Browsing by Author "Perera, I"

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    PublicationOpen Access
    Does financial literacy matter for firms? An empirical investigation on Sri Lankan SMEs
    (PloS one, 2026-07-21) Arachchi, G. K; Perera, I; Gamage, C; Wijesinghe, S; Wisenthige, K; Dayapathirana, N
    Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are vital to economic growth and job creation, especially in developing countries. However, their potential is not fully utilized due to challenges related to limited financial inclusion, poor resource management, and underdeveloped capital markets. Though financial literacy is well-researched in personal finance, its role as a knowledge resource at the firm level and its impact on firm performance remain underexplored. This study investigates the influence of owner-managers' financial literacy on firm performance, focusing on the mediating roles of FinTech adoption and access to finance. By taking a sample of 264 SME owner-managers in the Western Province of Sri Lanka, this study found that financial literacy significantly enhances firm performance (β = 0.241, p < .01). The findings indicate that financial literacy supports sound financial decision-making and risk mitigation and is positively associated with both FinTech adoption (β = 0.542, p < .001) and access to finance (β = 0.533, p < .001). These results underscore the necessity of enhancing financial literacy and promoting FinTech adoption to fully realize the potential of SMEs within developing economies. The study contributes a concise yet impactful framework for enhancing the performance of SMEs through the strategic application of financial literacy. Based on the study's findings, it is recommended that enterprise owners and managers prioritize achieving an adequate level of financial literacy. Furthermore, governmental institutions should revise their financial literacy programs, reconsidering their design and implementation strategies to effectively engage key personnel within enterprises. Current programs appear underutilized due to deficiencies in depth and practical applicability of the knowledge given in them.
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    PublicationEmbargo
    Emergency Communication Application for Speech and Hearing-Impaired Citizens
    (IEEE, 2020-12-15) Dewasurendra, D; Kumar, A; Perera, I; Jayasena, D; Thelijjagoda, S
    Citizens worldwide with mutism and hearing loss, converse differently than the rest of the population. Preferring a gestural mode of communication, they use sign languages which are established natural languages with an extensive vocabulary and syntax. Nevertheless, despite having equal status to spoken languages, society prominently caters to the majority of citizens who are capable of speaking and processing spoken languages. As a result, sign language speakers face difficulties with social aggregation. The Sri Lankan citizens with mutism and hearing loss obtain improving benefits with the advancement of technology; however, accessing emergency services remains a challenge as they can only be accessed verbally using a phone call. Project `Wadhan' enables citizens with mutism and hearing loss to request for emergency services in real-time without depending on an intermediary. This cross-platform mobile application will convert Sri Lankan Sign Language (SSL) statements to voice and vice-versa, which allows a seamless conversation between the SSL speaker and the emergency operator. The application includes SSL Gesture Recognition, Sinhala Text-to-Speech (TTS), Sinhala Speech Recognition, and SSL Animation Generation, thus resulting in an emergency communication application that can be used by SSL users in dire situations.