Sri Lankan Context Research Articles

Critical Success Factors of Remote ERP Implementation: From System Users’ Perspective

The study explores critical success factors of remote ERP implementation in the Sri Lankan context from system users’ perspective. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, ERP implementation has become more complicated, and ERP software vendors have shifted to remote ERP implementations. Although, there are several studies on identifying Critical Success Factors (CSFs) in ERP implementation, there is a void in the literature on identifying CSFs in remote ERP implementation. As a result of the literature review, it was discovered that only a small amount of research has been done on remote ERP implementation. Therefore, the current study tries to bridge these gaps by identifying the CSFs of remote ERP implementation during Covid-19 by taking Sri Lanka as a case study.

Developing a Culturally Appropriate Measure of Effective Leadership for Sri Lanka

Research has shown that characteristics of effective leadership differ in different national cultures. Measures available for evaluating effective leadership are limited. There are tools developed in South Asian countries such as India. However, research has shown Sri Lankan cultural values differ from these countries. This paper identified behaviours and traits of leadership that are perceived as important for an effective leader in the Sri Lankan context. It also presents a Questionnaire for Evaluation of Effective Leadership (QEEL) to assess effective leadership in Sri Lanka, and explains the development process of this questionnaire. The QEEL covers eight aspects: motivation, guidance, communication, decision-making, empathy, integrity, and change management. It was designed in three steps: Item generation, Item identification and Validation. QEEL can also be used by organisations and researchers in other countries with similar cultural values.

The impact of micro credit programme on rural women livelihood development: A study of Bulathsinhala DS division in Sri Lanka

Micro credit (MC) is a financial service include under micro finance which is provide by consultative group to assist low income people. In global context, it is a very popular credit scheme among people who don't have access to formal financial services and most of them are women. However, this study tried to find the impact of Micro Credit programme on rural women livelihood development in Sri Lanka. The study conducted under main three objectives. Firstly, identify the Micro Credit client base and their intention of granting of Micro Credit loans. Then analyse the impact of Micro Credit loans on rural women livelihood development. Finally, provide suggestions and recommendations to improve effectiveness of credit programme in Sri Lanka. As the way to continue the study 50 Micro Credit women clients were selected from Bulathsinhala DS division by using simple random sampling technique. Then the data collected through structured questionnaires and interviews were analysed by using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis methods. According to the findings of the study, due to on-time & easy access to Micro Credit loans, people tend to use Micro Credit irrespective of the high-interest rate. Anyhow, Micro Credit has not helped to improve the livelihood and living standard of the rural women in the study area. Instead of that, their debtness was increased. Reasons for that were lack of financial literacy knowledge of women and miss utilization for recover previous loan premiums and for family consumption without a proper investment plan. Therefore, the study suggests responsible authorities to create accessible credit schemes for rural women & Micro credit institutions to create evaluating & monitoring process as an after care service of loans & organize programme to improve their client’s Financial Literacy knowledge to create an effective rural Micro Credit programme within Sri Lankan context.

Impacts of international cricket stadiums on community perception of neighborhood; with special reference to Pallekele international cricket stadium

In recent years urban Sportscape or sports landscape have developed aiming at urban rejuvenation, economic growth, and tourism. Stadiums are a key element of these sportscapes. Therefore, the infrastructure including stadiums required for the growth of sports has gradually increased in the country. Cricket, as a subculture within the Sri Lankan context has influenced neighborhood communities with significant tangible and intangible impacts. Therefore, stadium neighborhood is a significant sub-cultural landscape within the urban environs. This study focuses on perception of neighborhood community on the impacts of the international cricket stadiums (ICS). Pallekele ICS (newer stadium in sub-urbs) was selected as a case study to represent cricket stadiums in Sri Lanka. Environmental and spatial perceived impacts were identified through literature survey and justified through pilot survey. Survey for the spectator responses was conducted during an ODI match. Post-match on-site field surveys were carried out for assessing the perceived impacts for the neighborhood community. Collected data were statistically analyzed by using SPSS 22.0 tool. This research concluded that stadium neighborhood landscapes act as a platform for public spaces and the neighbors’ perceptions may be used in minimize the impact on and uplift the neighborhood landscape when constructing future ICSs.

Factors Contributing to Increased Building Fire Incidents in Sri Lanka

Aim: Despite the existence of established fire codes, the frequency of building fires in Sri Lanka has been on the rise in recent years. The primary objective of building codes is to ensure minimum acceptable fire safety standards in buildings, but deviations from the code can increase fire risk factors and exacerbate the severity of fires. This study aims to identify and rank such risk factors in three stages, beginning with design and concluding with maintenance. Introduction: Metodologia tego badania obejmuje podejście jakościowe, które uwzględnia przegląd literatury, ankietę opartą na kwestionariuszu oraz częściowo ustrukturyzowane wywiady ze specjalistami z branży pożarniczej. Kwestionariusz został opracowany w kontekście Sri Lanki. Wykwalifikowany i doświadczony zespół specjalistów ds. pożarnictwa został poproszony o uszeregowanie przygotowanego kwestionariusza, który został podsumowany w dwunastu kategoriach ryzyka. Chociaż metod oceny ryzyka pożarowego jest niewiele, w niniejszym badaniu zastosowano metodę wskaźnika względnej istotności. Wyniki uzyskane z pięciostopniowej skali Likerta, gdzie „1” to najmniejszy poziom ryzyka, a „5” to najwyższy poziom ryzyka, zostały przekonwertowane w celu identyfikacji priorytetów z RII. Project and methods: The methodology of this research consists of a qualitative approach, which includes a literature review, a questionnaire-based survey, and semi-structured interviews with fire industry professionals. The questionnaire was developed in a Sri Lankan context following an extensive literature review that included the author's experience. The qualified and experienced panel of fire specialists was asked to rank the prepared questionnaire, which was summarized into twelve risk categories. Though there are few fire risk ranking methods, the relative importance index method was applied in this research as it is simple and easy to use for ranking the risk factors. The results obtained from the five-point Likert scale, where “1” is the least risk level and “5” is the highest risk level, were converted to identify priorities with RII. Results: In the Sri Lankan context, it was discovered that issues with design and the approval of inaccurate building plans are the first and second major isk factors, respectively, out of the twelve categories identified. Thus, it was evident that deviations made at the design stage are the most significant risk factors, according to the Sri Lankan setting. Most of the mistakes that are made at the design stage cannot be rectified at a later stage under normal conditions, as it could incur huge costs to change the building structures. Conclusions: The study summarizes twelve factors that contribute to fire-related incidents in Sri Lankan buildings. Among these factors, the survey data shows that incorrect building design and the approval of inaccurate building plans for construction are the primary contributors to the high frequency and severity of fire-related incidents. Despite the availability of comprehensive fire safety regulations in Sri Lanka, the research reveals a significant gap in their implementation, from design to maintenance. These findings stress the importance of incorporating fire and safety management criteria into the building design stage, covering both construction and subsequent maintenance, to prevent fire incidents in Sri Lanka. Keywords: prescriptive fire codes, fire risk factors, fire risk assessment, fire risk ranking, building fire safety

Islamic Law on Animal Rights and Welfare in the Sri Lankan Context: An Islamic Analysis on the Animal Welfare Bill of 2006

The almighty Allah (SWT) has created all living beings, humans, birds, animals and insects. He is who strongly asks people to treat animals with compassion and not to abuse them which are worthy of consideration and respect. In Sri Lanka, varying concepts are followed among different communities: Buddhists and Hindus consider slaughtering quadrupeds as a cruel act. Meanwhile, Muslims consider the similar act as a divine obligation (Qurbani and Uluhiyya). This study compares the Animal Welfare Bill, initiated by the Commission of Law of Sri Lanka on 2006, with the tenets of Islamic Law (Shariah) through a review of literature and thematic content analysis to identify areas where the right of the animal is violated. According to Animal Welfare Bill of 2006, these areas refer to the slaughter of animals for meals, transport of animals, use of live animals for scientific purposes, and cruelty relating to animals. These identified areas coincide with the identified areas espoused by the Prophet Mohamed (PBUH), and a solution produced to prevent such violation with the instruction of almighty Allah around 1400 years ago.

The impact of User-Characteristics and Organizational-Characteristics on End-user Satisfaction with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems

Purpose: This study aims to examine characteristics that influence end-user satisfaction with ERP systems within the Sri Lankan context to understand what critical factors should be considered in the ERP decision-making processes. Research methodology: Data collection is conducted through an online questionnaire targeting end-users of ERP systems belonging to various industries. Results: The study found a significant relationship between five user characteristics and end-user satisfaction, as well as the significance of usability to end-user satisfaction. Minimal memory load was found to have no significant relationship with end-user satisfaction. In terms of organisational characteristics, user training and top-management support had a significant influence on end-user satisfaction as well. Limitations: Since this study is on ERP systems such as SAP, IFS, and Oracle with a high industry focus, organisations that do not use commercial ERP systems are not considered particularly public-sector organizations. Contributions: Although previous studies emphasised various factors that contributed to implementation failures, those factors have not been given importance to end-user satisfaction or the success of an ERP system. Within the Sri Lankan context, ERP implementations are still in the early stages, so it would be very useful to understand the factors that affect user satisfaction with such systems. Novelty: The findings identify what factors ERP vendors can focus on when making changes to their commercial products and give managers an idea of what factors they should consider when choosing the right ERP system for an organization.

Product placement versus traditional TV commercials: new insights on their impacts on brand recall and purchase intention

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to compare the effect of marketing communication techniques concerning product placement and TV commercials on brand recall and the purchase intention of consumers.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 420 participants randomly assigned to one of the four scenarios of an experiment watched a selected episode of a Sri Lankan TV show that consisted of commercial breaks. Then, their recall and purchase intention toward the advertised/placed brand were measured using a questionnaire and binary logistic regression was the analytical tool.FindingsThis research indicated that a combination of product placement and TV commercials forms the highest impact on both brand recall and purchase intention. The next highest impact is created solely by product placement, while sole TV commercials make the lowest impact comparatively.Practical implicationsThis study is beneficial to brands and entrepreneurs looking for the most effective marketing communication methods to promote their brands and products to consumers.Originality/valueAs an initial study performed on a comparison between two commonly used marketing communication techniques, i.e. product placement and TV commercials, in the Sri Lankan context would also enrich the global marketing literature on the comparative effectiveness of both techniques, where studies are limited so far.

Application of subcontracting as a quality improvement tool for building constructions in Sri Lanka

Research on the necessity of subcontractors’ incorporation in quality improvement in construction is scarce globally, especially in the Sri Lankan context. Thus, this research aimed to evaluate the applicability of subcontracting as a quality improvement tool for building constructions in Sri Lanka under the traditional procurement path. The qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews using experts for the data collection through three qualitative Delphi rounds was used. The collected data were analysed using manual content analysis. Selection, communication, productivity, time schedules, payments, and safety relating to subcontractors are the key elements to be considered when enhancing subcontractors’ contribution to the quality improvement of building constructions. This study fulfilled the literature gap to evaluate the applicability of subcontracting as a quality improvement tool for building construction, especially in Sri Lanka.

Consensus on an assessment protocol for children with speech sound disorders in Sri Lanka.

Speech sound disorders (SSDs) are the most common form of communication disorders in children. SSD have an impact on children's abilities to make themselves understood to their listeners and can influence a child's social and emotional well-being as well as their academic achievements. Therefore, it is important to identify children with an SSD early, in order to provide appropriate intervention. A wealth of information on best practice in the assessment of children with SSD is available in countries where the speech and language therapy profession is well established. In Sri Lanka, there is a paucity of research evidence supporting assessment practices that are culturally and linguistically appropriate in SSDs. Therefore, clinicians rely on informal assessment methods. There is a need to understand more about how clinicians in Sri Lanka assess this caseload in order to get general agreement regarding comprehensive and consistent procedures for assessment of paediatric SSD in Sri Lanka. This would support speech and language therapists' (SLTs') clinical decision-making in relation to choice of appropriate goals and intervention for this caseload. To develop and gain consensus on an assessment protocol for Sri Lankan children with SSD that is culturally appropriate and based on existing research. A modified Delphi method was utilised to gather data from clinicians currently working in Sri Lanka. The research involved three rounds of data collection, exploring current assessment practices in Sri Lanka, ranking these in order of priority and establishing consensus on a proposed assessment protocol. The proposed assessment protocol was based on the results of the first and second rounds as well as previously published best practice guidelines. The proposed assessment protocol achieved consensus in relation to content, format and cultural appropriateness. SLTs affirmed the usefulness of the protocol within the Sri Lankan context. Further research is required to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of this protocol in practice. The assessment protocol supports practicing SLTs with a general guide to assessing children with suspected SSDs in Sri Lanka. The application of this protocol built upon consensus enables clinicians to improve their individual practice patterns based on best practice recommendations in the literature and the evidence on culturally and linguistically appropriate practices. This study has identified the need for further research in this area, including the development of culturally and linguistically specific assessment tools that would complement the use of this protocol. What is already known on the subject The assessment of children with speech sound disorders (SSDs) requires a comprehensive and holistic approach due to their heterogeneous nature. Although there is evidence to support the assessment of paediatric SSDs in many countries where the profession of speech and language therapy is established, there is limited evidence to support the assessment of children with SSDs in Sri Lanka. What this study adds This study provides information about current assessment practices in Sri Lanka and consensus on a proposed culturally appropriate protocol for the assessment of children with SSDs in this country. What are the clinical implications of this work? The proposed assessment protocol provides speech and language therapists in Sri Lanka with a guide for assessment of paediatric SSDs to support more consistent practice in this area. Future evaluation of this preliminary protocol is required; however, the methodology used in this research could be applied to the development of assessment protocols for other range of practice areas in this country.

THE IMPACT OF FIRMS’ SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS ON THE QUALITY OF INTEGRATED REPORTING: EVIDENCE FROM LISTED COMPANIES IN SRI LANKA

Even though integrated reporting (IR) is not a novel concept to the world, it is still not a mandatory requirement in the Sri Lankan context. However, it is an expansion of the innovative reporting dimension by incorporating financial and non-financial information. Recently IR has been fascinating to many companies. As a result, many Sri Lankan businesses are adopting integrated reporting at various levels with the guidelines of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC). Due to the voluntary approach of applying integrated reporting in Sri Lanka, the level of adoption of integrated reporting quality differs from one to another firm. When observing the individual annual reports of listed public companies in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), some companies adopt well to the guidelines which are stated in the International Integrated Reporting Framework, On the other hand, some other listed public companies are not paid attention to the International Integrated Reporting guidelines and level of integrated reporting quality adequately. Hence it is important to realize the level and the quality of integrated reporting adoption of listed companies in Sri Lanka and how its disclosure level varies with the different firms’ specific characteristics. Accordingly, the primary purpose of the study is to examine the impact of a firm’s specific characteristics on the level of integrated reporting disclosure quality of listed companies in CSE. Beyond the theoretical suggestions, this study provides practical implications for different types of stakeholders who use the information to make different business decisions. This study used data from 53 companies that are operating at CSE. Secondary data were gathered from the annual reports of selected companies for the period from 2017 to 2020. Profitability, financial leverage, ownership dispersion, board diversity, and board independence were used as the independent variables in the study. The Panel data regression model was employed to analyze data with E-Views software. The results showed that profitability and financial leverage variables are statistically significant and positively influenced the integrated reporting adoption level and quality of disclosures. Furthermore, the firm size has a big impact on the quality of integrated reporting implemented. The study's findings may be helpful to future scholars in this field and business decision-makers in gaining insight into the quality level of integrated reporting adoption already present in Sri Lankan listed companies in CSE and how it is affected by factors unique to the selected firms.

Marketing Strategies Used in Various Industries During Covid-19 Pandemic Situation in Sri Lankan and Global Context: A Comprehensive Literature Review

Marketing Strategies Used in Various Industries During Covid-19 Pandemic Situation in Sri Lankan and Global Context: A Comprehensive Literature Review

Effect of Job Characteristic Factors on Turnover Intention of Skilled Labourers in CS2 Category Construction Companies in Sri Lanka: Mediating Role of Organizational commitment

At present, construction industry is one of the most important industries in Sri Lankan economy that is expected to develop further in the future as well. However, in recent years, employee turnover in the construction industry has become a major concern in Sri Lanka and this rate has continued to increase. High employee turnover can have a substantial effect on construction companies given their nature of work which require skills, experience, and knowledge base more than other industries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing employee turnover intention. The main objective of the present study was to study the effect of job characteristic factors on organizational commitment and turnover intention of employees in construction sector employees in Sri Lanka. It also aimed to study whether organization commitment mediates the relationship between job characteristic factors and turnover intention. This study considered skill variety, task identity, task significance, job autonomy and job feedback as job characteristic factors. The quantitative research methods were used, and data were collected by using a questionnaire. The survey used a sample of 265 employees from 13 companies in Colombo district (CS-2 category). The sample was selected by using simple random sampling technique. Structured Equation Modelling method was used to analyze data. Results revealed that skill variety, task significance and job feedback were significantly related with turnover intention. Moreover, organizational commitment partially mediated the effect of these variables on turnover intention. However, task identity and job autonomy did not significantly relate with turnover intention. Therefore, managers should pay more attention on employee’s organizational commitment to reduce employee turnover intention. Skill variety, task significance and job feedback should be given priority in Sri Lankan context when considering job characteristic factors.

THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL NETWORK TIES TOWARDS SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: THE CASE OF SRI LANKA

The purpose of this study is to complement the existing body of knowledge on social entrepreneurial intention by testing the Theory of Planned Beavior and Social Network Theory in the Sri Lankan Context among state undergraduate students. The Theory of Planned behavior (TPB) and Social Network Theory was tested in the context of state undergraduate students in Sri Lanka. Exogenous variables included Personal Attitude, Subjective Norm, Perceived Behavioral control, and social networks were studied. The instrument used in the study was developed using validated items from past literature. Data for this quantitative study were collected from undergraduate students from nine state universities in Sri Lanka. Structural equation modeling was used to see the insights from the valid data using IBM’s SPSS 25 and AMOS 22. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis and subsequent evaluation of the structural model revealed a positive relationship exists between Social Entrepreneurial Intention and employment attitude, social entrepreneurial Intention and Perceived behavioral control and, Social Network Ties and perceived behavioral control . However, the results did not support the relationships between social entrepreneurial intention and subjective Norms. limited research has been carried out in the area of social entreprenurship in the Sri Lankan context. This research will shed light on the antecedent factors that affect social entrepreneurial intention and assist policymakers in developing appropriate strategies for promoting Social entrepreneurship among undergraduates and therby assisting in solving the unemployment problem faced by state undergraduate students.

PREDICTING ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTIONS THROUGH AUTONOMY, RELATEDNESS, AND COMPETENCY: A STUDY AMONG STATE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN SRI LANKA

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of autonomy, relatedness, ands competency on social entrepreneurial intention among state undergraduate students in Sri Lanka. The Self-determination Theory was tested in the context of state undergraduate students in Sri Lanka. Exogenous variables studied included Autonomy, Relatedness, and competency. The instrument used in the research was developed using validated items from past literature. Data for this quantitative study were collected from undergraduate students from nine state universities in Sri Lanka. Structural equation modeling was used to see the insights from the valid data using IBM’s SPSS 25 and AMOS 22. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis and subsequent evaluation of the structural model revealed a positive relationship between Social Entrepreneurial Intention and Relatedness and, social entrepreneurial Intention and Autonomy. However, the results did not support the relationships between social entrepreneurial intention and competency and the moderating effect of gender on competency and Social Entrepreneurial Intention.limited research has been carried out relating to Social Entrepreneurial Intention in the Sri Lankan context. The lack of research has not assisted in addressing the state university graduate unemployment which been a major socio-politico-economic problem in Sri La. Social entrepreneurship can be proposed as a viable career option. This research will shed light on the antecedent factors that affect social entrepreneurial intention and assist policymakers in developing appropriate strategies for promoting Social entrepreneurship among undergraduates.

THE ROLE OF PRIOR EXPERIENCE OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS ON SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION AMONG STATE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN SRI LANKA

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that might influence the social entrepreneurial Intention of state undergraduate students in Sri Lanka. The Theory of planned behaviour was tested in the context of state undergraduate students in Sri Lanka. Exogenous variables included Personal Attitude, Subjective Norm, Perceived Behavioural control, and Prior experience of social problems on social entrepreneurial Intention were studied. Using validated items from prior literature, the research instrument was developed. Undergraduate students from nine state universities in Sri Lanka provided the data for this quantitative study. Using IBM's SPSS 25 and AMOS 22 software, structural equation modelling was applied to extract insights from the valid data. Outcomes of the confirmatory factor analysis, followed by a structural model evaluation revealed a positive relationship exists between Social Entrepreneurial Intention and Employment attitude and social entrepreneurial Intention and Perceived behavioral control. However, the results did not support the relationships between social entrepreneurial Intention and subjective Norms and prior experiences with social problems and social entrepreneurial attitude. State university graduate unemployment has been a major socio-politico-economic problem in Sri Lanka, and Social entrepreneurship can be proposed as a viable career option. However, limited research has been carried out in the Sri Lankan context. This research will shed light on the antecedent factors that affect social entrepreneurial Intention and assist policymakers in developing appropriate strategies for promoting Social entrepreneurship among undergraduates.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Labor Market Perspectives for Management Undergraduates: New Models of Employability Capital Development

Introduction. COVID-19 is a worldwide epidemic that impacts all aspects of human life. Social distancing was an essential action to prevent from COVID-19 virus. For this reason, collective activities were prohibited in many countries including Sri Lanka. Education is one of the main collective activities in the world. As such, it is relevant to test the influence of COVID-19 on graduate employability skills. However, it is difficult to find COVID 19 impact on graduate employability skills in the Sri Lankan context.
 Aim and tasks. The main objective of this paper was to identify the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the graduate employability capital of state universities’ management undergraduates in Sri Lanka and the significant level of that factor.
 Results. Based on the literature review, the COVID-19 pandemic affected five factors human capital, identity capital, cultural capital, social capital, and psychological capital identified as graduate employability capital factors or not. The methods of the study were to use the analysis of quantitative data. To achieve this goal, an online survey of 377 university students was conducted. The obtained selective results in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic showed significant positive shifts in the employment processes of university graduates. This positive impact, according to the results of the regression analysis, was provided by the following types of capital: social, human, psychological, cultural, and identity, the values of which ranged from 91.4 percent to 95.8 percent. Among all types of capital, human and psychological capital had the most significant impact on student mobility.
 Conclusions. The conducted studies show the importance of the online educational system in the universities of Sri Lanka. The use of available resources can significantly improve the existing infrastructure of online education and help increase the level of competence and professionalism of the teaching staff and university students. The introduction of the proposed online educational programs and courses will not only improve the quality of services provided but will also increase the revenue side of the university budget.

Prefabricated Construction in Sri Lanka: A Proposed Adoption Strategy and a Pilot Case Study from Sustainability Perspective

Prefabricated construction (PFC) has increasingly been recognised as a viable construction solution that has the potential to address the typical issues of conventional construction. Portability, quick fixing ability, less labour intensity, a massive potential for quality, productivity enhancements, and environmental savings are some of the most highlighted benefits of PFC. Developed nations and other industrialised regions have been applying these construction methods more successfully compared to developing economies such as Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is slow in adopting PFC because of some inherent barriers. Thus, this study aims to strengthen the case for shifting to PFC in Sri Lanka. Firstly, the current status of the PFC in the Sri Lankan context is described, including the barriers to adoption. Subsequently, an adoption strategy is proposed using the learnings from successful countries. This adoption framework discusses in-depth strategies/ initiatives to overcome current barriers to adopt prefabrication in construction projects. Finally, a pilot case study is carried out to assess the potential of PFC from a sustainability perspective. The results show that PFC has potential time savings and slight improvements in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than traditional construction in the selected case studies. Reduced times have a huge positive impact on sustainability by cost savings and environmental benefits from less on-site waste and emissions from fuel and electricity usage of construction machines. The outcomes of this study can influence construction industry stakeholders, including government and academia, towards escalating the use of prefabricated technologies to maximise sustainability and project-specific benefits.

Online Harassment in Sri Lanka: A Thematic Analysis

Online harassment has become a growing menace worldwide for which every nation is trying to find a solution. Existing literature demonstrates that online harassment is widespread in diverse forms and so is its impact on the victims. Despite the lack of any comprehensive studies in this area, there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate the prevalence of online harassment in Sri Lanka and the need to find effective solutions to it. In such circumstances, this study aims to understand the nature of online harassment in the Sri Lankan context using qualitative research methodology. To that end, the study uses thematic analysis for analysing the data collected through semi-structured interviews. The thematic analysis was employed for the study as it assists in classifying complex qualitative data into different and simplified themes for better understanding and interpretation of such data. Among other findings, the analysis revealed three global themes, namely the motives of the perpetrators, the impact on victims, and remedies. Under each global theme, the study revealed various organising and basic themes, also indicating that the motives of the perpetrators and the impact on the victims are closely connected. It further reveals that impacts could be extremely serious, ranging from helplessness to suicidal thoughts, humiliation to broken relationships, and even having adverse impacts on the careers of victims. The study also found that the available remedies are not systematic or strong enough to meet the expectations of the victims. Thus, we conclude that the threat from online harassment in Sri Lanka is similar to that in any other country, requiring immediate and well-planned legal and policy responses, as exposed by the key themes identified in the study.

Adaptability of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for cost management of building construction projects in Sri Lanka

PurposeEnterprise resource planning (ERP) systems that are equipped with numerous features and functionalities help to improve the profitability of construction corporations around the world through enhancing the efficiency of the functions related to cost management. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the applicability of ERP systems for cost management of building construction projects in Sri Lanka.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative technique was used in this study, which comprised two-round Delphi-based semistructured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to determine the interviewees. Content analysis was used to evaluate the collected data.FindingsThe findings of this study identified the ERP system as a strategic tool for gaining a competitive advantage for an organization while confirming 14 uses of ERP systems and 16 stages of the cost management process. Eighteen issues were finalized at the end of the interview rounds while categorizing the suitable ERP applications at each stage of the cost management process.Originality/valueEven though there are numerous distinct studies conducted on cost management and ERP systems, there has been a lack of studies conducted on the synergy between these two areas that can be adapted for the building projects in the Sri Lankan context. Therefore, the findings of this study can bring a new paradigm to the Sri Lankan construction sector by influencing the adaption of correct ERP systems at numerous project stages by providing a competitive edge.