Case Study 4: Sri Lanka

This is the fourth of five chapters that analyze the interviews conducted with business and political leaders in selected countries. In this chapter interviews with leaders in Sri Lanka are examined. The chapter begins with background information on the country’s history, economy, people, and environment. This is followed by the identification and discussion of themes on sustainability that permeate the interviews. The themes that emerged in the Sri Lankan interviews were long-term impact, the impact of globalization on economic sustainability, employment of women in a patriarchal society, lack of attention to discrimination against ethnic groups, the impact of globalization on social sustainability, government action on social sustainability, the impact of businesses on resources, locals lacking environmental consciousness, influence of Buddhist philosophy, government action, and experiences in a developing country.