iPURSE 2015
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- ItemIdentifying impact of work life conflict on job satisfaction(University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 2015-11-06) Lankeshwara, P.Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is a body corporate for electricity undertaking in Sri Lanka. It conducts its massive duties to the Sri Lankan public though Generation, Transmission, Distribution and other services. One of the major problems that the results of pilot survey has revealed is that, among the CEB workforce many of non-executive staff in CEB-Sabaragamuwa are facing problem of work life conflict. At present the conflict between work and family has become a crisis for organizations. With the increase in dual family parents, more job demand and long working hours made it almost impossible to create a balance between work and family. This situation automatically reduces job satisfaction of the employees and then affects the productivity and profitability of the organization. The overall objective of this research was to analyze the factors related to work life conflict and its impact on job satisfaction at the CEB-Sabaragamuwa Provincial Office. The data were collected by distributing a questionnaire and the sample has comprised 120 non-executive employees. Pearson correlation test and Regression analysis were utilized as data analysis techniques. The results revealed that work life conflict impacts on reducing the job satisfaction. Further, family to work conflict could be identified as the most critical predictor. Ultimately work life conflict of non-executive staff employees of CEB negatively impact on their job satisfaction. The relationship between work life conflict and job satisfaction is inversely related to each other.
- ItemMobile phone as a mode of information provident to up country vegetable farmers in Sri Lanka(University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 2015-11-06) Perera, D.G.D.; Mahaliyanaarachchi, R.P.; Sivashankar, P.; Hettiarachchi, I.C.This study explores the status of mobile usage as a mode of providing information to the agriculture community in the upcountry region in Sri Lanka. The objectives of the study were to find out the awareness level, usage, attitudes of upcountry vegetable farmers about the mobile phone based information systems and services, to find out the factors affecting on mobile usage by farmers and their willingness to pay for mobile phone based information systems and services. Primary data were collected using an interviewer administrated questionnaire (n=120). Findings reveal that the access to mobile phones was considerably higher among the study group, while income had an effect on using a mobile phone. Most of the farmers use mobile phones to communicate with family, friends and relatives. Only few farmers use them effectively to obtain agriculture related information. Awareness and usage of mobile phone based information systems and services are at a lower level. Attitudinal barriers and less awareness are the major reasons for this situation. There is a positive relationship between the usage of mobile phone based information systems and services and farmers attitudes on its impact on knowledge and income. Farmers who are using the mobile phone based information systems and services highlighted that the services are very much helpful for agriculture development.
- ItemUnemployment, official economy and dimensions of the shadow economy: an empirical analysis for Sri Lanka using sem approach(University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 2015-11-06) Samaranayake, D.I.J.; Dayarathna-Banda, O.G.Economists and policy makers confront a series of issues when accounting all unobserved market fractions in a challenging market economy. These challenges have become worse within complex market structures in developing economies. One of these challenges is the expansion of unobserved and unofficial economic activities which is generally known as the ‘Shadow Economy’. This study basically attempts to estimate the Sri Lankan shadow economic activities as a percentage of official estimates, while revolving the wheel of non-clarified zones and market functions through overstepping the traditional official estimates. Objectives of the study are addressed through three equally important portions. Initial portion intend to choose and develop suitable, fitted MIMIC (Multiple Indicator Multiple Cause) models while using the structural relationship between the unemployment rate and shadow economy to estimate the size of the shadow economy in Sri Lanka. Then the following portion is to estimate shadow economy for each fitted model through benchmark calculations. Finally, to examine if estimated models and their calculations are accepted by re-examination of Okun’s law and to contrast estimated results in growth terms to the growth of official estimates (GDP) of the economy. Therefore, the methodology involves the estimation of structural equation models, which analyses a set of causes of the shadow economy while simultaneously taking in to account its influence upon a series of indicators. This study introduces three MIMIC models through the analysis that are MIMIC 5-1-2a, MIMIC 4-1-2b and MIMIC 3-1-3a. Then the benchmark calculations for each model derives a series of average values for the Sri Lankan shadow economy from 1990-2012. Calculations for MIMIC 5-1-2a vary between 91% and 32% from 1990 to 2012 with a decreasing trend. On the other hand, calculations for MIMIC 4-1-2b and MIMIC 3-1-3a demonstrate the average size of shadow economy between 14% and 52% with an increasing trend. Further discussions, therefore, reveal the fact that, the effect from tax on goods and services to the government revenue and the effect from public employment tend to undermine the increasing pattern of shadow economy in Sri Lanka. Since unemployment rate and private employment plays a major role in economy, shadow economy tends to increase. Eradicating the workplace enforcement crisis and underemployment issues may hinder the increasing pattern. Ultimately, the results from re-examination of Okun’s law give a hint that the growth of shadow economy and official economy are not interdependent and have a parallel growth with shifting stages in market functions.
- ItemThe impact of corporate social responsibility (csr) on brand equity : a study with special reference to Sri Lanka telecom plc(University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 2015-11-06) Shibly, F.H.A.; Hilal, M.I.M.Today, Investment on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become the common business practices in the world. CSR is receiving increasing attention, especially in recent decades. At the same time, various stakeholders, especially, shareholders are more frustrated with the investment on the Corporate Social Responsibilities which will affect indirectly to the Brand Equity of the organization. Further there are various pros and cons about CSR, which impact the brand equity of the organization. Sri Lanka Telecom PLC (SLT) is the blue chip company in which CSR has become the most common practices in the SLT business agenda. The SLT has invested on CSR aspects. It is found that there are only few researches have been carried out in Sri Lankan context to find out the impact of CSR on brand equity and there is a need to measure it for organization’s effective CSR decision makings. The major objective of this research is to explore and investigate how a company’s corporate social responsibility activities are influencing its brand equity. By reviewing the existing literature on CSR and brand equity of the SLT, this study developed a better understanding of gaps that exist. In order to achieve the objective, the research draws from well-established theoretical models; the Caroll model which presented four variables on CSR. This model has been used by many researchers to measure the CSR activities of firms. According to this model, there are four perspectives such as economic, social, legal and ethical perspectives and the Aakers’ model has been used to measure the brand equity. The research adopted quantitative method to explore impact of CSR on brand equity of the SLT and data were collected by means of online survey tool and printed questionnaires. A survey was conducted among 100 customers who use the SLT services. Regression and correlation analysis, including partial correlation, linear, binary logistic regression, was used to obtain the results that helped identify the impact of CSR on brand equity of the SLT. The results of the study showed that corporate social responsibility is positively impacted on brand awareness, brand loyalty, perceived quality and brand association of the SLT PLC. Thus there is a positive impact of CSR on brand equity and if the SLT invests more on CSR activities, the value of their brand equity will be increased.
- ItemForecasting international tourism income of Sri lanka : trend analysis(University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 2015-11-06) Konarasinghe, K.M.U.B.Growth of the tourism industry in Sri Lanka shows the historical development mainly in two ways. That is the growth of tourist arrivals and income. Tourism impacts on the economy of Sri Lanka, which rely heavily on foreign exchange earnings. This has been a general interest of the government. Therefore, the government needs reliable forecasting to cope with uncertain situations and developing sound strategies to maintain the growth of tourism industry. This study was focused on identifying an appropriate trend model for forecasting international tourism income of Sri Lanka. Monthly income data from 2009 to 2013 were obtained from statistical reports of 2012 and 2013 of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). The study concerns the period of post-war, which is after the year 2009. Model fitting was done by utilizing data from January 2009 to April 2012 and data from May 2012 to May 2013 were utilized for model verification. Four trend models were tested with log transformation including one linear and three nonlinear models. Residual plots and Anderson-Darling tests for residuals were used as the model validation criterion. Forecasting ability of the models was assessed by considering Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), Mean Square Error (MSE) and Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD). Box and whisker plot showed no outliers in the data set. Results revealed that Quadratic Trend Model has least MAPE’s in model fitting and verification: 0.90% and 1.12 %, respectively. MAD and MSE also confirmed the smallest deviation compared with other trend models. Residual plots and Anderson-Darling test confirmed the normality of residuals. Also, residuals Vs fits confirmed the independence of residuals. It was concluded that the Quadratic Trend Model with log transformation is suitable for forecasting international tourism income in Sri Lanka. Monthly income for the period from May 2012 to November 2013 were forecasted by the model and found them close to the actual income. It is recommended to try other time series techniques, namely, decomposition techniques, Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models etc., to capture the seasonal behavior of the series.