The increasing digitalization of higher education has intensified dependency of academics on technology, simultaneously giving rise to complex behavioral, psychosocial, and ethical challenges. Among these, cyberloafing, technostress, and related forms of deviant workplace behaviors have emerged as interrelated phenomena, with important implications for academic and institutional integrity. Despite growing scholarly attention, existing research is largely dominated by quantitative approaches developed in Western corporate contexts, offering limited insight into how academics in non-Western higher education systems interpret and negotiate technology-mediated behaviors. Moreover, the qualitative literature lacks a systematically developed and empirically validated interview guides capable of examining these constructs in an integrated and context-sensitive manner. Addressing this methodological gap, the current study develops, operationalizes, and validates a semi-structured interview guide to investigate cyberloafing, technostress, and deviant behaviors among the academics. Guided by established theoretical frameworks, a construct-driven operationalization strategy was employed to translate abstract concepts into analytically coherent interview questions supported by targeted probes. The interview guide was rigorously tested with a heterogeneous sample of thirty academics across disciplines, career stages, and administrative roles. Validation was conducted using established qualitative quality criteria, including content validity, construct validity, face validity, reliability, sensitivity, and procedural consistency. The findings demonstrate that the interview guide elicits rich, frank, and construct-aligned data while minimizing social desirability bias. This study contributes a robust qualitative instrument for future research on technology-mediated academic behavior in Sri Lanka and comparable Global South contexts.
Digital ventures in emerging economies increasingly operate where technological growth outpaces regulation. Yet, little is known about how entrepreneurial leaders respond to institutional voids in Sri Lankan e-commerce. This study examines how leaders transform regulatory uncertainty into strategic capability. Using an interpretivist qualitative design, it analyzes 123 documents from three anonymized digital platforms through thematic documentary analysis and multiple case synthesis. Findings show that compliance becomes strategic when leaders use regulatory alignment to build trust, legitimacy, and competitive positioning. Leaders also convert regulatory gray zones into adaptive action through interpretation, institutional engagement, and management of uneven compliance burdens. The study contributes by conceptualizing compliance as an entrepreneurial capability and regulatory awareness as a leadership competency.
The study examined the effect of board heterogeneity and market risk on the financial performance of listed conglomerate businesses in Nigeria. The study adopted a causal-comparative research design using secondary data obtained from the audited annual reports of the ten leading listed conglomerate businesses in Nigeria over the period 2015–2024. Panel data were analysed using descriptive statistics, diagnostic tests, and the Generalised Linear Model (GLM) at the 5 percent level of significance. The findings revealed that the nationality of board members had a positive but not statistically significant effect on financial performance (β = 0.0847, p = 0.7866), while equity price risk had a negative but not statistically significant effect on Earnings per Share (β = -0.0408, p = 0.5411). The study contributes to the corporate governance literature by integrating the Upper Echelons Theory and the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) to examine the combined influence of internal governance mechanisms and external market risk on financial performance.
Small and Medium Entreprises (SMEs) play a vital role in economic growth in Sri Lanka. Marketing is one of the leading challenges encountered by SMEs and marketing skill deprivation leads to entrepreneurial failures. Entrepreneurial Marketing (EM) has emerged as a strategic approach that enables SMEs to overcome these constraints and enhance their marketing performance. Despite its growing importance, empirical evidence on the influence of EM on SMEs’ marketing performance in Sri Lanka remains limited. Therefore, this study examines the role of EM on the marketing performance of SMEs in Sri Lanka. A quantitative research design was adopted using a cross-sectional survey design. Primary data were collected from 200 samples across the five districts of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. The data were analyzed using reliability, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analyses. The findings revealed that all three dimensions of entrepreneurial marketing have significant influence on SMEs’ marketing performance. Among these dimensions, innovation orientation was identified as the most influential predictor of marketing performance. This study adds valuable insights into the Entrepreneurial Marketing literature by providing empirical evidence from an emerging economy and offers practical implications for SME owners, practitioners, and policymakers. The findings suggest that strengthening innovation orientation, value creation, and opportunity focus practices can enhance the marketing performance of SMEs, particularly in developing nations like Sri Lanka.
This research explores the factors affecting employability of Information Technology graduates from non-state higher education institutions in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Even though the demand for IT skills is increasing, there is still a noticeable disconnect between industry expectations and graduate skills. Graduate readiness is strongly impacted by institutional adaptability, socioeconomic level, educational quality and industry engagement, according to data collected from 80 recent IT graduates using a positivist approach and quantitative design. The research underscores the necessity of greater industry-academia cooperation, improved faculty development, continuous curriculum changes and financial aid for underprivileged students. Correlation analysis showed significant positive relationship of Information technology industry demand with institutional adaptability and socio economic factors. In addition to offering guidance for institutional, policy and future research priorities, the findings offer our understanding of how to match the outcomes of higher education with Sri Lanka's evolving IT job market.
This study analyzes household food consumption expenditure (HHFCE) patterns and their determinants across urban, rural, and estate sectors in Sri Lanka using Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) data for 2006/07, 2009/10, 2012/13, and 2016. The analysis covers 13,881 households from selected districts of Badulla, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, and Ratnapura. A Multiple Linear Regression Model was estimated using four alternative functional forms, with model selection based on diagnostic tests of the implicit expenditure function. The double-log specification was identified as the most appropriate; however, due to heteroskedasticity and non-normal error distribution, Random Effects and Weighted Least Squares estimation techniques were applied. The results show that expenditures on bread, meat, fish, coconut, and milk significantly increase HHFCE across all sectors, while rice and income significantly influence HHFCE only in urban and rural sectors. Pulses significantly affect HHFCE in rural and estate sectors. Sectoral differences indicate that rice and meat expenditures contribute more to HHFCE in the urban sector, whereas pulses, vegetables, fish, and eggs have a stronger effect in the estate sector. Income growth increases HHFCE most in the urban sector, while inflation has a stronger negative impact on HHFCE in the estate sector. The findings highlight the need for targeted food security and nutritional policies that account for sector-specific consumption patterns. Policy interventions should be tailored to the unique dietary habits and expenditure behaviors of urban, rural, and estate households.
Entrepreneurship plays a vital role in economic development, job creation, and the progression of society. The study attempts to identify the factors influencing the startup decision of an entrepreneur. It examines the role of socio-cultural characteristics on entrepreneurial orientation. The level of education, experience before startup, and family background of the entrepreneurs are attributed to socio-cultural attributes. In addition, innovativeness, creativeness, and risk-taking tendencies are attributes of the entrepreneurial orientation. The study uses a sample of 100 entrepreneurs surveyed from the state of Gujarat, India. The primary data was collected through questionnaires. Confirmatory factor analysis and parametric tests were used to get the empirical results. Results show that the background of the entrepreneur and educational attainment positively affect the entrepreneurial orientation. The educational attainment and experience of an entrepreneur show significant association with innovativeness. In contrast, the business background of an entrepreneur is positively related to proactiveness. Additionally, educational attainment is positively associated with risk-taking propensity. Experience and education are essential factors for innovativeness. Social background is a necessary factor for proactiveness in business activities. Profile analysis of entrepreneurs and their attitude towards innovation, pro-action, and risk-taking propensity based on their socio-cultural characteristics can help investors make better decisions. An entrepreneur can also understand the importance of socio-cultural factors before starting the venture. This study is an attempt to examine the role of socio-cultural characteristics on entrepreneurial orientation. It examines the entrepreneurs of small and medium-scale enterprises. Investors and financiers can increase their chances of success by selecting the innovative, proactive, and risk-taking entrepreneurial orientation dimensions.
This study examines the impact of organizational culture on employee well-being, among Sri Lankan banking professionals, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of work-life balance (WLB) and the moderating role of gender. Survey data from 286 middle-level employees were analyzed via the PROCESS macro in SPSS and the Sobel test. The results indicate that a positive organizational culture significantly enhances wellbeing, with WLB partially mediating this relationship. These findings are primarily grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and supported by Perceived Organizational Support (POS) theory. Contrary to assumptions derived from social role theory, gender did not significantly moderate these relationships. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of supportive workplaces and WLB-friendly policies in improving employee well-being. In this context, as movements toward gender equality and inclusion continue to grow, equitable practices such as flexible working hours, parental leave for all genders, and well-being initiatives can foster inclusive, highperforming work environments.
Behavioral intention is shaped by technology acceptance factors, which in turn influence the adoption of online payment systems. The study identifies the major technology acceptance constructs as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions. The study aims to analyze the impact of these constructs on the adoption intention of online payment among consumers in Nepal. The descriptive and causal-comparative research design was adopted. Using convenience sampling, responses were collected from 384 Nepalese users of online platforms. The questionnaire survey data were preprocessed in Excel, and the analysis was conducted using SPSS and SmartPLS 4. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to determine the reliability and validity of the model, and factor loadings. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied in the study. The findings reveal that the four constructs have a positive and significant impact on the adoption of online payment among consumers. Behavioral intention plays a key mediating role in explaining the relationships between the variables. Social influence does not exhibit a significant association with adoption when mediated by behavioral intention, indicating that consumers’ perceptions of using online payments are not significantly impacted by peers, family, or friends. To encourage adoption, policymakers and corporate executives in Nepal should consider customer needs and demographics while also promoting awareness, accessibility, and trust in online payment systems. Moreover, increasing digital literacy and ensuring inclusive access could encourage broader participation in digital transactions, supporting a shift toward a cashless economy.
In the contemporary competitive global employment landscape, employer branding is an essential approach for attracting and retaining premier talent. This trend is apparent in Sri Lanka, where firms leverage employer branding to mitigate brain drain and retain qualified graduates. This study investigates the influence of employer branding on the job application intentions of final-year management undergraduates participating in industrial training at state universities in Sri Lanka's Western Province. Data from 318 undergraduates were evaluated using a conventional questionnaire and stratified random sampling, employing SPSS for descriptive, correlation, and regression analysis. The results indicate a substantial correlation between employer branding and the propensity to apply for jobs. Critical factors, including interest value, social value, and developmental value, substantially impact students' job application decisions. The study highlights the significance of employer branding in influencing career decisions and offers critical insights for firms seeking to improve their recruitment efforts and attract proficient graduates.
Knowledge management plays a critical role in enhancing organizational performance; however, the behavioral effect of knowledge management on performance remains inconclusive. This paper investigates the effect of Knowledge Management Orientation (KMO) on Organizational Performance (OP) and examines the missing link between KMO and OP through Organizational Agility (OA). The conceptual model was tested using data collected from 254 listed companies in Sri Lanka. The measurement and structural models were analyzed using the Structural Equation Modelling technique. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between KMO and OP and confirmed that organizational agility partially mediates the relationship between KMO and OP. This indicates that knowledge-oriented behaviors alone do not directly ensure performance improvement unless firms possess the agility to respond effectively to market volatility and sudden environmental changes. The results highlight that the ability of a firm to respond to dynamic market conditions is essential to achieve superior performance while managing organizational knowledge. The link between KMO, OA, and OP generates a holistic perspective that extends knowledge management and strategic management literature. Practically, the findings suggest that managers of Sri Lankan listed companies should strengthen knowledge-oriented practices while simultaneously developing organizational agility to enhance overall firm performance and competitiveness.
The study aims to explore the influence of Geopolitical Disruptions in Supply Chain over the Internal Perception of Firm Performance and the Supply Chain Modification Strategies. Study utilized qualitative approach and conducted eight interviews with managers from Multinationals in different sectors - Sri Lanka. Using Thematic analysis method study highlighted several themes such as Macro Environmental Risks, Firm Performance, Influence on Firm Performance, Supply Chain Modification Strategies and Strategies Influence on Firm Performance. The study found a significant direct influence over the Firm Performance as well as Supply Chain Modification Strategies for manufacturing and FMCG sector multinationals, whereas some geopolitical disruptions in supply chain lead to implicit impacts over the firm performance despite been in the manufacturing/FMCG sector. Conversely, service sector company does not have a direct impact on the company performance despite been facing the same geopolitical disruptions. Notably, Supply Chain Modification Strategies have a significant influence over the Firm Performance positively as well as negatively. By synthesizing these findings, this study extends the theoretical framework established by Christopher and Peck (2004) while offering insights and guidance for both managers and policy makers.
Evangelism marketing is a concept where marketers use satisfied customers to spread the word about their brand and products. This study examines the impact of evangelism marketing on consumer buying behavior, with a special focus on tea brands in Sri Lanka. By leveraging the enthusiasm and advocacy of satisfied customers, evangelism marketing can create a strong emotional connection between the brand and the consumer, leading to increased brand loyalty and sales. The findings of the study suggest that evangelism marketing has a positive and significant impact on consumer buying behavior, highlighting the importance of this marketing strategy for brands in competitive markets. The study also identifies brand loyalty as a key mediating factor between evangelism marketing and consumer buying behavior. From a managerial perspective, the study provides practical implications for building and leveraging relationships with key consumers through evangelism marketing. While the study has limitations, including the focus on tea brands in Sri Lanka and the use of a convenience sampling method, it contributes to the literature by developing and testing a measure of evangelism marketing in the context of consumer durables and proposing a theoretical framework for understanding the relationship between brand trust, brand salience, brand experience, and evangelism marketing. Future research can explore the role of demographic factors and the effectiveness of evangelism marketing in other industries and contexts.
This study examines how implementing an ISO 31000–based Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework enhances fraud risk management at PT Lestari. A qualitative naturalistic case study was conducted, involving semi‐structured interviews with three PT Lestari managers (logistics, finance, and internal audit) and analysis of company risk registers and control documents. Applying ISO 31000–aligned ERM enabled systematic identification and prioritization of fraud risks, optimized resource allocation for internal controls, and introduced early warning indicators—collectively strengthening the company’s fraud prevention capacity. By empirically validating ISO 31000 ERM in a single‐case setting, the study clarifies how a structured risk framework can embed fraud risk management into daily operations. Organizations can adopt the ISO 31000 ERM process to integrate fraud risk assessment into existing workflows and foster a risk-aware culture. The single‐case design with three managerial participants constrains the generalizability of results.
The research examines the impact of brand loyalty on consumer satisfaction in Sri Lankan supermarkets, considering variables such as pricing, service quality, brand perception, and market trends. Researchers used a survey study methodology and a structured questionnaire to collect data, using a quantitative technique to assess information from a convenience sample of 175 consumers across multiple supermarkets in the Gampaha area. The research included regression and correlational analytic methodologies. The research revealed a substantial correlation between consumer happiness and brand loyalty in supermarkets, demonstrating that elevated customer satisfaction resulted in enhanced brand loyalty and vice versa. The study emphasized how brand loyalty affects customer satisfaction and the substantial correlation between these two factors while greater brand loyalty further strengthens consumer satisfaction. Findings demonstrate that pricing, service quality, brand image, and market trends substantially affect consumer pleasure, which subsequently bolsters brand loyalty. Furthermore, the primary role of supermarkets is to foster brand loyalty via strategies that improve service quality, value recognition, emotional engagement, and consumer convenience. The research provides practical insights for retail managers wanting to promote customer fulfillment, trust, value, psychological connection, convenience, and long-term loyalty. These results underscore the significance of supermarkets in establishing brand loyalty via initiatives that promote consumer pleasure, trust, value, emotional connection, and convenience.
Scholars are progressively focusing on the service quality its impact of higher educational institutions, acknowledging that quality has become a foremost and persistent topic of discussion. The viewpoint on service quality stresses its growing importance in shaping student experiences and institutional reputations. However, the links between service quality, institutional image, on students’ satisfaction and students’ loyalty are still confusing and inconsistent. Thus, the study focuses on to understand the influence of service quality and corporate image on students’ satisfaction and loyalty. the study employed a census survey using a structured questionnaire based on the Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka. The study population comprised 2,400 undergraduates, and a census survey method was employed. Of these, 1,378 responses were considered for the final analysis. The study confirmed the existence of a positive and significant relationship of service quality on students’ satisfaction, there is a positive and significant relationship of corporate image on students’ satisfaction, there is a positive and significant relationship of service quality on loyalty, there is a positive and significant relationship of corporate image on loyalty, there is a positive relationship between students’ satisfaction and loyalty. furthermore, a study established a partial mediation of students’ satisfaction on the relationships between service quality-loyalty and corporate image-loyalty. the originality of this study has been confirmed that there are only a few studies that considered all these influences in a single study including indirect effect of students’ satisfaction in the service quality field of education. This study offers more robust empirical evidence on the role of service quality and corporate image on student satisfaction and loyalty. It identifies the key quality dimensions within higher education institutions that significantly impact student satisfaction. Future researchers are stimulated to perform similar studies across other state universities and private universities to ensure the consistency and generalizability of the findings.
Teenagers are fallen into the susceptible consumer category, because of their higher exposure to franchised fast food. According to the corpus of research, socializing agents significantly influence adolescents' nutritional understanding and purchase decisions. Additionally, the body of existing research indicates that the density of fast-food restaurants affects how much fast food is consumed. Thus, the purpose of this research is to test whether fast food outlet density moderates the association between Agents of Socialization and Vulnerability of Adolescent Consumers. Using a stratified random sample technique, 900 adolescents enrolled in Sri Lankan national government schools were asked to complete a survey based questionnaire in order to gather primary data. Findings supported to accept the first five hypotheses revealing that Friends, Parents, TV commercials, Social Media promotions and Fast food retailers positively influence on Vulnerability of Adolescent Consumers. Additionally, hypothesis six was partially validated, demonstrating that the number of stores in the neighborhood significantly moderates the influence of retailers and peer pressure on the vulnerability of teenage consumers. Finally, findings of the study provide good ramifications for both policy makers and researchers who want to look into the buying patterns of adolescents.
Organic consumerism in Sri Lanka has only quite recently begun to increase, as Sri Lankans have become more aware of health and environmental problems. This systematic literature review discusses how organic consumerism in Sri Lanka addresses SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, and SDG 12: Responsible production and consumption. Thus, this review focusses on studies related to organic consumption development, driving factors of consumers' purchasing decisions, market trends, and problems related to the promotion of organic products from January, 2010 to March, 2024.The Key findings of SLR indicates that health concerns especially to avoid life-style diseases are one major drive to consume organic foods, thereby contributing to SDG 3. Considering SDG 12, organic farming styles reduce impacts on the environment, while high prices, limited availability, certification issues, and consumer mistrust are certain barriers to substantial diffusion. The study employed a systematic literature review in determining how the consumption of organic food in Sri Lanka helps in the achievement of SDG 3 and SDG 12. Published literature dated 2010 to March 2024 was accessed from databases like Google scholar, Sri Lankan Journals Online and Science Director using keywords like organic food, sustainability, and consumer behavior. Studies were included if they were about Sri Lanka, gave relevant insight, dealt with organic consumption in health, environmental, or economic impact terms, and were English language studies with full-text accessibility(full paper articles). The selected studies were thematically analyzed (using manual coding system) to extract primary drivers, barriers, and overall impact of organic consumption. The review has highlighted some areas that need attention, such as targeted government policy, better supply chains, and consumer education.
The apparel industry in developing economies faces significant challenges in digital transformation due to infrastructural limitations, skill gaps, and regulatory constraints. These barriers have hindered the full realization of the benefits offered by Industry 4.0 technologies. Drawing on capability-based theory, this study investigates how three key Industry 4.0 technological capabilities—Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data Analytics (BDA), and Cloud Computing (CC)—influence supply chain performance (SCP). Cross-sectional data from 57 apparel manufacturers in Sri Lanka were analysed using multiple regression analysis. The findings reveal that IoT and CC significantly enhance SCP, while BDA demonstrates a positive but statistically insignificant effect. This study contributes to the literature by providing sector-specific empirical evidence on the impact of Industry 4.0 capabilities in developing economies and extends capability-based theory within contexts characterized by structural and institutional challenges. Managerially, the study offers insights into how firms can leverage I4.0 technologies to strengthen SCP, even in resource-constrained settings. Limitations include the focus on a single industry and reliance on fundamental statistical techniques.
This study examines the role of Social Networking Sites in driving the degree, speed, and scope of internationalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises in Sri Lanka, framed through the Uppsala Revised Model, which emphasizes incremental learning and network-based internationalization. Employing a quantitative approach, data was collected through questionnaire from the senior management of 128 Sri Lankan SMEs engaged in export-oriented activities. A linear regression and moderated regression analysis have been conducted to analyse the relationship between SNS and internationalisation of SMEs and the moderating effect of international experience using Python 3.12. Findings reveal a significant positive association between SNS usage and SME internationalization, suggesting that SNS platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp enable firms to overcome traditional resource and network limitations by facilitating a successful internationalisation process. The study further identifies that international experience moderate this relationship, enhancing the impact of SNS on internationalisation for SMEs with prior international experience. The present study contributes to the literature on SME internationalisation by providing insights specific to developing economies and offering actionable recommendations for practitioners and policymakers on SMEs capacity building, government support for digital adoption and training programs.
