http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/susl/5342 AJPS Wed, 01 Jul 2026 15:43:37 GMT 2026-07-01T15:43:37Z http://repo:8080/xmlui/bitstream/id/1a4f71b5-c80a-4a9e-ac01-c0084365521f/ http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/susl/5342 http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/susl/5351 Front Materials AJPS Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/susl/5351 2026-07-01T00:00:00Z http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/susl/5350 Impact of Entrepreneurs’ Perceptions of Public Policies on Business Performance of Indigenous Handicraft Industries in Sri Lanka: An Empirical Study Gunawardana, K.; Priyanath, H.M.S. Recent scholars have not adequately studied how the entrepreneurs’ perceptions of Public Policies (PPs) of Sri Lanka impact on the Business Performance (BP) of indigenous handicraft industries after the economic downturn. This study attempts to assess the impact of entrepreneurs’ perceptions of PPs on the BP of indigenous handicraft industries in Sri Lanka employing a quantitative method. A structured questionnaire was administered, and data were gathered from 315 different indigenous handicraft industries selected purposively from seven indigenous craft villages as clusters. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that entrepreneurs’ perceptions of regulatory policies, tax policies, trade policies, and environmental policies have a negative impact on the BP while entrepreneurs’ perceptions of financial policies and human resources policies have a positive impact on the BP of indigenous handicraft industries. Thus, the empirical evidence of the study confirmed that the entrepreneurs’ perceptions of PPs have discouraged the BP while entrepreneurs’ perceptions of financial, and human resource policies were highly influenced the improvement of BP of indigenous handicraft industries. Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/susl/5350 2026-07-01T00:00:00Z http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/susl/5349 Climate Change and Agricultural Land Use in the Gin River Basin: A Critical Review of Trends, Impacts, and Adaptation Strategies Thilakarathna, U.G.H.N.; Edirisooriya, M.K.V.D. This literature review examines the impacts of climate change on agricultural land use patterns in the Gin River Basin, Sri Lanka. A systematic search of peer-reviewed journals, government reports, and institutional publications was conducted using databases including Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science, covering literature from 2000 to 2025 with search terms such as 'climate change,' 'agricultural land use,' 'Gin River Basin,' 'Sri Lanka agriculture,' and 'rainfall variability.' A total of 45 sources were reviewed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The review finds that rising temperatures, increasingly erratic rainfall, and more frequent flood events have substantially disrupted traditional farming systems in the basin, particularly paddy cultivation in the lower catchment and plantation agriculture in the upper reaches. Farmers have responded by adjusting cropping calendars, diversifying crops, and shifting to more flood-tolerant varieties, though these adaptations remain constrained by limited institutional support and poor access to credit. A key research gap is the absence of integrated basin-scale models linking climate variability, hydrological change, and field-level land-use decisions. Addressing this gap is essential for developing effective climate-resilient agricultural policies for the Gin River Basin. Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/susl/5349 2026-07-01T00:00:00Z http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/susl/5347 BRICS and the Changing Power of the Global South Dasanayaka, D.R.S.D.; Perera, H.R.L. The Global North-Global South debate is a controversial topic in International Politics. This research examines whether the BRICS functions as a counterbalance to the Global North and to what extent it reshapes North-South relationships. From the Cold War period, Western political institutions such as Bretton Woods dominated financial governance, prompting the Global South actors to seek alternative platforms. This study adopts a qualitative research methodology, implementing deductive thematic analysis using secondary data sources, including academic literature, BRICS summit declarations, and institutional reports. Data analysis has been conducted based on five themes: SouthSouth Cooperation, institutional alternatives, de-dollarization and financial autonomy, Normative and discursive resistance, and internal contradictions within BRICS. The findings show that the BRICS has not replaced Western institutions and their dominance completely, however, it promises to become a progressive alternative mechanism. South-South cooperation has facilitated development partnerships and diplomatic coordination. Financial governance diversified due to the New Development Bank and local currency settlements. Further anti-hegemonic factors, such as normative narratives and multipolarity, have challenged the Western legitimacy of financial governance. However, contending geopolitical interests, internal rivalries, and unequal capacities among the Global South limit systematic transformation. The conclusion is that rather than becoming a complete substitute for the Global North, BRICS has become a negotiated counterweight and strives for a gradual shift in the international world order rather than replacing it structurally. Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/susl/5347 2026-07-01T00:00:00Z