FROM NORMS TO NETWORKS: INVESTIGATING THE SYNERGY BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND SOCIALIZATION IN IMPLEMENTING KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN SRI LANKA'S DOMESTIC SYSTEMATICALLY IMPORTANT BANKS

The ability to effectively manage and assess knowledge has become indispensable for business survival, making knowledge management capability a crucial asset in the banking industry. This close tie between knowledge management and organizational culture presents an opportunity to boost bank performance through socialization practices. Recognizing the importance of culture in implementing knowledge management through socialization, this study explores its impact within the Sri Lankan banking sector, specifically focusing on all four domestic systematically important banks. Utilizing an inductive approach within an interpretive framework, the research investigates cultural dimensions that contribute to knowledge diffusion. While acknowledging potential sample bias due to respondent selection methods and head office limitations, 20 executive-level staff, from November 2022 to February 2023, participated. A priori thematic analysis, guided by the SECI model's socialization aspects, revealed leadership, team dynamics, communication, and mentoring as key cultural dimensions influencing knowledge diffusion. The study concludes that the chosen banks' cultures encourage prioritizing socialization-based knowledge management practices for improved performance

'Enclaves of exposure' : a conceptual viewpoint to explore cross-ideology exposure on social network sites

Previous studies indicate mixed results as to whether social media constitutes ideological echo chambers. This inconsistency may arise due to a lack of theoretical frames that acknowledge the fact that contextual and technological factors allow varying levels of cross-cutting exposure on social media. This study suggests an alternative theoretical lens, divergence of exposure – co-existence of user groups with varying degrees of cross-ideology exposure related to the same issue – as a notion that serves as an overarching perspective. We suggest that mediated spaces, such as social media groups, can serve as enclaves of exposure that offer affordances for formation of user groups irrespective of offline social distinctions. Yet social elements cause some of them to display more cross-ideology exchange than others. To establish this claim empirically, we examine two Facebook page user networks (‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ and ‘Sri Lankans Hate Channel 4’) that emerged in response to Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields, a controversial documentary broadcast by Channel 4 that accused Sri Lankan armed forces of human rights violation during the final stage of the separatist conflict in Sri Lanka. The results showed that the Facebook group network that supported the claims made by Channel 4 is more diverse in terms of ethnic composition, and is neither assortative nor disassortative across ethnicity, suggesting the presence of cross-ethnicity interaction. The pro-allegiant group was largely homogenous and less active, resembling a passive echo chamber. ‘Social mediation’ repurposes enclaves of exposure to represent polarized ideologies where some venues display cross-ideology exposure, while others resemble an ‘echo chamber’

Improvement of a Phosphate Ion-selective Microsensor Using Bis(dibromophenylstannyl)methane as a Carrier

An ionophore-doped sensing membrane phosphate (PO4) microsensor based on bis(dibromophenylstannyl)methane (Bis microsensor) is described. The Bis microsensor showed a Nernstian response. The response of the Bis microsensor was log-linear down to a monohydrogen phosphate ion (HPO42−) concentration of 0.5 μM (corresponding to 1.0 μM of orthophosphate at pH 7.2), whereas the detection limit of PO4-microsensors based on trialkyl/aryltin chloride was 50 μM of HPO42−. The Bis microsensor showed excellent selectivity for HPO42− against nitrite, nitrate, chloride, bicarbonate and sulfate, as compared with PO4 microsensors based on trialkyl/aryltin chloride. Dissolved oxygen, which is known to interfere with the response of a previously developed cobalt-based potentiometric solid-state PO4 microsensor, had no effect on the response of the ionophore-doped sensing membrane-type microsensors described herein. Only OH− (i.e., pH) interfered with the ionophore-doped sensing membrane-type microsensors

Crafting the Composite Garment: The role of hand weaving in digital creation

There is a growing body of practice-led textile research, focused on how digital technologies can inform new design and production strategies that challenge and extend the field. To date, this research has emphasized a traditional linear transition between hand and digital production; with hand production preceding digital as a means of acquiring the material and process knowledge required to negotiate technologies and conceptualize designs. This paper focuses on current Doctoral research into the design and prototyping of 3D woven or 'composite' garments and how the re-learning, or reinterpreting, of hand weaving techniques in a digital Jacquard format relies heavily on experiential knowledge of craft weaving skills. Drawing parallels between hand weaving and computer programming, that extend beyond their shared binary (pixel-based) language, the paper discusses how the machine-mediated experience of hand weaving can prime the weaver to ‘think digitally’ and make the transition to digital production. In a process where the weaver acts simultaneously as designer, constructor and programmer, the research explores the inspiring, but often indefinable space between craft and digital technology by challenging the notion that 'the relationship between hand, eye and material’ naturally precedes the use of computing (Harris 2012: 93). This is achieved through the development of an iterative working methodology that encompasses a cycle of transitional development, where hand weaving and digital processes take place in tandem, and techniques and skills are reinterpreted to exploit the advantages and constraints of each construction method. It is argued that the approach challenges the codes and conventions of computer programming, weaving and fashion design to offer a more sustainable clothing solution

A template for mapping emotion expression within hashtag publics

Current literature on networked publics lacks research that examines how emotions are mobilised around specific actors, and quantitative analysis of affective phenomena is limited to vanity metrics. We address this issue by developing a network analytic routine, which guides the attribution of emotions contained in hashtagged tweets to their sources and targets. The proposed template enables identification of networked inconsequentiality (i.e., inability to trigger dialogue), reply targets (i.e., individuals targeted in replies), and voice agents (i.e., senders of replicated utterances). We demonstrate this approach with two datasets based on the hashtags #Newzealand (n= 131,523) and #SriLanka (n= 145,868) covering two major incidents of terrorism related to opposing extremist ideologies. In addition to the methodological contribution, the study demonstrates that user-driven emergence of networked leadership takes place based on conventional structures of power in which individuals with high power and social status are likely to emerge as targets as well as sources of emotions

Biochars from chlorine-rich feedstock are low in polychlorinated dioxins, furans and biphenyls

Chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons like polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and -furans (PCDD/F) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) are omnipresent in the environment due to historic production, use, and (unintended) release. Nowadays, their emission and maximum concentration in environmental compartments is strictly regulated. During biochar production, PCDD/F and PCB may be formed and retained on the solid pyrolysis product. Industrial biochars certified, e.g., under the European Biochar Certificate (EBC), exhibit concentrations that were always well below threshold values for soil application and even animal feed. However, this has not been sufficiently tested for chlorine (Cl) rich organic material such as marine biomass or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) contaminated feedstock. Here, we analyzed PCDD/F and PCB contamination in biochars produced at different temperatures from different biomasses with comparatively high Cl contents in the range from 0.2 % to 3.8 % (w/w, seagrass, two types of saltwater macroalgae, tobacco stalks, and PVC contaminated wood). All of the biochars produced showed PCDD/F and PCB contents well below the applicable threshold values given by the EBC (< 20 ng TEQ kg−1 for PCDD/F and < 2×105 ng kg−1 for PCB). The EBC thresholds were undershot by a minimum of factor 1.5 for PCDD/F (mostly factor 20) and by a minimum of factor 90 for PCB. Between 1 and 27 ppb of feedstock Cl were transformed to Cl bound in PCDD/F and PCB in the biochars. No consistent correlation between biomass Cl contents and contents of PCDD/F and PCB were found but higher Cl contents in the feedstock led to a more diverse PCDD/F congener pattern in the biochars. Pyrolysis of PVC-amended wood resulted in consistently higher contamination of PCDD/F and PCB in the biochars compared to pyrolysis of the other biomasses, potentially due to differences in Cl speciation in the feedstocks i.e., Cl in PVC is already covalently bound to an organic carbon backbone. A high contamination in PCDD/F and PCB in biochar was intentionally triggered by separation of pyrogas and biochar in the reactor at < 300 °C to promote condensation of contaminants on the solid product. Between 20 % and 80 % of feedstock Cl was released via the pyrogas, i.e., neutralization of HCl in burnt pyrogas might be necessary when pyrolyzing Cl-rich feedstock in industrial biochar production. Our results indicate that biochars produced from Cl-rich feedstocks with proper biochar production process control are conform with European certification guidelines for PCDD/F and PCB contamination. The results open the opportunity to exploit and valorize so far non-used marine or otherwise Cl enriched biomasses for the production of biochar and carbon sinks

Analysis of Heavy Metal in Macrophytes from Neg0mbo Lagoon, Sri Lanka

Heavy metal contamination poses a serious threat to coastal ecosystems. The comprehension of these metals' effects and how they bioaccumulate via food webs is still insufficient. This research aimed to examine the concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cr, Fe, Cd, and Mn) in four coastal macrophytes (Halodule pinifolia, Chaetomorpha sp., Ulva intestinalis, and Gracilaria sp.) collected from the Negombo lagoon, Sri Lanka. A random sampling approach was utilized by using a quadrat (50×50 cm) to collect macrophyte samples from each species across the study area. The samples were collected from January 2023 to June 2023, and twenty samples (n=20) from each species were analyzed. The heavy metals were extracted from macrophyte samples by acid digestion (conc. HNO3 and H2O2) and analyzed by the atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS). The heavy metal concentrations were varied among macrophytes, but their abundance was in the order of Fe&gt;Cu&gt;Zn&gt;Mn. Cd and Cr were not at detectable levels. Gracilaria sp. exhibited higher concentrations of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn compared to other species (3.05±0.11 mg/L, 5.92±0.51 mg/L, 215.85±6.75 mg/L, and 0.86±0.95 mg/L, respectively). Chaetomorpha sp. consisted of Fe; 89.98±47.73 mg/L; Cu; 2.86±0.05 mg/L; Zn; 0.61±0.45 mg/L; and Mn; 0.20±0.21 mg/L. The abundance of metals in Ulva intestinalis is 2.80±0.21 mg/L, Zn is 0.18±0.26 mg/L, Fe is 11.01±4.64 mg/L, and Mn is 0.16±0.17 mg/L. The concentrations of metals in Halodule pinifolia are Cu (2.78±0.33 mg/L), Zn (0.44±0.08 mg/L), Fe (29.241±12.40 mg/L), and Mn (0.69±0.56 mg/L). This study reveals that bioaccumulation of heavy metals within marine food webs can occur, and further studies are required to evaluate the bioaccumulation of these metals in marine food webs resulting from macrophyte consumption. &nbsp; Keywords: AAS, Heavy metals, Macrophytes, Negombo lagoon &nbsp; Financial assistance from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Science (CFAS) under the Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP) of the Blue Planet Fund, UK, University of Kelaniya Research Grant (RP/03/02/06/02/2021), and the National Aquatic Resource Research and Development Agency (NARA), Sri Lanka are acknowledged

The Experiences of Children on Sri Lanka\u27s Tea Plantations: Labor and Sexual Exploitation, Violence, and Inadequate Education

This article explores the difficulties faced by children living in Sri Lanka’s tea plantation areas. Data from 150 children reveal high rates of poverty, violence, and school dropout. Children in tea plantation schools report bullying and stigma from teachers and students. Many children do not envision completing school due to inadequate resources, family income pressures, and the need to work. Children who drop out of school face abusive labor conditions and poor pay. Over 30% of all children report experiencing sexual abuse, often in their own homes. Those working face discrimination, physical abuse, and wage theft. Initiatives are needed to improve family incomes, reform schools, provide affordable childcare, enforce child labor laws, and raise awareness of safety and rights. Governmental financial support is required to improve housing, expand agriculture production to generate family income for schooling expenses, and provide training for teachers. Government interventions and creating coordination between agencies, NGOs, and tea industry stakeholders are vital to alleviate the hardships faced by Sri Lanka’s tea plantation children and create opportunities for them to realize their full potential