Change and impermanency is the common denominator of all phenomena and processes in nature, which include human activities as well. Heraclitus, the 5^th Century BC Greek philosopher, has said that no man can step into the same river twice. This statement from Heraclitus means that the world constantly changes and that no two situations are exactly the same. Just as water flows in a river, one cannot touch the exact same water twice when one steps into a river. This view has been affirmed by Lord Buddha around the same period.

In fact, the challenge of change can be considered as the key driver in all the human endeavours across history and the main motivating factor of business strategies that have evolved through the four industrial revolutions spanning form the mid-18^th century to the present day of mass digitalisation. The four principles of change management at any level – be it personal, family, workplace, company or a country – are:

• Understand the change
• Plan the change
• Implement the change
• Communicate the change

Some of the significant contributors to the management of change which resulted in the emergence of new approaches and working models that became popular during the past 50 years can be enumerated as:

• Lewin’s Change Management Model
• McKinsey 7S Model.
• Kotler’s Change Management Theory
• Nudge Theory
• ADKAR Theory
• Bridge’s Transition Model
• Kubler-Ross Five Stage Model

There are many schools of thought around managing organisational change, but there's one thing that's clear. Change managers need to structure their organisational changes and need to avoid 'ad hoc' change management. They need to look at organisational change from a programmatic perspective, leverage subject matter experts around the impacts of change and look at the ‘change beyond the change’. 

Corporate change has always been associated with leadership, and Jack Welch, the master of transformational leadership, has once quoted that “good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision and relentlessly drive it to completion.”

Notwithstanding the tremendous utility value of these approaches, I have witnessed the beginning, growth, decline and final exit of some great business empires in Sri Lanka, which could not survive up to the third generation. Similarly, there are exemplary business organisations, the roots of which can be traced back in history to a single person who started with a few rupees and later developed in to corporate giants that are thriving through the third generation. It is therefore apparent that there are no hard and fast norms or standard ground rules, but an emerging factor is the importance of the people at all levels, despite the benefits of automation and digitalisation. Success and failure episodes are abundant throughout the world and corporate graveyards are cluttered with casualties.

Change and business strategy are always closely interlinked without clear boundaries. The ‘Art of War’ – which is attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu (around 5^th century BC) – remains the most influential strategy text in East Asian warfare and has influenced both Eastern and Western military thinking, business tactics, legal strategy, lifestyles and beyond.

The Covid-19 outbreak, which started around two years ago and developed in to a devastating pandemic, has brought about years of change in the way companies in all sectors and regions do business. The entire world scenario which we currently witness is reminiscent of the opening paragraph of ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, an 1859 historical novel by Charles Dickens.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”
 

The Coronavirus has rapidly made ‘business as usual’ a phrase from the distant past. There is no ‘usual’ in this uncertain time. But organisations that outmanoeuvre uncertainty create a resilience they can count on, irrespective of the changes that come

. We’ve all changed the way we operate during the Covid-19 crisis. Some changes were forced on us, while others represent the height of innovation in a crisis. There’s been a reset of the workforce and work itself, a reset of the employer/employee relationship and a reset of the business ecosystem. For most of them, the business impact of the pandemic has been negative; for some, positive. 

The pandemic may have wiped our strategy slate clean (or at least it feels that way), but we have also garnered invaluable experience. Now it’s time to bring together our executive team and use those lessons to reconfigure the business and operating models for a new reality. It appears that in addition to the conventional 3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle), with respect to resource consumption and sustainability, a set of new 3Rs, namely respond, recover and renew, has emerged during the Covid-19 crisis.

As we shift from response to recovery, the key for senior leaders is to make strategic decisions that will lead them to a renewed future state, however paralysing the uncertain outlook may seem. We can borrow a leaf from the strategy and tactics of the Covid-19 virus itself in learning how to adapt for survival by adopting new paradigms, namely producing more virulent strains such as the Delta variety.

In the absence of a 100 percent effective vaccine or cure for Covid-19, any rebound in business activity could easily be followed by another round of response, recover, renew; so the imperative is to absorb lessons learned quickly and build sustainable changes into business and operating models.

But first, we need to determine exactly where and how the crisis has stretched and broken our existing models, and where the risks and opportunities lie as a result. When talking about risks and opportunities, I cannot help going back to the basics of ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS) requirements which expect a company to evaluate the external and internal issues (Clause 4.1), expectations of interested parties (4.2), determining the risks and opportunities (6.1) and planning for change (6.2). In some of the companies that I happen to audit, the priority given to these is at a minimum or no priority given at all apart from stagnant records which do not show any objective evidence of monitoring and review.

However, one important factor we have to consider is that everyone – irrespective of whether it is an individual, family unit, organisation or a country – is on various stages of their unique learning curves, and the strategic horizons have drastically become shorter. Business and strategy planning is no longer an elite task shrouded with mystery and confined to the corporate managers only in their air conditioned rooms but a task to be accomplished in consultation with those who are finally going to implement the strategies and plans. While the Japanese Genba (the actual place) approach is more than 50 years old, it is mostly confined to operational levels, which is rather unfortunate. This crisis has created an opportunity to reset some of our goals and ambitions; it’s time to ask: “As we recover from this crisis, do we want to be different, and if so, how?”

One can see that many companies are in the recovery mode at the moment and trying to do damage control based on profit motive, which is understandable. The entire social, cultural and ethical models and paradigms have changed drastically, and the entrepreneurs need to realise that they are no longer operating in the pre-Covid era. Drastic changes have occurred in the entire supply and value chains with changing customer preferences.

The following quote attributed to many, including Eleanor Roosevelt, a former First Lady of United States, is appropriate to be cited here:

“There are people who make things happen, there are people who watch things happen, and there are people who wonder what happened.” 

Change and impermanency is a fact of life, more so today, and if we do not change, change will change us. After all, it was the mathematical genius of the 20^th Century, Albert Einstein, who once observed that:

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

We can’t keep doing the same thing every day and expect different results. In other words, we can’t keep doing the same workout routine and expect to look differently. In order for our life to change, we must change – to the degree that we change our actions and our thinking, to the degree that our life will change.

The author a Management Counselor from Sri Lanka

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Sri Trang Group has reiterated its dedication to developing the natural rubber sector while protecting the environment and assisting nearby communities. The company recently held the second edition of its 2026 ‘One Sri Trang, One Environment’ initiative at Rubberland Products Company Limited's Mukdahan Branch. Worayan Bunnarat, Governor of Mukdahan, headed a delegation of senior provincial officials from the Provincial Industry, Labour and Public Health Offices. Community leaders and partner networks also participated to learn about the factory's responsible management approach.

Welcoming the delegation were Chalermpop Khanjan, Executive Director of Sri Trang Agro-Industry Public Company Limited, and Mustopa Longsaman, Factory Manager of the Mukdahan branch. A symbolic tree-watering ceremony opened proceedings, underscoring a collective commitment to environmental stewardship. Attendees then explored an exhibition displaying natural rubber innovations spanning the supply chain, from traceability systems to programmes enhancing local quality of life. A standout initiative converts discarded plastic bottles into eco-friendly brooms, creating income for residents. The exhibition also recognised collaborative efforts, backed by provincial authorities, that enabled the branch's TO BE NUMBER ONE Club to attain national distinction as a ‘Silver-Level Model Workplace, Year 1’.

Visitors witnessed production processes directly, with particular attention to odour prevention and control at the source. Measures include a fully enclosed raw material storage building, ozone-based air treatment and a biofilter system for reducing odours. The Mukdahan facility has further refined its environmental monitoring through E-Nose intelligent electronic nose technology, which identifies odours and evaluates their dispersion in real time while allowing continuous data sharing with local communities. Alongside this, the V-Pass Smart Receive digital system screens raw material transport vehicles from the outset, helping avert rubber serum leakage along transportation routes.

Sri Trang Group is confident the event will reinforce trust between the factory and neighbouring communities through transparent disclosure of its operational practices. The Group continues to pursue the facility's progression towards ‘green factory’ status and remains committed to stable, sustainable growth in partnership with rubber farmers, local communities and the environment.

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Hankook Tire has secured the title sponsorship of Rally US, Round 11 of the 2027 FIA World Rally Championship, the company announced during a signing ceremony at the 2026 SEMA Show in Las Vegas on 3 November. Representatives from Hankook, the WRC Promoter and the Rally US Organizing Committee attended the event.

The agreement grants Hankook naming rights to the rally, which will be staged as Hankook Rally US under the company’s unified global brand. It represents Hankook’s first title sponsorship of a WRC round.

Hankook Rally US will mark the WRC’s return to the United States after 39 years, since the Olympus Rally in Washington State in 1988. Set for 25–29 August 2027, the event will run on gravel stages across Tennessee and Kentucky, with Knoxville serving as rally headquarters and a ceremonial start in Nashville, which also hosts Hankook’s US headquarters.

Through the sponsorship, Hankook seeks to boost brand awareness in North America, especially in the US, one of the world’s largest automotive markets. The company plans to use exposure across rally stages, the WRC Arena, fan zones and podium backdrops to engage local motorsport fans and strengthen ties with customers and partners. Hankook has supplied tyres exclusively to all WRC classes since the 2025 season and supports more than 70 motorsport competitions worldwide, feeding event data into high-performance tyre research and development.

Rob Williams, Senior Vice President of Hankook Tire North America Headquarters, said, “The WRC’s historic return to the US marks a milestone for Hankook as our first title sponsorship of a WRC round. This partnership will showcase our tyre technology, elevate our premium brand presence and strengthen ties with customers and partners across North America.”

Matt Crews, President and CEO, Rally US, said, “We’re proud to represent America’s return to the World Rally Championship, and especially proud to do it alongside Hankook. Tennessee is my home state, and Hankook is a leader in our automotive industry, with its US headquarters in Nashville and its plant in Clarksville. Hankook Rally US gives them a great platform to showcase their brand to fans here at home and to the WRC’s audience around the world.”

Senator Bill Hagerty said, “Hankook has been a great employer and partner for the Tennessee economy since they decided to move operations to our state more than a decade ago. Seeing them serve as title partner for the FIA World Rally Championship’s return to America, right here in Tennessee, will put our state in front of a global audience, and I couldn’t be more pleased of how far that relationship has come.”

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Firestone, a Bridgestone Americas subsidiary, has introduced the Firestone Pathway AS, an all-season touring tyre built for everyday drivers. It comes in 73 sizes, giving it the widest vehicle coverage of any Firestone tyre, and pairs dependable performance and long tread life with value, all backed by a 65,000-mile limited mileage warranty.

Development was shaped heavily by consumer feedback, which pushed improvements in wet traction, tread life and ride comfort over the predecessor. The original plan called for 48 sizes, but 25 more were added mid-development to broaden market reach, helping Firestone cover nearly 77 percent of registered vehicles.

A tread compound engineered for longevity, additional sipes and an optimised see-through void promote even wear and sustained traction. Deep interlocking 3D sipes deliver grip from light snow to dry and wet pavement. Internal testing recorded wet braking gains of 18 percent against the Uniroyal Laredo HT, 11.7 percent against the Firestone All Season and 7.4 percent against the Toyo Extensa AS2, along with shorter dry braking than six leading rivals. Low rolling resistance also supports fuel efficiency in combustion-engine vehicles.

Nationwide availability is underway, with fitments covering popular models such as the Toyota Camry, Toyota RAV4, Subaru Outback, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chevrolet Equinox.

Leslie Sawyer, Senior Product Design Engineer, Bridgestone Americas, said, "Most drivers want a tyre they can depend on. The Firestone Pathway AS is designed to deliver reliable performance and long-lasting value, giving drivers the confidence they need in everyday driving situations."

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Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB (publ) has entered into a conditional service agreement with an international operator that provides transport services to the energy sector. The agreement follows a letter of intent signed by the two parties on 17 March 2026 and marks a further step towards establishing a tyre pyrolysis plant in North America. Using Enviro’s technology, the facility is intended to recycle up to 50,000 tonnes of end-of-life tyres annually.

Under the terms of the agreement, Enviro will produce the technical documentation needed for the plant’s permit applications and prepare an initial design for the entire facility. For these services, the company will receive a fixed fee of USD 2,000,000, corresponding to approximately SEK 19.5 million. The fee is divided between USD 500,000 for permit application work and USD 1,500,000 for plant design, with USD 450,000 payable once the customer decides to proceed and the remainder paid in instalments as various parts of the services are delivered. Additional work and technical support beyond the fixed-fee scope will be invoiced on an ongoing basis.

The start of Enviro’s work depends on the customer making a final decision to proceed with the project. That decision, in turn, requires the customer to have secured a site for the plant and to have entered into binding agreements with buyers of the plant’s two main products, oil and carbon black, covering at least 75 percent of expected production for each product. Should the customer neither decide to proceed by 31 December 2027 nor elect to continue, the agreement will terminate.

The assignment covers two principal deliverables: technical documentation required for environmental, planning and fire safety permit applications and an initial design of the whole plant, including drawings, equipment lists, calculations and technical specifications. The design will serve as the basis for more detailed engineering work before an investment decision. Enviro will also provide technical support during the permit application process for 12 months after delivering the permit documentation. The agreement does not grant any right to use Enviro’s technology to construct or operate the plant, which would require a separate licence agreement.

According to the timetable, the assignment is expected to be completed about seven months after the customer’s decision to proceed, with permit application documentation ready after roughly five months. The customer may terminate the assignment with 30 days’ notice, in which case Enviro is entitled to compensation for work performed and costs already incurred. Enviro remains entitled to compensation regardless of whether permits are granted or the plant is ultimately built. The agreement is described as an important step in Enviro’s strategy to establish technology-based plants internationally, with the design potentially forming the technical basis for a future licence agreement.

Fredrik Aaben, CEO, Enviro, said, “This is an important step towards establishing Enviro’s technology in North America. Together with the Customer, we are now moving from a letter of intent to a binding conditional agreement, and we look forward to designing the plant as soon as the project is ready to proceed.”

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