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Understanding parboiled rice consumption trends by households is important because parboiled rice provides economic benefits as well as health benefits compared to non-parboiled ordinary milled rice. Thus, the objective of this study is to examine the patterns and determinants of parboiled rice consumption by Sri Lankan households.

This study uses the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) data compiled by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) of Sri Lanka in 2002, 2006/2007 and 2012/2013. This paper analyses the parboiled rice consumption behaviour of households using information from 56,000 households. Specifically, present paper estimates the determinants of parboiled rice consumption within two-part model econometric framework controlling for demand side factors as well as location and time fixed-effects.

Despite its nutritional and health benefits, results show that the likelihood of consuming parboiled rice has decreased over the years. There are significant ethnic and regional differences of consuming parboiled rice supporting the claim of heterogeneous distribution of rice consumption patterns even within the same country.

Use of repeated cross-sectional data due to lack of panel data and missing data on several districts due to security concerns are limitations of the study.

To our knowledge, this is the first study for Sri Lanka that examines parboiled rice consumption behaviour using nationwide data for last 2 decade.

Food consumption patterns have changed in many Asian countries over the past two–three decades. It is important to understand the changes in food consumption patterns and its drivers in different country settings as each country has different food cultures, tastes and habits. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine the patterns and determinants of food consumption choice and demand in Sri Lanka.

Using Household Income and Expenditure Survey 1990/1991, 2002 and 2012/2013 data, this study explores the relationship between food consumption patterns and the observed changes reported in per capita income, urbanization, structural transformations and demographics. Specifically, present study estimates the probability of consuming main food items such as rice, bread, dhal, vegetables and fish using a multivariate probit model and also estimates income and price elasticities of household major food items by applying Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System.

This study demonstrates that per capita income, food prices, education level of the household heads, rural–urban affiliation and ethnic background significantly affect the consumption decision of the major food items. Sri Lankan households in general seem to consider that rice and dhal are necessary commodities, whereas bread and fish are luxury commodities.

The lack of panel data and several missing districts in two survey rounds for analysis are limitations of the study.

To the author’s knowledge, this is the first study for Sri Lanka that examines food consumption choice and demand using nationwide data for the last two decades. This study applies novel econometric techniques to account for various issues in data analysis.

In the absence of well-developed financial markets, Informal Savings and Loans Associations (ISLAs) provide rural households with an alternative consumption coping mechanisms when confronted by transitory and seasonal food insecurity. The purpose of this study is to investigate the household food consumption coping strategies and gendered importance of ISLAs in improving household food security in rural Zimbabwe.

This study uses household panel data on rural livelihoods from the 2019 and 2020 household surveys conducted by the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC). Employing propensity score matching approach to cater for the self-selection bias associated with household ISLA membership, the study estimates average treatment effect of household ISLA membership on food security and gendered importance of the propensity of the household to engage in consumption coping strategies.

Results shows that the ISLA membership increases household food security and reduces the household propensity to apply non-ISLA consumption coping mechanisms. Female-headed households with ISLA members are more able to increase food security as well as reduce reliance on non-ISLA consumption coping mechanisms than their male counterparts with ISLA members.

Use of household dietary diversity score and food consumption score as two proxies to measure household food security.

This study contributes to the literature on food consumption coping strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa using recent household panel data.

Compared to other neighbouring South Asian countries, Sri Lanka performs well in terms of education outcomes. Education is provided by the government for free from primary school level to the first-degree University level, yet households’ private education expenses are steadily increasing over time. Thus, this paper analyses trends and determinants of household private education expenditures using the country-wide micro-data from 1990 to 2013.

Using Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 1990/91, 2002 and 2012/13 data along with annual school census data, this paper examines the relationship between private education expenditure patterns and the observed changes of reported both demand-side and supply-side factors. In particular, the present paper analyses determinants of household private education expenditures within the two-part model econometric framework by taking into account location and time fixed-effects.

The results show that trend of spending privately for education is increasing over time with rising household income. Rural, Tamil and Islamic households and those headed by less-educated members are less likely to spend privately for education. The results also confirm that improved-supply-side factors can significantly lower the household burden arising from out-of-pocket education expenditure.

Unavailability of panel data and missing data on several districts due to security concerns are limitations of the study.

The trend of increasing private education expenses has implications on equity concerns of education in Sri Lanka, and it can undermine the purpose of free public education policy.

To our knowledge, this is the first study for Sri Lanka that examines patterns and determinants of private education expenditures using nationwide data for last two decades. This paper applies novel econometric techniques to account for various issues in household survey data analysis.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-07-2019-0445

Although publicly listed firms in Sri Lanka have been increasingly adapting sustainability reporting into their annual reporting practices, a limited number of firms prepare sustainability reports by integrating sustainable development goals (SDGs) into reporting mechanisms. This study attempts to develop an index to monitor firms' sustainability reporting practices based on Global Reporting Institute (GRI) guidelines integrating SDGs.

This paper develops a sustainability score index using the 17 SDGs utilising the results of content analysis of corporate annual reports of a selected sample of 100 firms listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). Principal component analysis was employed to examine the reliability of data in the developed index.

Findings show that the developed scoring index is efficient for evaluating the contents of the sustainability reports of Sri Lankan firms. Sustainability reporting practises with regard to the SDGs were observed to have a turbulent period from 2015 to 2019 and the SDGs 12 and 15 were identified to be mostly reported in Sri Lankan corporate sustainability reports.

The results of the study add to knowledge on the monitoring of sustainability reporting practises with reference to SDGs. The study outcomes are useful for the investors, stakeholders, and statutory bodies to measure the sustainable performance of business firms and assess the firm’s commitment towards the global sustainability agenda.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that constructs a sustainability reporting score index integrating SDGs.

Childcare is one of the main obstacles for women to enter the labour market as they are the primary caregivers for children. The struggle between childcare and women's employment has caused a high labour turnover in women-dominated industries. The aim of this study is to assess the employees’ willingness for an on-site childcare facility

The primary goal of this study was to assess the employees' willingness for an on-site childcare facility using the contingent valuation method. For the analysis, 330 data were collected from all levels of the employees in three firms in the apparel industry using a survey-based questionnaire.

The results illustrate that the mean willingness to pay for the on-site childcare facility is substantially higher for the firm that already provide an on-site childcare facility than the other two firms that do not have childcare facilities. Among all employees who are surveyed, 86.36% of the employees favoured implementation of on-site childcare facilities. According to the survey findings, the newly hired employees have a higher preference for the childcare facility, however less likely to pay for the facility. The monthly income variable has a negative association with the probability of voting in favour of implementing on-site childcare facility. Moreover, the results indicate that the employees who have received the childcare facility have positive attitudes towards the on-site childcare facility.

To the authors' knowledge, prior case studies related to the evaluation of employee's preference for on-site childcare services have not been conducted in the context of industries in Sri Lanka. Therefore, the findings and implications were discussed while expanding the geographical scope of the past literature.