SLIIT Business School Scopus2

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://rda.sliit.lk/handle/123456789/4899

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Author: search.filters.author.Wisenthige, KStart date: 2026

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Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    E-commerce success redefined: integrating information systems and customer empowerment for e-customer engagement
    (Emerald Publishing, 2026-03-17) Boyagoda, G; Thalagala, S.M; Pathirana, S.L; Jeewantha, S; Wisenthige, K
    Purpose – This study aims to explore the impact of system quality, information quality, service quality and customer empowerment on customer satisfaction and e-commerce success in Sri Lanka, focusing on Millennials and Generation Z. By integrating the DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success (D&M ISS) model with customer empowerment theory, the research seeks to provide insights into the key drivers of e-customer engagement in e-commerce. Design/methodology/approach – A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 413 respondents employing the purposive sampling technique. The data collection instrument comprised 32 questions related to system quality, information quality, service quality, customer empowerment and customer satisfaction, as well as demographic questions. The data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings – The results revealed that the system quality, information quality and service quality significantly influence customer satisfaction and intention to use the system in the context of e-commerce, which leads to higher customer engagement. Furthermore, the findings substantiate the crucial role that customer empowerment plays in terms of increasing customer satisfaction. Research limitations/implications – This study focuses on Millennials and Generation Z e-customers in Sri Lanka. It provides insights into this demographic, but does not capture the diverse cultural and technological landscape of the entire country. The study examines Information System (IS) dimensions and customer empowerment, excluding other significant variables like overall customer engagement. Self-reported data may introduce biases, and future research with larger sample sizes and different methods could improve the validity. Focusing on four selected online shopping platforms may limit the applicability as the e-commerce landscape is continuously evolving. Practical implications – The findings offer guidance to e-commerce businesses and policymakers to enhance their digital services and customer satisfaction. Businesses can improve their system quality with intuitive designs, offering accurate information to boost engagement and deliver excellent service quality. Initiatives such as interactive tools, loyalty programs and tailored support can empower customers, fostering a stronger impact. Policymakers can support e-commerce growth by improving regulations and providing training programs. These measures contribute to a more efficient and satisfying online shopping experience, driving long-term customer loyalty and business growth. Social implications – The research emphasises the role of customer empowerment in fostering customer engagement, contributing to the growth of the digital economy and enhancing online shopping experiences. Originality/value – This research enhances the academic understanding of e-commerce success by strengthening the DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success model by adding the concept of customer empowerment. This unique improvement is applied in the context of Sri Lanka, an emerging market with its own socio-economic characteristics. This addition provides new insights into key factors affecting e-customer engagement in the e-commerce sector.
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    Focus on Middle East and Central Asia: rationale of IMF assistance seeking
    (Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2026-03) Wisenthige, K; Pathiranage, H. S.K; Jayathilaka, R
    This study delves into the rationale behind the tendency of nations in the Middle East and Central Asia (MECA) to seek aid from the IMF. The IMF supports global financial stability, aiming to foster economic growth and prosperity across its member countries by promoting policies that encourage monetary cooperation and financial resilience. The study employs a conditional fixed-effects logit model, the analysis spans 22 years of data from twenty-five MECA countries to identify the factors driving these nations to seek IMF assistance. It focuses on six determinants: Current Account Balance (CAB), Inflation (INF), Corruption (CORR), General Government Net Lending and Borrowing (GGNLB), General Government Gross Debt (GGGD), and Gross Domestic Product Growth (GDPG). The fixed-effects logit shows that slower GDP growth raises the odds of an IMF programme, while short-run changes in corruption control and public debt ratios are not significant once country and year effects are absorbed. Inflation is weakly positive; the current account balance is still insignificant. A post-GFC and an income-group robustness check confirm the pattern. Furthermore, the study identifies Lebanon, a lower-middle-income country, as a leading example of seeking IMF assistance during the study period. Overall, this research highlights the importance of policymakers understanding the dynamics and rankings within the MECA region to effectively address economic challenges, provide financial support, and foster a more sustainable economic structure.
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    PublicationOpen Access
    Assessing the influence of diverse skills on employability outcomes for IT undergraduates
    (Public Library of Science, 2026-04-10) Senadheera, D; Wisenthige, K
    Rapid technological advancements have reshaped the global job market, emphasizing the importance of specialized competencies such as user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design, alongside technical and interpersonal skills.. This study examines how UI/UX skills (UIUX), soft skills (SS), and technical skills (TS) influence the employability (EP) of IT undergraduates in Sri Lanka, addressing a notable gap in existing literature that often examines these competencies in isolation and predominantly within Western contexts. The current study offers a detailed examination of employability determinants in Sri Lanka’s IT sector by incorporating gender as a moderating factor and investigating the mediating roles of self-efficacy (SE) and proficiency levels (LP). The collection of data involved 345 IT undergraduates participating in structured surveys, which were subsequently analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results demonstrate that gender significantly affects the relationship between soft skills and technical skills with employability, underscoring differences in the assessment of these competencies among different genders. Moreover, the degree of proficiency influences the connection between technical skills and employability, yet it does not play a significant mediating role in the relationship between soft skills and UI/UX employability. Self-efficacy has proven to be a significant mediator across various skill categories UI/UX, soft, and technical highlighting its essential function in converting competencies into career success. This work seeks to add to existing knowledge by tackling the main significant gap of examining the combined effect of UI/UX, soft, and technical skills on employability. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of employability by presenting an integrated model that elucidates the complex interactions among skills, mediators, and gender within the Sri Lankan IT sector. The results provide actionable insights for educators, policymakers, and industry leaders, advocating for curriculum alignment with industry needs and the promotion of self-efficacy through mentorship and experiential learning.
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    Impact of Economic Globalisation on Agricultural Value-Added: The African Region Experience
    (Springer, 2026-01-27) Jayathilaka, R; Wisenthige, K
    Globalisation has been a critical driver of economic growth in many nations. However, the agricultural sector has yet to realise its full potential in terms of agricultural value-added and the distribution of benefits to primary producers within value chains. Notably, the African region possesses a high potential for agricultural value-addition compared to other regions. This research examines the impact of economic globalisation on agricultural value-added within the African context. Using advanced statistical techniques, including panel data regression and multiple linear regression, the study assesses the influence of globalisation on agricultural value-added across 26 African countries from 2000 to 2021. The findings indicate that, while certain countries have benefitted significantly from economic globalisation, enhancing their agricultural value, the majority still require a greater focus on optimising agricultural value addition. Senegal exhibited the most pronounced impact on agricultural value addition, whereas Burkina Faso, Morocco, South Africa, Tunisia, and Uganda showed negligible impacts. Policies aimed at optimising fertiliser inputs, advancing technology, developing the technical knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the agricultural labour force, facilitating foreign market access for raw materials, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices could help enhance value addition and support the overall economic development of the African region. This research contributes to the knowledge-based economy by providing empirical insights into the factors driving agricultural value-added, underscoring the role of knowledge creation, diffusion, and application in boosting agricultural productivity and economic growth in the African region.