Research Publications

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This main community comprises five sub-communities, each representing the academic contribution made by SLIIT-affiliated personnel.

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Decrypting the Digital Vault by Understanding Cryptocurrency Adoption Challenges Among Gen Z: Case of Sri Lanka
(University of Nigeria Department of Mass Communication, 2025-01-01) Mallawaarachchi, S; Hemachandra, U; Jayakody, D; Wickramarathne, U; Lokeshwara, A.A; Bandara, G.C
Background: As digital natives, Gen Zs are at the forefront of embracing cryptocurrencies for technological innovation and financial empowerment. This study is part of a larger effort to understand the evolving trends in the world of cryptocurrency, highlighting the need for more research in this area. Objective: This study sought to explore the diverse challenges faced by Gen Zs while adapting to the usage of cryptocurrencies within the Sri Lankan context. Methodology: The researchers conducted this study using an inductive qualitative approach. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 24 participants, employing snowball sampling to recruit participants. The collected data were then analysed using thematic analysis, and the findings were presented in prose form. Results: The results of this study revealed three key themes that significantly impact the usage of cryptocurrency as a digital asset among Gen Zs in Sri Lanka: (i) Trust and security concerns, (ii) Market volatility and investment risks, (iii) Regulatory approach and cryptocurrency transactions. Conclusion: Although cryptocurrency has gained acceptance among Gen Zs, its usage is determined by factors that ensure that users harness its full benefits. Contribution: This study has revealed the diverse challenges that Gen Zs embraced when adopting cryptocurrencies. © 2025, University of Nigeria Department of Mass Communication. All rights reserved.
Embargo
Exploring the Usage of AI Tools in Education: Insights from Gen Z Undergraduates in Sri Lanka
(University of Nigeria Department of Mass Communication, 2025-06-02) Nishshanka, N; Karunarathna, N; Dayapathirana, N; Karunarathna, R. V; Hewage, H. K; Anthony, P
Background: This study investigates the patterns of use and adoption of AI tools in Sri Lanka, with a special emphasis on Generation Z undergraduates who will enter the industry next. As AI is an emerging technology, how this generation interacts with and enriches knowledge through AI tools becomes a vital area of concern. Objective: To identify key subjective factors influencing the adoption and usage of AI tools in education among Gen Z undergraduates in Sri Lanka. Methodology: This study employs qualitative research methods, specifically semi-structured interviews, to gather insights from 18 university students across various disciplines. Thematic analysis was used to identify recurring themes related to undergraduates' subjective experiences, benefits received, and attitudes, for which MAXQDA is used as the analytical software. Results: The findings demonstrate four key subjective factors that influence adoption and usage, such as academic work, awareness and adoption, challenges and risk, and helpful and supportive factors. The frequently used AI tool in Sri Lanka was noted as ChatGPT, which showed a high usage pattern in the analysis. Conclusion: Understanding the usage patterns and adoption factors helps the community use AI tools effectively, as it makes them aware of the risks and helpful factors. Also, the facilities that aid in adopting these AI tools could elevate the efficiency of their usage by making many students, future undergraduates, AI developers, and educational institutions aware of its benefits. Unique Contribution: This research provides insights for future research by helping to understand the usage of emerging AI tools among Gen Z undergraduates in a developing country like Sri Lanka. The findings can be applied to understanding different generations and emerging generations, such as Generation Alpha.
Open Access
Academic Ritualistic Behaviours and Exam Stress: Insights from Generation Z Undergraduates in Sri Lanka
(School of Psychology. Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2025-10-10) Dissanayake, I. N. D; Abeysinghe, N
This study explores the role of Academic Ritualistic Behaviours (ARB) in managing exam stress among Generation Z university students in Sri Lanka. Exams are often highly stress-inducing events, and this research aims to examine how ritualistic behaviours rooted in personal, cultural, generational, and psychological frameworks help students in managing exam-related stress. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six undergraduates between ages 18 to 26, till data saturation. The interview transcripts were thematically analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) framework, and the analysis gave rise to three themes: (1) Personal and cultural anchors: Rituals rooted in family, tradition, and peer influence; (2) Rituals as emotional needs: Objects, music, and symbolic actions providing comfort and focus; and (3) Technology-infused rituals: Apps, digital platforms, and manifestation practices shaping modern coping. While rituals promoted reassurance and structure, overreliance sometimes heightenedanxiety when disrupted, highlighting the double-edged nature of such practices. The Findings suggest that academic ritualistic behaviours influenced by cultural heritage and digital practices contribute to resilience, focus, and emotional stability during exams, but also reveal potential risks of overreliance. They emphasise the need for educators and researchers to acknowledge both benefits and risk associated with these behaviours when addressing student wellbeing.
Open Access
Red Flags at Work: A Qualitative Study on Gen Z’s Workplace Turn-Offs
(School of Psychology. Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2025-10-10) Gunathilake, S; Ganeshan, A
As Generation Z enters the workforce, their expectations regarding authenticity, equality and psychological safety are shaping new benchmarks for organisational culture. While global literature has begun to explore these shifts, there are limited empirical evidence on what constitutes workplace "red flags" for Gen Z in South Asia, particularly Sri Lanka. This study investigated the organisational behaviours and environments perceived as red flags by Sri Lankan Gen Z employees. An inductive qualitative approach was adopted, analysing approximately 69 anonymised responses from three Reddit threads posted in 2022, 2024 and 2025. Thematic analysis revealed six core themes: performative culture and corporate hypocrisy; lack of psychological safety and respect; exploitation and burnout norms; unfair HR practices and compensation systems; favouritism, discrimination, and lack of inclusion and organisational dishonesty. Differences were observed across sectors, with IT professionals emphasising overwork, rigid processes, and stagnant roles, while non-IT participants raised concerns about ethical breaches, gender-based microaggressions and superficial wellness initiatives. These themes were consistently evident across all three posts suggesting deeply held generational expectations. The study concludes that for Gen Z in Sri Lanka, alignment between stated organisational values and actual practices is essential.
Open Access
Exploring Sustainability-Driven Fintech Usage Intentions Among Gen Z in Sri Lanka
(SLIIT City UNI, 2025-07-08) Vallaven, L
With growing global environmental awareness, Generation Z (Gen Z) has emerged as a key demographic driving demand for sustainable, technologyenabled solutions. This concept paper, developed from an undergraduate research proposal, explores sustainabilitydriven intentions to use financial technology (FinTech) services among Gen Z in Sri Lanka. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the study aims to examines and offer new insights on how attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and environmental concerns influence sustainability-driven Fintech usage intentions among Gen Z’s in Sri Lanka. A mono-method quantitative design is proposed, with data to be collected from Gen Z individuals in Sri Lanka using purposive and snowball sampling. The data will be collected via an online questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Open Access
Love and Marriage in the Eyes of Gen Z: A Qualitative Exploration
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Kulathunga, A; Abeysinghe, N
Love and marriage are two interconnected concepts which serve as pillars of society. However, marriage rates are declining, and the percepti on of love changes with the newer generati ons. This study aims to explore the percepti on of love among Gen Zers in Sri Lanka and to understand the implicati ons of these percepti ons on marriage. A total of 11 parti cipants who belong to Generati on Z (age 18-26) were included in this study. Focus group and in-depth interviews were conducted to elicit the views on the related topic elements. This data was analysed using themati c analysis to identi fy the common themes presented within the data. Five main themes were constructed to explain the key ideas presented by the parti cipants. Namely: Views on love, Relati onship expectati ons and breakups, Views on marriage, marriage rates, and Role of culture. The results emerged showed that love is a crucial factor in marriage, especially in the newer generati ons because it has become a primary moti vator towards marriage in contrast to past generati ons where marriage was considered a social obligati on. However, the percepti on towards love has changed in the new generati ons, resulti ng in a decrease in marriage rates. This research off ers valuable insights into the evolving concepts of love and marriage in newer generati ons, emphasising the need for further explorati on to understand its broader implicati ons to the society.

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