2nd International Conference on Sustainable and Digital Business [ICSDB] 2023

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://rda.sliit.lk/handle/123456789/3955

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Open Access
Shaping the Future of Business-Digital Transformation for a Sustainable Way Forward
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) de la Campa, A. A.
In a technologically driven era, the importance of digital transformation cannot be overstated. It has brought about significant changes in our society, revolutionizing the way we communicate, access information, and even the way we consume goods and services. Irrefutably, it’s embedded in every facet of our lives. Inclusive, accessible, and quality digital connectivity is the foundation of a flourishing economy and an informed society. It stands as the cornerstone of business productivity and resilience across all economic sectors, and is essential for the provision of public services, including education, healthcare, and finance. In 2022, mobile technologies and services have generated 5 percent of the global gross domestic product – adding $5.2 trillion to the economy and supporting 28 million jobs across the wider ecosystem.
Open Access
Beyond Gender Diversity: Two Shades of Women Directors and Bank Cash Holdings
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Abid, A; Younas, A
Drawing upon the precautionary savings theory and agency theory, the researchers present two competing hypotheses to examine the influence of women directors, critical mass, and the attributes of women directors (specifically, educational expertise in terms of level and type, and financial expertise) on decisions related to bank cash holdings. Utilizing a dataset comprising 1375 observations representing 187 Asian commercial banks spanning from 2011 to 2019, it is discovered that women directors (as well as a critical mass of women directors) exhibit a negative correlation with bank cash holdings, supporting the agency problem-based explanation. These findings remain robust across alternative econometric specifications and varied measures of cash holdings. Concerning the impact of educational expertise, results from the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) analysis indicate that women directors with a high level of education reduce the level of cash holdings, and those with qualifications in business/accounting/finance also decrease the level of cash holdings when measured by CASH1. Notably, the results reveal that women directors with a financial background increase excess cash holdings, aligning with the precautionary savings-based explanation. The findings contribute valuable insights to the ongoing global discourse on gender diversity and its ramifications for the banking sector.
Open Access
Investigating the Connections between Alcohol Use, Mental Health, and Undergraduate Academic Achievement in Sri Lanka
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Vandhana, R.D; Anuja, A.L; Zuha, A.R.F; Samarasinghe, S.L; Sannasooriya, K.H; Jafzan, M.J.A
Alcohol and mental health problems are becoming more common among university students. During university activities, students use alcohol to ease the pressure on their mental freedom. The primary goal of this study is to have a look at how alcohol usage and depression affect university students' academic performance. Students face issues like skipping classes, late assignments, and dropping GPA due to substance abuse and mental health issues. The main purpose of this research is to investigate how alcohol use and mental health affect the academic performance of university students. A mixed-method approach was used, including online questionnaires, surveys, and interviews. The study found a significant link between binge alcohol consumption and academic performance, with factors like peer influence, coping mechanisms, and academic stress influencing this relationship. The study emphasizes the need for universities to address this relationship and recommends measures and awareness programs to reduce stress and improve student health in Sri Lanka. The study analyses data using correlation and thematic analyses and utilizes the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) to determine alcohol intake levels.
Open Access
Time Series Model to Forecast Fresh Coconut Exports from Sri Lanka
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Suban, K; Hettiarachchi, S. N.; Himaanthri, S.; Aththachchi, S. D. F.; Wickramarachchi, C. N.; Peiris, T. S. G.
Coconut accounts for approximately 12% of all agricultural produce in Sri Lanka with the total land area under cultivation covering 409, 244 hectares ranking second to rice production. The primary regions for coconut cultivation are the Puttalam and Kurunegala districts in North- Western Province and Gampaha district in the Western Province, forming what is known as the Coconut Triangle. This region accounts for 232,270 hectares (50.94%) of the overall coconut cultivation area. The remaining coconut cultivation areas are found in the Southern Province, specifically in the districts of Galle (13,833 hectares), Matara (14,946 hectares), and Hambantota (25,837 hectares), and in non-traditional regions of the Eastern and Northern provinces. The annual coconut production varies between 2,800 to 3,000 million nuts. Having advanced knowledge of exporting coconuts offers numerous advantages to Sri Lanka, particularly in terms of establishing forward contracts with other countries. Based on secondary data of annual fresh coconut exports from 1981 to 2020 obtained from the Coconut Development Authority (CDA) of Sri Lanka, the paper developed ARIMA (2,1,0) model to forecast export. The model was selected out of three parsimonious models which were identified from the Sample Autocorrelation Function (ACF) and Partial Autocorrelation Function (PACF) of the stationary series and a comparison of significant parameters and lowest values of Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), Schwarz Bayesian Information Criterion (SBIC) and Hannan-Quinn Information Criterion (HQIC). The errors of the fitted model were found to be random and constant variance. The model was validated using 2021 and 2022 data. The percentage errors for 2021 and 2022 are 20.23% and -29.57% respectively. The predictions for 2023 and 2024 are 14696 and 15052 respectively. The model can be used effectively by the Coconut Development Authority for decision-making. However, it is suggested to develop the model further to reduce the percentage error.
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.
Open Access
Impact of Dynamic Capabilities on Business Performance of SMEs during an Economic Crisis with reference to Western Province
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Haputhanthri, H; Jayawickrama, U; Lakma, L; Sellahewa, E; Wisenthige, K; Jayathilake, T
The current economic crisis which is experiencing has a significant impact on the development and performance of most SMEs, making their existence even more susceptible. In the face of the current economic crisis, Dynamic capabilities (DCs) can be utilized as a survival mechanism to help organizations to increase the value of their businesses, get competitive advantages, and increase business performance in a changing business environment. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of three dimensions of DCs which are sensing, seizing, and reconfiguring on the business performance of SMEs during this economic crisis. In addition, this study investigates how DCs could impact business performance through Information technology (IT) adoption as a moderator. The quantitative approach is adopted, where a cross sectional survey was utilized to collect primary data from SMEs. Findings of the study based on a sample of 380 SMEs in western province and stratified random sampling method was utilized to select participants. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to analyze data by using Smart PLS 4 software. The results revealed that only sensing and reconfiguring capabilities have a significant impact on SMEs’ performance and IT adoption moderates the relationship between DCs and business performance during the economic crisis. Therefore, this study provides a great effort to quantitatively investigate the impact of three procedures of DCs and the moderate effect of IT adoption during the economic crisis. Furthermore, it conveys a better understanding of how SMEs could deploy their DCs to ensure higher levels of performance in periods of crisis. The results of this research will pave a path for them to successfully take effective strategic decision on the SMEs.
Open Access
Unlocking Innovation for Net Zero: Constraints, Enablers, and Firm- Level Transition Strategies
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Demirel, P.
Transition pathways for net zero encompass seemingly insurmountable innovation challenges for the scaling of less mature techno-logical solutions such as hydrogen, materials substitution, and electrification as well as societal challenges to increase the market acceptability of these solutions. In this article, we present a conceptual framework which provides a firm-level perspective on net-zero innovation which has four unique characteristics, i.e., it is complex, systemic, urgent, and directional. The framework shows that the input, process, and output constraints that incumbent firms face in the net-zero transition can be tackled through four firm-level innovation levers – i.e., recombinative, collaborative, integrative, and socio-cognitive capabilities – which, in concert, act as enablers for firms to address these net-zero constraints. We conclude the article by outlining the framework’s main insights for firms’ innovation strategies for net zero and the policy implications. We also propose avenues for future research on net-zero innovation.
Open Access
Paddy Disease Identification and Impact Calculation Using Machine Learning
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Sandeepanie, N; Rathnayake, S; Gunasinghe, A
Rice is a crucial staple crop globally, providing over half of humanity's caloric intake. It supports the livelihoods of small-scale farmers and landless laborers worldwide. With the growing population, there is a high demand for rice production. Sri Lanka is renowned for its high- quality rice and has a long history of paddy cultivation. However, not all the country's 708,000 hectares of land dedicated to paddy cultivation are utilized due to water scarcity and unstable terrain. The objective of this paper is to explore the ways of enhancing the quality of the paddy crop during its vegetative phase by early identification of diseases through the utilization of emerging technologies. The vegetative phase constitutes a critical stage in the growth of paddy, exerting significant influence on the overall yield, resistance to pests and diseases, nutrient assimilation, and the environmental implications of agricultural practices. The primary emphasis of this paper is to identify diseases to which paddy crops are susceptible during the vegetative phase and subsequently present avisual representation of their locations on a map, serving as the output for end-users. Early identification of paddy diseases is crucial for effective crop management and high yields. These diseases, caused by different pathogens, can significantly hinder plant growth and productivity if not detected and treated promptly. Identifying them early allows farmers and experts to take timely and targeted actions, like applying suitable fungicides or implementing cultural practices, to control their spread and minimize crop damage.
Open Access
Social Media Referral Marketing and Consumer Engagement in Sri Lanka's Cosmetics Industry: Unravelling the Moderating Impact of Social Ties
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Rajapaksha, A; Sumanasinghe, D; Dharmasiri, T; Dasanayake, A; Jayasuriya, N; Jayasinghe, P
The aim of this research is to examine the influence of many variables, including brand, rewards, and celebrity endorsement, on consumer participation in social media referral marketing campaigns in the cosmetic sector. Furthermore, this study investigated the moderating effect of social ties on the influence of these factors on consumers' propensity to participate in referral marketing initiatives. A self-administered survey questionnaire was utilized to collect a total of 384 responses from individuals in Sri Lanka who utilize WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Linkedin. The researchers employed a convenience sampling strategy to choose the sample. The researchers conducted the final data analysis utilizing a structural equation model. The findings of this study indicate that the influence of brand and rewards on customer willingness to participate is greater compared to the impact of celebrity endorsement. Furthermore, based on the findings, it can be concluded that the presence of a social tie moderates only the impact of brand on customer willingness to participate, and it does not moderate the impact of rewards and celebrity endorsement on customer willingness to participate. This study corroborates certain findings from prior research while also presenting contradictory outcomes. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Open Access
The Impact of Service Quality and Weather Condition on Tourists’ Guest Night Stays in Coastal Area of Sri Lanka: Perspective of Tourists
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Koralage, B; Fernando, T; Nilakshika, T; Madhavika, N; Jayasinghe, P; Ehalapitiya, S
This study aims to explore tourists' perceptions of service quality and weather condition of guest night stays in Sri Lanka and how they influence tourists’ decisions regarding the duration of their guest night stays. This study employed qualitative approach, having the data collected using purposive sampling. Researchers conducted in depth interviews with 18 foreign tourists in Colombo and Galle coastal area of Sri Lanka. The study revealed that both service quality and weather condition are significantly impacting tourists' decision of duration of guest night stays. Longer stays were associated with higher levels of service quality, emphasizing the pivotal role of service delivery in attracting and retaining tourists. In addition, weather condition was identified to be a major factor in determining guest night stays in the coastal area of Sri Lanka. This research offers valuable insights into Sri Lanka's coastal tourism, emphasizing the significance of excellent customer service and environmental responsibility in attracting and retaining tourists. The study's practical implications enable industry experts and policymakers to formulate strategies for promoting eco-friendly practices, ultimately enhancing the overall traveller experience in the coastal regions of Sri Lanka. By examining tourists' perceptions of service quality and weather condition's impact on guest night stays in Colombo and Galle coastal areas, this study contributes to existing literature on tourism in Sri Lanka. The results underscore the significance of sustainable practices and exceptional service in attracting visitors and fostering longer stays. Ultimately, these insights can aid in the formulation of effective plans to strengthen eco-friendly tourism and enhance Sri Lanka's appeal as a preferred destination for international travellers.
Open Access
Influence of IoT on Warehouse Management Performance in the Global Context: A Critical Literature Review
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Perera, S; Pinto, A; Sewmini, H; Ulugalathenne, A; Thelijjagoda,S; Karunarathna,N
This systematic research paper explores the impact of Industry 4.0 technology, specifically the Internet of Things (IoT), on Warehouse Management Performance (WMP) in the worldwide logistics sector. IoT serves as a pivotal component in the paradigm shift towards Industry 4.0, facilitating the seamless storage, packaging, and distribution of commodities. By harnessing interconnected devices and data-driven insights, warehouses have undergone significant transformations since the inception of IoT technology. This study reviews state-of-theart literature on the influence of IoT on WMP, emphasizing the vital role warehouse operations play in ensuring the smooth functioning of the supply chain management process. Warehouse operations encompass aspects ranging from planning and layout to receiving, order picking, shipping, and distribution. To optimize warehouse operations, we conduct a comprehensive literature assessment using Scopus as our primary database. The findings from this systematic review indicate that the integration of IoT technologies such as RFID, QR codes, scanners, and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) can substantially enhance warehouse management performance. These technologies provide real-time data, predictive maintenance, and improved inventory accuracy, resulting in increased operational efficiency, reduced operational expenses, and improved customer satisfaction. Additionally, the IoT framework combines big data, blockchain, cloud computing, and wireless sensor networks to tackle key challenges related to data storage, retrieval, and utilization. This integration significantly improves the effectiveness of the warehouse management process and facilitates data-driven decision-making. Furthermore, IoT's communication capabilities enhance efficiency and reduce costs in warehouse operations. In conclusion, this systematic review underscores the transformative potential of IoT technology in the global logistics sector. It highlights the importance of technological integration, data-driven decision-making, and smart packaging solutions. Recognizing the disruptive effects of IoT on the logistics industry, it emphasizes the need for companies to adopt and leverage IoT technologies to remain competitive and agile in the evolving global supply chain landscape.
Open Access
Exploring Disparities in Happiness Index Rankings: A Comparative Study between Selected Countries
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Gevindhi, J; Dasanayaka, P; Dewappriya, R; Parinda, K
This study aims to investigate the impact of economic and certain social and governance factors on the happiness index, with a focus on estimating their relative contribution to disparities among groups of countries classified according to income levels (high, upper-middle, lowermiddle, and low). This study employs a multiple regression technique to analyse data collected from the World Bank database and the World Happiness Report spanning the years 2010 to 2019 to compare the four groups of countries categorized by the World Bank according to their income levels of each income group. The findings of this study show that healthcare expenditure and government effectiveness increase people’s happiness in all four groups of countries. Furthermore, the findings suggest that fiscal contribution matters for people’s happiness only in high income and upper middle-income countries. Additionally, infrastructure, government effectiveness, political stability and absence of violence and terrorism, rule of law and voice and accountability matter for the happiness of people in lower-middle income countries. All variables, except fiscal contribution, have a significant impact on the happiness of people in low-income countries. This paper is the first that analyses how economic and certain social and governance factors relatively impact happiness of peoples in selected four groups of countries that classified according to their all four income levels.
Open Access
The Appropriateness of Organizational Structure for Project Performance: An Exploratory Study of Public Sector Organizations in Sri Lanka
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Bandara, G
The objective of this paper is to explore the most appropriate type of structure that can improve project performance of public sector organizations in Sri Lanka. The study utilized the qualitative approach conducting ten structured interviews with project management administrators in the selected five public sector organizations and performing thematic analysis on the coded responses. According to the findings, of the five types of structures; functional, weak matrix, balanced matrix, strong matrix and projectized, strong matrix and projectized structures are advantageous to achieve project scope, time, cost, and customer satisfaction. Hence, the senior authorities at Sri Lankan public sector organizations must take actions to revise their existing structure into a strong matrix or projectized structure for achieving eminent project performance by fulfilling project scope, time, cost, and customer satisfaction.
Open Access
Exploring the Determinants of Migration Intention of IT Professionals: Evidence from Sri Lanka
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Rathnayake, U; Jithmini, T; Amarasinghe, T; Alahakoon, S; Dunuwila, V
International IT professional migration occurs beyond national lines because of globalization and internationalism, with the goals of information sharing, obtaining higher living standards, as well as for economic reasons. This study aims to explore the factors influencing to the outflow migration of IT professionals in Sri Lanka. This study is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka during the time when the country was dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak and the economic crisis since it rests its originality on information acquired from the local arena. Higher migration rates is a significant concern to Sri Lanka, since second-largest export revenue generating industry is the IT sector. Researchers examined the connections between different factors' effects on migration intention. These studies illustrate some variation in worldwide migration intention factors and trends. They concluded that while the migratory intentions of some countries and identified variables are positively connected, others are negatively connected. Thematic analysis leading to a factor analysis were used in this study to collect data from Sri Lankans. Researchers have conducted interviews for this specific research objective which were followed by a questionnaire using mixed methods. In the results, rotated component analysis, which includes information about the relationships between each variable and the estimated components, is one of the most important outcomes of principle component analysis. As the conclusion, certain policies could encourage innovation, growth, and long-term economic development in Sri Lanka’s IT sector.
Open Access
Identification of Some Major Research Gaps in Lean Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 Integration
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Rajapaksha, S; Jayarathne, P.G.S.A; Galdolage, S
In the contemporary business world, digitalization has become a significant factor in economic development. Lean is a prominent topic in both academia and business. Due to the evolution of digital technologies that promote Industry 4.0 because of the industrial revolution, the integration of Lean Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 has attracted the attention of academics and managers. This conceptual paper discusses the integration of Lean Manufacturing and Industry 4.0, as well as the research gaps and prospective research opportunities related to integration. Systematic Literature Review (SLR) in the PRISMA framework has been used to identify research gaps, and future studies could be planned to close these gaps to benefit academia and industry stakeholders. Keyword co-occurrence analysis has been performed using VOSviewer software to identify areas that need the attention of researchers. Articles were extracted from the Scopus database using the keywords "Lean Manufacturing" and "Industry 4.0". This study concentrates on identifying research gaps that industry leaders and managers would be interested in, rather than the gaps in conceptual nature.
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
Impact of Entrepreneurial Factors Influencing Social Commerce Adoption: Based on Sri Lankan Small and Medium Enterprises
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Panditasekara, C.M.; Rasaputhra, S; Peiris, V; Navanjali, R; Wisenthige, K; Jayasuriya, N
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are required to understand social media and strategies for using social commerce for business expansions in this new digital era. SMEs are important to the economic growth of any country since they play a major role in most international economies. In the same manner, the COVID-19 pandemic has reformed people's mode of lifestyle and dealing with information. This study has led to the expansion of social commerce especially related to entrepreneurs and SME owners. This study focuses on the impact of entrepreneurial factors when adopting social commerce by SMEs in Sri Lanka. The framework has been developed with the factors of Attitude (AT), Innovativeness (IN), and IT Knowledge (IK) under the entrepreneurial factors. The present research conducted a thorough quantitative study of the impact of entrepreneurial factors when adopting social commerce by SMEs. The simple random sampling technique was utilized to select SMEs from the target population of SMEs listed at chambers of commerce. 384 SMEs in the Western Province were selected for the data analysis of this research. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to test the developed hypotheses. The results indicated that adopting social commerce in Sri Lankan SMEs is practical and hugely beneficial to all parties involved. Entrepreneurs who are interested in applying social commerce for their businesses will find the study to be insightful. The study's findings showed the importance of utilizing social commerce in daily business activities as most SME owners hold the belief of possessing the required knowledge, skills, and resources in their business operations on social media as the focal point with a special emphasis on entrepreneurial factors.
Open Access
The Role of Green Technology and AI in the Development of the Smart and Sustainable Town in ASIA: Singapore
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Bandara, N
This paper examines the challenges, consequences, and various actions of ASIA: Singapore’s use of green technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for their developments and examines the challenges, and recent trends when adopting AI and green technology for Singapore’s sustainability with green cities. Because in the face of globalization, Singapore has become a global high-capacity economic and technological innovation today. smart modern societies, smart urban planning, smart towns, and smart health care are the main key areas of current technological developments. This qualitative literature survey has collected data through websites, research articles, and journal articles. This study aims to focus examine how Singapore joined the ranks of advanced countries using green technology and artificial intelligence so quickly, and how it will affect the economic and technological development of ASIA. In the face of AI technological plans, it is shown that in the future, Singapore aims to become the world’s sustainable green cities and smart towns and have the largest economic capacity. Singapore’s growing and expected power will have both good and bad effects on Asian Countries. Singapore can achieve these desired goals by joining Asian countries together, opening more innovation opportunities, developing proposals from various organizations, and maintaining international cooperation with industries and the international market.
Open Access
The Role of Inter-organizational Knowledge Transfer on the Sustainable Development of the Coastal Tourism Industry: A Preliminary Study from Sri Lanka
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Samaradheera, A
This preliminary research aims to examine the impacts of actively using knowledge transfer among inter-organizations related to the coastal tourism industry to promote sustainable development implementation. This research project is an exploratory, qualitative study focusing on knowledge transfer practices from an inter-organisational perspective in the context of sustainable coastal tourism in Sri Lanka. Moreover, a qualitative approach is used in this research. Participants chose from academic, government, industry, and coastal community clusters. The researcher chose industrial and coastal community participants from the Hikkaduwa district. Hikkaduwa was chosen because it was one of the primary coastal tourism destinations in this island nation, and overdevelopment, environmental degradation, and civil war threaten this once vibrant and robust coastal ecosystem and tourism-dependent economy. Data was collected via online and in-person interviews. This study uses a reflexive thematic analysis approach to analyze the data from the coastal-related stakeholders’ views, opinions, knowledge, and experiences. Further, it addresses the lack of prior exploratory research in knowledge transfer, the interorganizational perspective of the Sri Lanka coastal tourism industry and the need for theories, and strategies implications in this area, which has been a lack of focus by academics. Further, this research develops a conceptual framework based on the quintuple helix model. This model demonstrates the importance of healthy interaction and calls for collective interaction and knowledge transfer through education systems, political systems, economic systems, social systems, and the natural environment (Hartanto et al, 2021). Hence, the research contributes to both practice and theory in different ways.
Open Access
Reputation of Entrepreneur Mediates the Business Performance: A Study of Women-owned Small Enterprise in Sri Lanka
(SLIIT Business School, 2023-12-14) Gunawansha, N; Rajapaksha, N; Witharana, N; Ishara, N; Wisenthige, K; Pathirana, U
This study intends to examine the impact of entrepreneurial network relationships on the success of women-owned small enterprises (WOSEs) in Sri Lanka. Knowledge sharing, innovation, transaction cost, and market opportunities all play a significant role as the network relationship's independent variables, with reputation representing as a mediator for the impact of innovation on women-owned small enterprises' performance. The present study used partial least square (PLS) structural equation modelling to examine the constructed hypotheses technique to examine the impact of entrepreneurial network relationships on WOSEs performance. The data used in this study is primary data collected from 384 women entrepreneurs registered in the chamber of commerce in Sri Lanka using a simple random sampling technique. The findings show that there is a significant positive impact of transaction cost, reputation, market opportunity, and knowledge sharing, on the performance of WOSEs. Innovation as a mediator also positively and significantly mediate the impact of knowledge sharing on performance. It implies that innovations strengthen the impact that knowledge sharing does on business performance. The findings of this study highlight the policymakers to take steps to improve the collaboration between other businesses which will indirectly improve the entrepreneurial network and ultimately improve the performance of WOSEs. Consequently, network relationships afford enterprises the opportunity to leverage embedded linkages to mitigate their vulnerabilities and attain economic benefits. Future studies could focus on businesses other than women-owned enterprises to examine the impact of entrepreneurial network relationships on small enterprise performance in Sri Lanka. Hence future research should establish how the entrepreneurial networks can help businesses to enhance competitive advantage and thus the performance of women owned enterprises.