— People – LIRNEasia
We aim to build a virtual organization that will one day make working from Bhutan as easy as working from this office. We will work in teams; we will work flexibly and we will work effectively. The organization centered on this office will help each person work to their full capacity; it will be a learning organization; a place where creativity is valued and debate encouraged. It will not be a place to clock in and out from; to engage in office intrigue; or to worry about the next promotion. It will add to your productivity, not drain it.” – Rohan, LIRNEasia office opening in 2004
LIRNEasia started off with two full-time staff and an executive director. We were housed in a 15x20ft office under the shade of an ancient Suriya mara (Albizia odoratissima) tree at the back of the parking lot at SLIDA (Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration).
Neither our size nor our location limited our possibilities in any way.
Today, we are a family of over 40 people who are an integral part of the work of this organization. Fifteen people, whom we call “staff” work out of our Colombo office on a full or part-time basis. More than 30 others work as external researchers and consultants from different parts of the globe. The Scientific Advisory Councils provide strategic guidance for our research projects.
With a small administrative core, much of our work is facilitated through extended networks across the Asia Pacific. The value of this is parallel to that of networks according to Metcalfe’s law: the total value of a network is greater than the sum of the number of its users.
