Research Papers - Dept of Business
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Publication Embargo Exploring deceptive behavior in intra-organizational activities of teleworkers in the IT sector in Sri Lanka(Springer Science and Business, 2025-07-04) Rajapakshe, W; Bangsajayah B.S.AThis study aims to explore and validate a conceptual framework based on socio-technical systems and information manipulation theories to understand how deficiencies in IT infrastructure and interpersonal distrust lead to communication breakdowns and foster deceptive behavior. The research examines this phenomenon, which became particularly pronounced as companies shifted to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study employs moderated regression analysis (MRA) utilizing the PROCESS macro model 7 to assess hypotheses concerning the mediated moderation effect of deception. Data was collected from a judgmental sample comprising 200 remote IT workers to probe their motivations for deceptive practices within virtual work environments. Research findings demonstrate that the moderated mediation index (the interpersonal trust index) is −.1894. Moderated mediation is statistically significant, not including zero, as indicated by the 95% confidence interval (−.2380 to −.1385). Interpersonal trust moderates the indirect effect of IT infrastructure on communication deception. These findings imply that teleworkers can effectively communicate information if companies provide the infrastructure. Interpersonal trust can increase communication even in inappropriate household environments. Employers should prioritize managing trust and maximizing human capital to create a win–win situation for the company and teleworkers. This study sheds light on the role of interpersonal trust in shaping the relationship between communication and deception, filling a gap in the empirical literature on virtual work environments in the post-pandemic landscape. It provides novel insights by demonstrating how organizational trust moderates communication dynamics and mediates the influence of both deceit and IT infrastructure provision.Publication Open Access Critical risk factors influencing the management of disruptions in construction projects: Insights from recent challenges in Sri Lanka(Elsevier Ltd, 2025-01) Rajapakshe, WThe construction industry has a significantly contribute to the economy of Sri Lanka. However, in recent years, its overall share of the national output has declined, primarily due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, political instability, and ongoing economic challenges. Many construction firms halted projects and laid off employees, highlighting the critical need for effective risk management during crises to predict and mitigate risks. This study explores emerging risk factors in Sri Lanka's construction sector post-crisis. Using a three-phase linear decision-making model, the research combines a literature review, a survey of 290 construction professionals, and structural equation modelling (SEM) to identify major risk factors across four phases of risk management. Key risks out of 23 include general factors like health and safety issues, material costs, regulations, political interference, corruption, and labor shortages, while phase-specific risks involve delays, budget overruns, payment delays, and cancellations. The study revises the risk registers to improve risk management strategies. While the findings are context-specific to Sri Lanka, they may offer indicative insights for other developing countries facing similar crisis-driven disruptions. The practical implications extend to multinational and local companies, supported by data from 22 countries, offering a comprehensive framework for addressing construction industry challenges in volatile environments. The novelty of this study lies in its use of theoretical triangulation to align Classical Risk Management theory with real-world operational risk factors, revealing critical overlaps, behavioral influences, and contextual gaps in traditional frameworks.Publication Open Access Analysis on Current and Future Training Needs in Health Sector of Sri Lanka(SRAC - Romanian Society for Quality, 2022-08) Rajapakshe, W; Weerarathna, R. S; Pathirana, G.Y; Malage, M. HSri Lanka holds a unique position in South Asia as one of the developing nations to provide universal health. Government spending on welfare mainly involves compromising or constraining a country's development budget. It requires sound management strategies to utilize limited resources, including the human resource of the health sector. Training and development of health professionals can be identified as a critical component in strengthening the quality of health services. Fewer studies exist on Training Needs Analysis (TNA) on health professionals in Sri Lanka, and this study assessed the Training Needs of Sri Lanka's healthcare professionals. This is a cross-sectional study collecting data from 240 health sector professionals in Sri Lanka. The Hennessey Hicks Training Need questionnaire was used to obtain data. Data from the source was analysed through the oneway ANOVA to compare the training needs of various professional groups, and the Word Cloud Online tool was applied to analyse the open-ended questions. The study identifies published research evaluation, communicates with patients, identifies viable research, introduces new ideas, prioritizing works, assessing patients' needs, using technology, undertaking health promotion activities, collecting research information, and undertaking administrative duties as current training needs. While computer literacy training, training on new medical equipment, awareness programs on workplace stress-reducing, training on quality assurance certifications like ISO, programs on effectively communicating with patients, management training, and language training were identified as future training needs of professionals in the health sector. The study concluded that, continuous training programs as the preferred approach to access the performance gap. It also demonstrates that this awareness of information regarding the training needs is beneficial for the health sector policymakers, managers, employees, and the community. Having a better understanding of their job roles, performance needs, and involvement in the decision-making process is likely to motivate healthcare sector employees to improve service quality. These benefits will be reflected in positive outcomes on service quality, improving the overall healthcare system in the country.Publication Open Access Analysis on Future Training Needs in Health Sector of Sri Lanka(SRAC - Romanian Society for Quality, 2022-08) Weerarathna, R; Rajapakshe, W; Pathirana, G. Y; Malage, M. HSri Lanka holds a unique position in South Asia as one of the developing nations to provide universal health. Government spending on welfare mainly involves compromising or constraining a country's development budget. It requires sound management strategies to utilize limited resources, including the human resource of the health sector. Training and development of health professionals can be identified as a critical component in strengthening the quality of health services. Fewer studies exist on Training Needs Analysis (TNA) on health professionals in Sri Lanka, and this study assessed the Training Needs of Sri Lanka's healthcare professionals. This is a cross-sectional study collecting data from 240 health sector professionals in Sri Lanka. The Hennessey Hicks Training Need questionnaire was used to obtain data. Data from the source was analysed through the one-way ANOVA to compare the training needs of various professional groups, and the Word Cloud Online tool was applied to analyse the open-ended questions. The study identifies published research evaluation, communicates with patients, identifies viable research, introduces new ideas, prioritizing works, assessing patients' needs, using technology, undertaking health promotion activities, collecting research information, and undertaking administrative duties as current training needs. While computer literacy training, training on new medical equipment, awareness programs on workplace stress-reducing, training on quality assurance certifications like ISO, programs on effectively communicating with patients, management training, and language training were identified as future training needs of professionals in the health sector. The study concluded that, continuous training programs as the preferred approach to access the performance gap. It also demonstrates that this awareness of information regarding the training needs is beneficial for the health sector policymakers, managers, employees, and the community. Having a better understanding of their job roles, performance needs, and involvement in the decision-making process is likely to motivate healthcare sector employees to improve service quality. These benefits will be reflected in positive outcomes on service quality, improving the overall healthcare system in the country.Publication Open Access Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Job Performances with the Mediation Impact of Occupational Stress(South Asian Journal of Social Studies and Economics, 2021-10-05) Rajapakshe, W; Jayaratne, A. R. W. KThis study investigates the impact of emotional intelligence on the job performance of the banking employees in Sri Lanka with the mediation impact of occupational stress. The quantitative approach uses the confirmatory survey method, and it was verified. The data has been analyzed by using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The confirmatory factor analysis results, RAMSEA=0.089, CFI=0.920, and χ2/df, =3.437, show that the proposed conceptual model fit. The findings reveal that emotional intelligence has a direct effect of 0.385 on job performance and an indirect effect of 0.023 through the mediatory path of occupational stress, resulting in a total effect of 0.408, which is significant (p<0.05). Therefore partial mediation can be observed. Even though higher emotional intelligence leads to higher job performance, this positive impact is lowered due to the partial mediation effect of occupational stress. Therefore, it can be stated that to improve the banking employees' performance, and emotional intelligence can be used as a human resource management strategy.Publication Open Access The Role of Micro Finance Institutions on the Development of Micro Enterprises (MEs) in Sri Lanka(South Asian Journal of Social Studies and Economics, 2021-01-13) Rajapakshe, WAim: The study investigates the impact of microfinance practices on the growth of microenterprises (MEs) concerning the Central Province, Sri Lanka. It has been discovered that the growth of microbusinesses is dependent on gender, age, education level and nature of the industry. Design/Methodology/Approach: Multinomial Logistic Regression models was applied in this study. Multinomial logistic regression is frequently used for the analysis of categorical response data with continuous or categorical explanatory variables. Parameter estimates are usually obtained through direct maximum likelihood estimation. Two models were used to test the hypothesis concerning the three practices, micro-credit, training and advisory services. Primary data were obtained from 200 registered microenterprises (ME) owners in the Central Province through convenience sampling methods. Data collection was conducted using a self-structured questionnaire. Results and Conclusion: According to the results, microfinance practices have a significant relationship with the development of MEs, while Microcredit and advisory services have a significant impact on the development of MEs. Training programmes have not significantly impacted on the development of MEs. The research concludes that microfinance as a whole educates and helps to develop micro financed micro-scale enterprise businesses and positively impact those families in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Research limitations/implications: Data were limited to select only one province in Sri Lanka out of nine using a self-structured questionnaire. Also considering the response rate and sample size, there are limitations to generalize the findings. This research was restricted to three variables micro-credit; Training and Advisory services impact of other factors that can influence the growth of MEs did not fall under the scope of this study. Originality and Value: The impact of microfinance practices on MEs growth in Central Province in Sri Lanka is an under-researched area of study. The findings of this study can act as a guideline in the future for decision-makers to identify factors that influence more on MEs development.Publication Open Access Driving Organizational Change In The Midst Of The Crisis: How Does It Affect Employee Performance?(2021-01) Rajapakshe, WThe purpose of the study is to investigate how organizational change during a crisis influence employee performance, with special references to a virtual work setting and working from home. Primary data obtained from 295 employees from three commercial banks in Sri Lanka were selected through Stratified Simple Random Sampling. Descriptive statistics, linear regression analysis and multiple regression analysis are used for data analysis. The linear regression results explore that measures/variables such as changes in a communication system; leadership; Technology and Tolerance to change have a significant negative effect on employee performance, while the multiple regression analysis shows, only the changes in communication and leadership affect employees' performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were limited to selected employees in three private commercial banks in Colombo, Sri Lanka using a self-structured questionnaire. The findings of this research rely on primary data collected from the grass root level. Also considering the response rate and sample size, there are limitations to generalize the findings. This research was restricted to four variables Changes in the communication system; Changes in leadership style; Technology advancement and Tolerance to change; impact of other factors that can influence employees' performance during the pandemic period did not fall under the scope of this study/were not covered. The impact of organizational change on employees' performance during COVID-19 is an under-researched area of study. Findings of this study can act as a guideline in future for managers to handle organizational change with lesser employee resistance to successfully manage where companies are forced to implement sudden changes.Publication Open Access The Impact of Academic Procrastination, SelfEfficacy, and Motivation on Academic Performance: Among Undergraduates in Non-State Universities in Sri Lanka(Science Domain, 2021-02) Rajapakshe, WThe aim of this research study is to identify the relationship between Academic Procrastination, with students’ personality traits such as self-efficacy and motivation to determine the impact on academic performance among undergraduates in non-state universities in Sri Lanka. Data obtained from 381 students from three non-state universities in Sri Lanka were selected through Simple Random Sampling. Structural Equation Model was adopted to determine relationship between self-efficacy, motivation and academic performance mediating with academic procrastination. The findings revealed that Academic Procrastination is a mediator between self-efficacy and motivation and has a direct impact on academic performance. Moreover, the results revealed that self-efficacy and motivation do not have a direct impact on academic performance.