates a real life business enterprise
manifested in a number of ways.
The operations room, a business unit
comprising a small manufacturing
and distribution facility set up within
the university will provide students
with an opportunity to obtain real life
experience in running a business. They,
under the guidance of a few specialists
in procurement, operations marketing
etc. will run a business on a commercial
scale. After serving as employees in the
business unit during the day they will
attend study sessions in the evenings.
This in-depth hands-on experience
earned across different functions and
positions of a business will be superior
to the industry-internship training that
students undergo currently.
i s
Not
Fa r
This operations room concept will be
extended to the services sector as well.
A small restaurant complete with a
state-of-the art kitchen is envisaged to
be set up to familiarize students with
managing a business in the hospitality
industry.
Also, a unit of the share market will
be set up where students will gather
hands-on experience in investing in
shares and other securities. In addition
to making investments they will receive
wide exposure to the dynamics of the
share market and the economy.
While certain operations rooms will
be of greater relevance to students
of specific study programmes (e.g.
the restaurant for those who study
hospitality and tourism management),
a general understanding of the
operations of different facility centres
will be of value to students in all study
Off . . .
To W i t n e s s F i r s t E v e r G r e e n U n i v e r s i t y To w n
Contd. page 8
Page 2
Quarterly Newsletter of National School of Business Management
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN,
NIBM AND NSBM
Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku
Chairman, NIBM and NSBM
It gives me much pleasure to
send this message to the second
issue of NSBM QUARTERLY
NEWS, the newsletter of the
National School of Business
Management.
A newsletter of an institute of
higher education should be
a rich source of information
covering the events associated
with the immediate past,
present and the future of the
organization. The aim of the
newsletter should be to keep
the busy reader informed about
current affairs of the institute.
Thus, it should adopt an easy to
read style of writing supplemented
with relevant pictures. In addition,
an effective newsletter will feature
a short article or two which
address readers and leave them
with a few thoughts to ponder
about. In essence, the newsletter
should provide readers with both
news and knowledge.
Based on our experience of the
first issue of the newsletter, it is
heartening to note that the NSBM
QUARTERLY NEWS has largely
adhered to the above requirements.
While complimenting the NSBM
team for their effort in putting
out a document of this nature I
would also caution them about the
challenges ahead. Among them,
continuity without compromising
quality and timely release loom
large. I am confident that the NSBM
team will surmount these with
fortitude. I wish NSBM QUARTERLY
NEWS the success that it so richly
deserves.
Comment from the
CEO, NSBM
Dr. E A Weerasinghe
Chief Executive Officer, NSBM
It is most encouraging that the
NSBM Quarterly News was
received with much enthusiasm
by its wide ranging readership.
There
have
also
been
suggestions and requests for
improvement from them which
is indicative that the NSBM
newsletter addresses a long-felt
need with a specific role to play
in the progress of the Institute.
This issue of the NSBM
Quarterly News is woven
around the theme:
NSBM
focuses its energies to develop
holistic graduates for gainful
employment here and overseas.
The lead story exemplifies the
special features that are offered
to students to make them selfdependent and strong. This
issue’s point of view presents lean
management as a philosophy and
a set of practices to be utilized
in their personal and work life.
Further, the special article in the
inner pages provides a panoramic
view of the strategies adopted
by NSBM to provide industrial
exposure with a view to making
them employable. In addition, other
news items featuring students,
staff and events make it excellent
reading material for everyone.
I take this opportunity to thank
the NSBM team for taking the
necessary steps to release the
second issue of NSBM Quarterly
News released on schedule. It
is furthermore important to note
that the launch coincides with
the Convocation, 2015, of the
Limkokwing University. I hope and
wish that the NSBM newsletter will
go from strength to strength in the
period ahead.
Vol. 1 ; No. 2 ; 15th June, 2015
Point of View
Lean : A Philosophy and a Way of Life
Lean is becoming increasingly popular in Sri Lanka as a technique of
value creation through cost reduction via eliminating waste. It’s being
promoted in numerous workshops and seminars as well as study
programmes in universities and higher educational institutes. NSBM is
no exception as course units covering operations management carry
a fair dose of lean. Lean involves a philosophy, a way of thought as
well as a path to tread. The purpose of this article is to introduce the
concept and the practice of lean to the general reader.
Lean is a buzz word in the world of business today. In forming a clear
definition of lean and developing associated guiding principles one
has to delve into early studies of scholars in automobile companies
in Japan and Western Europe. Lean essentially means eliminating
everything that does not add value, i.e. waste, from processes.
Understandably, it translates itself into doing more with less. An
operational definition would be: A dynamic process of change driven
by a systematic set of principles and best practices aimed at continual
improvement through breakthroughs by eliminating waste in business
process. Herein, as stated previously, waste is viewed as actions that
do not add value to products and services and thus can be eliminated.
Scholars as well as practitioners with deep insights into processes
consider waste as the single-most enemy that limits business
performance (profits) and threatens prosperity (growth) unless it is
relentlessly and systematically eliminated over time.
The core of lean thinking is focused on value where value creation is
seen to occur through cost reduction. All activities, both value adding
and non-value adding, involve costs. If the non-value adding activities
can be identified and eliminated (in common parlance amounts to
eliminating waste) the associated costs will disappear. This will result
in an increase in the value proposition for the customer.
Taking a different stance, one could argue that adding new features
desired by customers will increase the value accrued to them.
However, one should bear in mind that adding new features involve
additional expenditure, which to make matters worse, will be imitated
by inquisitive competitors in no time. Thus, prior to venturing into this
option one should pay attention to cost reduction through elimination
of waste which is very much within one’s grasp irrespective of the
moves of competitors. Going lean will, therefore, provide one with a
real cutting edge to beat the competition.
The lean philosophy has evolved over the last two decades owing
mainly to extensive research and practices carried out at Toyota
Company in Japan. These efforts have resulted in a set of lean
principles commonly known as Toyota Production System (TPS).
However, TPS became extremely popular among industrialists after
publishing of The machine that changes the world by Womack and
Jones (1996) who introduced five principles of lean thinking, depicted
in Figure 1.
Figure 1: The Five Lean Principles
Quarterly Newsletter of National School of Business Management
In applying the lean principles, it is essential that one follows the
five steps faithfully and in succession which will enable elimination
of waste so that most of the non-value–added activities in major
business processes will also be eliminated. The lean process should
commence with value analysis followed by value stream mapping, line
balancing and establishing a pace maker process by way of pull.
Going a layer deeper, successful application of lean principles depends
on the behavior of owners of business processes where creation
of value is taking place. Herein, it is important to understand two
different behaviors of people, namely lean and fat. Lean behavior adds
or creates value to businesses while fat behavior does not add value
to businesses. Elaborating further, according to Emiliani (1998), lean
behavior focuses on minimization of waste associated with arbitrary
or contradictory thoughts and action that leads to defensive behavior,
ineffective relationships, poor co-operation and negative attitudes. In
contrast, fat behavior inhibits workflow and is akin to wasteful batch
and queue production and service delivery methods. Fat behavior is
analogous to much talk while nothing has actually been said and done.
Thus, lean is both a philosophy and a way of life. It is imperative that the
concept of lean thinking and its principles are inculcated in the minds
of employees and business leaders of the country. It is evident that
lean can also be adopted in one’s personal life. Sri Lanka needs lean
thinkers and lean doers who take the real challenge of the business to
prosper our nation. This should not be difficult as the concept of lean
is very much in alignment with the socio-cultural fabric of Sri Lanka
which advocates focus on the essentials, simplicity, flexibility and
getting rid of frills.
Dr. D. M. A. Kulasooriya
Director – Academic Affairs (Acting), NSBM
NSBM Graduates
Enhancing Employability through
Industry Exposure
The change of paradigms
Vol. 1 ; No. 2 ; 15th June, 2015
Page 3
Personality development sessions
NSBM conducts personality development sessions during the first year
of the study programmes. Their impact is two-fold. While enabling them
to engage in their studies more effectively they inculcate an attribute
desired by the industry from its new recruits. The sessions adopt an
interactive approach, which students immensely enjoy.
Resource persons from industry
In addition to the members of the internal staff, resource persons are
drawn from industry to ensure healthy blend of theory and practice in
teaching and learning. With their extensive experience in industry they
bring a wealth of knowledge to the class room sessions which also deal
with theoretical concepts. Their involvement also enables students
to analyze case studies more effectively and thereby understand
organizations and industries.
Public lectures, seminars and field visits
Public lectures and seminars are conducted by industry experts on
topical themes of relevance for the benefit of students. They provide
students with useful insights into the realities of the corporate world.
Further, field visits form part of the curriculum of certain course
units where students are exposed to how manufacturing and service
facilities are operated and managed.
Organizational/ industry studies
Individual/ group assignments involving the study of a facet of
organizational life or function/ characteristic of a given industry are
a common feature of all study programmes. They are built into the
different course units and form part of the evaluation criteria through
the reports prepared and presentations made by students. In this
regard, students are required to visit the relevant organization several
times and collect the required data through observation and interviews
which they analyze and present together with conclusions and
recommendations. Some of these studies are akin to mini-research
as they involve an extensive survey of literature, conceptualization and
synthesis of data. These exercises enablestudents to have a glimpse
of organizations and industries and the dynamics within them.
The old paradigm pertaining to universities as centres for creating and
disseminating knowledge has changed over time. From a position of
producing academics, i.e., scholarly men and women, universities now
take upon themselves the additional task of developing employable
graduates for the job market. It is expected that they will contribute to
society in the various positions they hold in organizations.
It is evident that in order to be productive in the world of work
one should possess many attributes. Thus, in today’s context a
graduate passing out from a university is expected to be endowed
with competencies such as skills, attitudes, values and ethics, in
addition to possessing subject-related knowledge. A useful method
of inculcating these attributes in undergraduates will be through
exposure to industry. There is overwhelming evidence that industry
exposure forms an important constituent of the study programmes
of excellent universities the world over. NSBM is no exception in this
regard as explained in the following paragraphs.
Industry supportive/ based study programmes
The study programmes conducted by NSBM are largely either
industry-supportive (e.g.,Human Resource Management, Operations
and Logistics Management) or industry-based (e.g., Hospitality and
Tourism, and Interior Design). Owing to the intrinsic nature of these
study programmes the course contents comprise concepts and
practices related to industry. In addition, the commonly used delivery
methods such as case studies and video-presentations introduce
students to real life events within organizations.
Industrial training
This is the most advanced type of industry exposure available to
students in the study programmes. Industry training in a relevant
organization in keeping with one’s area of study is encouraged in
certain programmes while it is mandatory in others. Those who follow
a three-year degree programme are released to acquire their industrial
training from the second year onwards while those who have registered
for a four-year degree programme are released for this purpose during
the third and fourth years of their study programme.
Page 4
Quarterly Newsletter of National School of Business Management
Vol. 1 ; No. 2 ; 15th June, 2015
Convocation - February, 2015
UGC Approved Degree Programmes
In certain study programmes it is mandatory that students complete
a specific number of industrial training hours. The training is followed
by an evaluation by the employer organization as well as by a panel
of resource persons of NSBM. In order to facilitate industrial training,
study sessions are conducted during weekday evenings (5.30 – 8.30
pm) and at weekends. Thus, by the time a student has acquired his
academic qualification, he/ she may have been exposed to industrial
training for a period as long as two years. This undoubtedly enhances
their employability in their chosen area of study.
Though students are given the option of choosing their places
of training they can always turn to the Career Guidance Unit (CGU)
of NSBM for assistance. The wide network of relations that CGU
maintains with well-known corporates of Sri Lanka enables them
to find placements for students. In addition, it also maintains a
counseling service for the benefit of students on matters of concern
to them.
The overall status and the future
Industry exposure is an integral part of the study programmes at
NSBM; it provides them with necessary competencies comprising
skills, attitudes, values and ethics. This is accomplished through a
multi-prong approach resulting in enhancing the employability of
graduates. The intensity of industrial training in terms of coverage
and duration varies across different study programmes. However,
irrespective of the study programme, there is a threshold level of
competencies that every student is required to attain. Further, the
curricula related to industrial training are reviewed by the academic
boards of study at NSBM on a continuous basis with a view to making
them increasingly relevant and beneficial to students. Thus, NSBM is
well on its way to being on par with best practices of universities the
world over.
NSBM Diary
Important dates for the next two quarters :
August 29 and 30, 2015
EDEX Exhibition – NSBM Stall as the Platinum Sponsor
September 26, 2015
Flair ’15 Acoustic Night
September 29, 2015
Convocation - University Collage of Dublin, Ireland
November 27, 2015
Convocation - University of Plymouth, UK (First Convocation)
The second convocation of the UGC approved degree programmes
awarded by NSBM was held on 25 February, 2015 on a grand scale in the
Main Hall at the BMICH. NSBM, as the nation’s premier degree school,
took pride in conferring degrees on 495 students who completed the
Bachelor’s Degree and Postgraduate Diploma Programmes. Since its
inception in 2012, the campus has grown tremendously by enrolling
increasingly larger batches of students. This convocation was a
milestone in NSBM’s progress as it marked the graduation of its first
batch of Postgraduate Diploma holders.
Students who successfully completed their Bachelor’s Degrees in
Business Management specializing in Human Resource Management,
Industrial Management, Project Management and Logistics
Management were awarded their certificates on this occasion while
109 students who completed their Postgraduate Diplomas in Business
Management, Human Resource Management (Sinhala / English),
Industrial Management, Project Management, Computer Networks
and Software Engineering also graduated at the event.
Honorable Eran Wickramaratne, Deputy Minister of Highways, Higher
Education and Investment Promotion, participated in the event as
the Chief Guest. He congratulated NSBM on the very impressive
fast-paced progress it has made in a very short period of time. He
emphasized that NSBM was a good example of a Business School
putting the principles of Management into very effective practice
while also grooming young minds on the principles and practices
of Management. A renowned entrepreneur and economist, Mr.
Wickramaratne specifically congratulated NSBM on its futuristic and
visionary project, the Green University Town, and appreciated the fact
that NSBM immensely contributed to the development of the country
by not being a burden on the tax payer as its a self-financed investment
adding to the socio-economic development of the country.
Among the graduands who had excelled in their respective fields, M.
Dananjani Jayawickrama took the prize for the best performance in
the School of Business while D. G. Hasara Kalpani won the overall best
performance award in the School of Computing. The best performance
awards in each degree specialization, namely, Industrial Management,
Project Management, Human Resource Management and Logistics
Management were won by Nayana Prabodha Ranasinghe, W. M
Nataliya Shenara de Silva, M. Dananjani Jayawickrama, and P. A.
Shashini Prabodha Pananwala.
Quarterly Newsletter of National School of Business Management
Student news
Vol. 1 ; No. 2 ; 15th June, 2015
Page 5
Industry Visit
Student Activities
FLIP IT
Organized by SPARKS Unilever student ambassador of NSBM
in collaboration with the student activity centre of NSBM, a skills
building workshop supported by a panel discussion was held on March
30, 2015 at the NSBM Auditorium. It was a valuable opportunity for
students to identify their strengths and limitations and to assess all
the outcomes of a situation, akin to flipping a coin, and transforming
problems into solutions.
The UGC Management Information Systems (MIS) undergraduates
visited 99X Technology on an Industry Visit on 28th May, where they
were exposed to several technical sessions delivered by the company,
as well as some more practical soft skills workshops. A great time
was had by all, getting to know each other and sharing knowledge
during the visit.
POSON Celebrations
SIYAPATH SIYA UDANAYA, 2015
The annual Sinhala and Hindu New Year celebrations organized by
the students of NSBM were held on April 29, 2015 at the CH & FC
Grounds, Colombo. The event, conducted in true traditional spirit with
the active participation of students belonging to different religious and
ethnic communities, was a resounding success.
Poson was celebrated on a grand scale at the NSBM. A recital of Poson
Bhakti Gee was held on June 3, 2015 (day after Poson) at the NSBM
premises. Students and staff of NSBM sang songs of devotion in praise
of Arahat Mahinda who brought the message of the Lord Buddha to the
nation during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa. Visharada Somasiri
Madagedara, the renowned musician, graced the occasion as the Chief
Guest. The Mihintale rock and its environs, a creation of students,
added a fitting backdrop to the serenity of the occasion. Alongside,
students offered manioc and ice-cream to wayfarers which went into
the late evening. The spirit of Poson was in all its glory.
CSR Activities
NSBM SPORTS FIESTA, 2015
LET’S BE THEIR VALENTINE
The much anticipated inaugural NSBM Sports Fiesta took place on
March 15, 2015 at the Royal College Sports Complex, Colombo. An
exhilarating event of sporting grit and competition, it comprised a
wide range of events including cricket, rugby, basketball, badminton,
swimming, football and athletics.
Another worthy Rotaract effort, this community service project was
organized on Valentine’s Day 2015 to donate rations and school
supplies to children of a deserving orphanage in Maharagama. The
organizers and Rotaract members visited the orphanage to make the
presentation. Thereafter, they took part in several friendly games with
the kids. Donations were quick to come in response to their request via
social media and class room announcements.
Page 6
Quarterly Newsletter of National School of Business Management
Vol. 1 ; No. 2 ; 15th June, 2015
that keeps abreast of global
trends and demands. The rich
portfolio
of
undergraduate
Degree programmes in Business
Management,
Information
Technology and Creative Studies
offers the best choices for higher
education for school leavers as
well as other professionals.
BE STRONG, NEPAL
In the wake of the horrendous earthquake which shook Nepal of late,
the Rotaract Club of NSBM initiated the Be Strong, Nepal community
service project to help the affected. In response to appeals made
through the media for aid the Rotaract Club, NSBM, in partnership with
the Ministry of Disaster Management, communicated with Rotaract
Clubs in the Colombo District. Five collection centres were set up and
aid was collected at lightning speed.
WORSHOP SERIES FOR UCD
STUDENTS
A five-day workshop series of three hours’ duration each is being
conducted for the benefit of University College of Dublin (UCD) students
by Prof. K B M Fonseka and Dr. A R Ajward. The goal of the workshop
series is to enhance the academic writing skills of students and also to
introduce them to the use of SPSS software in research. It is expected
that the workshop series will be of immense use to UCD students in
their research endeavours which are scheduled to commence shortly.
Inauguration Ceremony: NSBM
New Student Intake -March,
2015
The National School of Business Management (NSBM) inaugurated
its degree programmes for the first batch of students of the year
2015 at the Main Hall of BMICH on 17th March 2015. Over 1,000
participants including both students and their parents attended this
inaugural event for the new students who embarked on their journey
towards personal achievement and professional success.
Hon. Dr. Harsha de Silva, Deputy Minister of Policy Planning and
Economic Development, participated as the Chief Guest. Mr. U R
Seneviratne, Secretary and Mr. Ranjith Asoka, Additional Secretary
represented Hon. Kabir Hashim, Minister of Highways, Higher
Education and Investment Promotion. Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku,
Chairman, NIBM/NSBM, Dr. E A Weerasinghe, DG, NIBM & CEO, NSBM
and Dr. D M A Kulasooriya, Director, NIBM & Director-Academic Affairs
(Acting), NSBM, Senior Lecturers and Consultants of NSBM & NIBM
were among those present.
The March 2015 intake included students who joined the degree
programmes offered in collaboration with NSBM’s internationally
ranked partner, Plymouth University, UK, and those approved by the
University Grants Commission, Sri Lanka. These degree programmes
are conducted at NSBM by the Schools of Computing and School of
Business.
The first student intake of the year 2015 of NSBM recorded 568
registrations, far exceeding the targeted number of enrolments for
the intake. This is clear evidence of the recognition that NSBM has
earned since its inception with its commitment to higher education
In his key note address, Dr.
Harsha de Silva congratulated
everyone who had contributed to
the success of NSBM, which he
admitted was one of the finest
Institutes of the country among
local higher education providers.
He applauded the heights that
NSBM has reached not only as
a self-sustaining enterprise but
also as a profitable venture. In his
address on profits, competition
and
justice
in
liberalizing
education, Dr. De Silva explained
how generating profits by higher
education institutes is justifiable
as the ultimate beneficiaries
of the revenue are actually the
citizens of the country, i.e., the
students themselves as well
as their parents. The profits a
university like NSBM would make
will in return yield better quality
services and amenities to its
shareholders, introduce a wider
choice of fields of learning and
incorporate modern technology to
enhance the teaching and learning
experience. He further elaborated
on the importance of social justice
in higher education for the benefit
of those students who deserve
placement in universities.
Dr. de Silva emphasized that
competition in higher education,
as in any other field, has led
to better quality of service
for students in relation to the
education and facilities the
institutes offer them. NSBM, as the
market leader in undergraduate
education, prides itself on an
unparalleled learning environment
and
excellent
instructional
methods in the delivery of
lectures for those who enroll in its
degree programmes. University
education should incorporate
personality development and skills
development so as to prepare
them for future leadership roles.
University learning should not
be rote learning but be based on
critical and creative thinking, Dr. de
Silva concluded.
Quarterly Newsletter of National School of Business Management
NSBM GETS NEW DEAN,
SCHOOL OF COMPUTING
Vol. 1 ; No. 2 ; 15th June, 2015
Page 7
Staff news
The day our NEW CHAIRMAN
ASSUMED DUTIES
Dr. Damith Mudugamuwa joined the NSBM as Dean, School of
Computing with effect from March 16, 2015. A First Class Honours
Graduate in Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering from the
University of Moratuwa (1991) he obtained his doctorate from the
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne (2000) for his
work in Digital Signal Processing. Dr. Mudugamuwa counts over 23
years’ experience in teaching, research, consulting and academic
administration. During his illustrious career he served as Director,
Management Information Systems at NIBM (1998-2001). We welcome
Dr. Mudugamawa to NSBM and wish him a long and fruitful tenure.
STAFF PRESENTATION
Mr. D R Jayamanne of the NSBM academic staff presented a paper,
‘Establishing
Object Correspondence Across Non-Overlapping
Calibrated Cameras,’ at the Moratuwa Engineering Research
Conference (MERCon 2015) held on April 8, 2015.
STUDENT-STAFF PUBLICATION
The full paper ‘Influence of Social Media Marketing on the Brand Image
of Organizations in the Hospitality Industry of Sri Lanka’ by Graham
Romello Perera and Irosha Perera (NSBM academic staff) has been
accepted for publication in the prestigious International Journal of
Asian Business and Information Management (IJABIM).
Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku, the well-known scholar, administrator
and diplomat assuming duties as Chairman, NIBM and NSBM
on15th February in the presence of the Director and General and the
Management
Convocation 2015
Limkokwing University
The Convocation to award Degrees to students who followed the
Degree Programmes of the Limkokwing University will take place
at 3.30 p.m. on June 15, 2015 at the Bandaranaike Memorial
International Conference Hall (BMICH). Over fifty students will
receive their degrees at the Convocation. The gold medal presented
to the best student will be awarded to Ms.Tharini Kumarihamy
Kotagama. Hon. Piyasena Gamage, Minister of Skills Development
and Vocational Training will grace the occasion as the Chief Guest.
It is a much sought after event in the NSBM academic calendar.
Linkages
The paper was previously presented in abstract form and was well
received at the 2nd International Conference on Hospitality and
Tourism Management on October 8, 2014. Thereafter, they were
invited to present the full paper.
FORTHCOMING PUBLICATION
A Simplified Guide to Management Research authored by Prof. K B M
Fonseka and Dr. A R Ajward will be released shortly. This publication
is based on the authors’ first-hand experience in teaching research
methodology to final year students at NSBM. Through twelve wellappointed chapters ranging from approaches to research, developing
questionnaires, aspects of validity and reliability, writing a literature
review, referencing, use of SPSS in research and writing a research
proposal and the research report, the authors attempt to impart the
essentials of research with illustrative examples. A Simplified Guide
to Management Research will serve as a useful handbook for NSBM
students.
NSBM has been negotiating with Slippery Rock University(SRU), USA
to establish a Faculty of Science to award modern full-time degrees in
natural and applied sciences at NSBM. Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku,
Chairman, NSBM; Dr. E A Weerasinghe, Chief Executive Officer, NSBM;
Dr. D M A Kulasooriya, Director - Academic Affairs(Acting), NSBM
visited SRU in May on an invitation to observe the facilities and explore
the possibilities of partnering. The two parties also signed a Letter
of Understanding to promote further discussions on an academic
partnership. In addition, the NSBM delegation visited University
of St. Thomas in Minnesota, USA from 5th to 7th June 2015 to have
preliminary discussions on further opportunities for affiliations.
Page 8
Quarterly Newsletter of National School of Business Management
Library Update
Vol. 1 ; No. 2 ; 15th June, 2015
Events for sharing of knowledge
The NSBM Green University Town will be the host to many a conference,
summit, etc. where researchers, academics and business leaders will
come together to deliberate on themes of local, regional and global
relevance. Large companies and higher educational institutions that
NSBM is affiliated with will play an important role in organizing these
events which will be a source of inspiration to students.
Going green
A number of progressive steps have been taken with respect to the
NSBM Library to enhance its stature as a centre of learning.
The Emerald database is now fully functional with the facility for
students to access 215 widely acclaimed academic journals at the
push of a button. They can download either the abstract or the full
papers of important pieces of research and make use of them in their
work. A demonstration on the use of the database was conducted for
the benefit of students of the UGC-approved degree programmes. It
is heartening to note that large numbers of students as well as staff
make use of this facility in their research endeavours. The annual cost
of providing this facility is Rs. 1.6 mn. at present
NSBM Green University Town offers an eco-friendly environment to
its inhabitants. In an already green natural external environment the
university premises will abound with a canopy of trees, groves, plants
and creepers which in turn will be in perfect harmony with the buildings
that will have its own share of greenery. It will also boast of a large
vegetable garden and an orchard whose harvest will be made use of in
the restaurant. Further, eco-friendly energy and water saving measures
and garbage disposal systems such as solar panels, use of bio-gas and
recycling of water will be introduced. It is expected that in addition to
developing a healthy environment it will drive home the message of
going green to students which will make a lasting impression on how
they treat mother earth and everything in it.
The NSBM library will also be equipped with a comprehensive library
management system shortly. It will consist of an on-line public access
cataloguing system (OPAC) as well as an automated operating system
for searching, circulating, reserving, and retrieving books. These
measures will make the library more efficient and user-friendly.
A Library Handbook is also being prepared for use by students which
spell out the regulations and guidelines for the use of the library. The
last quarter also saw the introduction of a large number of books
on a wide range of topics at the request of students and staff.
These include text books required for the Plymouth University study
programme. Thus, it has been a busy but fruitful period for the library.
Contd. page 1...
programmes. The operations room concept will be extended to more
sectors in time to come.
The Arts Circle and enhancing aesthetic skills
NSBM is fully aware of the important role that fine arts play in
developing sensitive, caring and well-balanced men and women.
The Arts Circle at the Green University will be given pride of place
and will encourage students to take up music, theatre and art. The
activities will enhance their aesthetic skills and pave to conducting
public performances and exhibitions which will also be managed by
students.
Centre for Research for developing new
knowledge
The Centre for Research will give students and staff access to large
data bases encompassing journal articles, e-books and business,
finance and economic data, among others. Further, they will have the
facility to get their research data analyzed using up-to-date software.
Other support facilities such as obtaining guidance in writing,
formatting and printing will also be available. Manned by a small
but dedicated staff, the centre will facilitate the research endeavours
of both students and staff. Publication of the NSBM Journal of
Management, the refereed academic journal of NSBM, will also fall
within the purview of the centre.
Developing competencies of young men and
women : Reaching to the skies
School of Business and Administration Block, NSBM.
The NSBM Quarterly News was compiled by a team
comprising Prof. K B M Fonseka, Mr. Chaminda Rathnayake,
Ms. Nayomi Abayasekera and Mr. Lahiyru R A Gunasekera.
The team extends its gratitude to all those who contributed
to the newsletter in numerous ways.
Please direct your enquiries, comments and suggestions to:
Ms. Nayomi Abayasekera ([email protected])
National School of Business Management
309, High Level Road, Colombo 05, Sri Lanka
Tel: +94-11-544-5000 | www.nsbm.lk