Browsing by Author "Withanaarachchi, A"

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Open Access
Economic Crisis and Its Effects on ERP Adoption in Sri Lanka
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Opatha, N; Withanaarachchi, A
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems are comprehensive software platforms that are specifically designed to manage a wide range of a business's essential processes, including finance, accounting, human resources, procurement, inventory management and project management. In the event of a country facing forthcoming economic collapse, organizations often find it challenging to determine the technological innovation activities they should engage in. The proliferation of the IT industry and its associated value proposition has led to the adoption of ERP systems becoming a popular strategic decision for businesses in the contemporary world. However, organizations' perception affects their inclination to adopt new technologies during economic crises. Hence, identifying factors influencing ERP adoption and assessing crises' impact on such systems is crucial. This research endeavour aims to examine the factors that are likely to exert a significant influence on the adoption of ERP systems within the context of Sri Lanka. The study adopts the Technological - Organizational – Environmental (TOE) framework to provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors that affect the adoption of ERP systems in organizations in Sri Lanka. This study seeks to investigate how the factors identified impact the adoption of ERP systems and how the turbulent economic condition in Sri Lanka has affected it. Existing scholarly literature on ERP adoption during an economic crisis is relatively scarce, and thus, this study will fill a critical gap in the body of knowledge. Furthermore, this study will offer invaluable insights into the importance of the identified factors, ICT Infrastructure, Human Capital, Competitive Pressure, Demand for Products or Services and Trading Partners’ Readiness for business communities in Sri Lanka. Also, this will provide insights into how a country's finance affects ERP adoption, helping organizations make informed technology adoption decisions.
Open Access
Essential Factors for the Advancement of the Yarn Manufacturing Sector in Sri Lanka: Implications of the Socio- Economic Environment
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) De Silva, M; Withanaarachchi, A
The textile and apparel sector are well-represented in the industrial sector of the Sri Lankan economy. It has become Sri Lanka’s largest export industry since 1986. Enhancing quality and decreasing expenses are the main priorities for the Sri Lankan apparel sector, highlighting the necessity for deliberate growth. More significant export revenue and considerable import expenditure on raw materials like yarn, fabric, etc., for apparel manufacturing, is a common phenomenon in the Sri Lankan apparel sector leading to less economic value generation. Thus, this paper studies the key factors affecting the advancement of the yarn manufacturing sector in Sri Lanka and the implications of the turbulent socio-economic environment. To address the identified research problem, this study proposes a conceptual framework through a systematic literature review, which identifies the essential factors for the advancement of the yarn manufacturing sector in Sri Lanka under the current socio-economic environment. The Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) method was used to capture the interactive relationships among the key factors and the advancement of the yarn manufacturing sector in Sri Lanka. Data was gathered using questionnaires from employees in the yarn manufacturing industry, textile industry, and textile engineering students in Sri Lanka. The results show that the quality of raw materials, machines and technology and better investors have a positive relationship with the advancement of the yarn manufacturing sector in Sri Lanka.
Embargo
Industry 4.0 Implementation in Sri Lankan Manufacturing Firms: A Lean Perspective
(IEEE, 2023-08-17) Bandara, L; Withanaarachchi, A; Peter, S
Manufacturing industries require the highest quality and efficiency throughout their value chain, to compete with countries having a labor cost advantage. Today, manufacturing firms are in a fast-phased run to automate their processes and increase value chain integration through advanced technologies. Industry 4.0 has gained traction within this community, where its components like IoT, Big data, and Cloud computing are being used by manufacturing firms to optimize and increase the efficiency of their workplaces. Obtaining the proper outcomes from these advanced technologies has been an issue for most of its users. Very few studies were found in the literature, that propose ways to mitigate the issues faced by these companies in their Industry 4.0 journey. Lean concepts are a popular and proven methodology used by firms worldwide to decrease the complexity and increase the productivity of their processes. Based on a systematic literature review, the study identifies the current knowledge on mitigating the barriers faced by manufacturing firms in Industry 4.0 implementations. To address the knowledge gap identified in the literature review, the study proposes and statistically tests a framework, on how the manufacturing environment can be improved to obtain the expected outcomes of Industry 4.0 implementations, through a lean theoretical lens. Thus, the stakeholders of the company can contribute towards successful implementations of Industry 4.0 while organizational processes are being standardized and optimized to integrate these advanced technological shifts.