Browsing by Author "Ekanayaka, LL"

Now showing 1 - 12 of 12

item: Thesis-Full-text
An analysis of environmental factors in open office layouts
Geekiyanage, VD; Ekanayaka, LL
‘Cellular office layouts’ and ‘open office layouts’ are the two main office designing techniques available for a Facility Manager. The latter is the widely used technique out of the two due to the reasons such as efficient space utilization, cost effectiveness, easiness in altering the layouts etc.. Although, both the techniques have its advantages and disadvantages, it is observed that lot of grievances exist among the users of “open office layouts”. The employee productivity and Job satisfaction level are found to be inter-related. Hence the factors affecting the job satisfaction level of an employee is vital for organizational management. Satisfaction level about the work place is identified as one of the factors affecting job satisfaction level of an employee. The literature available about working environment and productivity, discusses about the attributes which affect Overall Environmental Satisfaction level (Satisfaction level about ones work place) of an employee occupying a workplace. Out of them, the researcher identified 21 attributes as the base of his study and developed a questionnaire to gather information about the occupant’s Overall Environmental Satisfaction level in relation to the identified attributes. Survey done among the 46 executives in two offices, implies that the 21 attributes identified, have a direct impact upon the Overall Environmental Satisfaction level of an occupant. Hence inclusion of said 21 attributes, into layout designs is very vital in providing an efficient and productive working environment. Further, a detailed analysis about customer requirements and their interdependencies, prior to design a layout, is important, since success of the proposed layout will depend upon inclusion ofthem. User awareness about the functionality and design considerations (or assumptions) ofthe layout is also important in maintaining the office layout as intended. Finally the office layouts are to be checked routinely, for their intended performance levels after handing over.
item: Thesis-Full-text
Barriers on small scale contracors to enter and survive compettitive construction industry in Sri Lanka
Ramawickrama, G; Ekanayaka, LL; Gunawardena, K
Many challenges are facing by business managers when there are projects involved in their business in construction industry. Construction is industry is not an exception when project comes in to their businesses as a part of the business activity. Many barriers are directly resulting to operations related and some are indirect marginal activities of SME level for its survival. While managing a SMEs, most ofthe time, challenges are addressed by the SMEs to ensure the success and survival. Many considerations are included in communication, workforce, safety, time constraints, and nature ofthe project, quality and time management. From a literature review six predominant problems currently facing the construction industry were identified. With the analysis of data and above constrains in the field of construction SMEs survival, it reveals that the clear relationship between employee turnover, application of new technology, government regulations, financing, contractor awareness of environmental issues, project management, knowledge transfer and survival ofSME construction companies. The underlying aim ofranking these problems being towards developing a strategy for improving the performance of the construction sector and improving client satisfaction through the satisfaction of SME operations. Accordingly, research question is formulated to address the issue of “what are the existing situations of competitive construction industry in Sri Lanka and what are the barriers to enter and survive in competitive construction industry in Sri Lanka?” The opinions of Construction Company concerning the severity ofthese problems was obtained through a questionnaire survey. Finings revealsthat, there are direct relationship between employee turnover, application of new technology, government regulations, financing, contractor awareness of environmental issues, project management, knowledge transfer and survival of SME construction companies. This was proved by using the fishbone model. With the findings ofthis research, it is not only applicable to locally, but also to address to mitigate issues related to survival of construction SMEs at global level.
item: Thesis-Full-text
Causes and effects of delay in completion of government funded building construction projects in Sri Lanka : with special reference to the projects based in Western Province
Perera, GHNN; Ekanayaka, LL
The main purpose of this study is to identify the causes of delay in completion of government funded building construction projects in Sri Lanka; with special reference to the projects based in the Western province as well as to highlight its impact on the construction industry and to round up by forwarding recommendations for minimization of such delays. A questionnaire survey was carried out among the engineers representing consultants and contractors engaged in building construction projects of government funded projects in western province of Sri Lanka to identify the delays and their effects. The delay in completion of government funded building construction projects could be due to various reasons and those reasons will change from region to region. For this research, a questionnaire was used with 25 delay causes and the responses were ranked according to relative importance index. At the completion of the research nineteen causes were identified which have more effect on the delay. Those 25 delay causes were grouped in to four called client related delays, consultant related delays, contractor related delays and other delays and were used in finding which party had higher impact on project delay. The ten effects were listed in the questionnaire that can occur as a result of delay in building construction projects and ranked them according to their importance level. Having identified the causes having a high effect for the delays, the areas that are to be improved/concentrated can be identified and that will help overcome the problem for delays. According to the analyzed data, shortage of skill labor is the cause with the most impact and delay in providing necessary drawings and delay in delivery of required material to the site has become the second and third position respectively. Also it was found that delays occurring from the contractor’s side have higher impact on project delay. Increasing in the final cost of the project is the main effect which results from the delay in completion of government funded building construction projects.
item: Thesis-Full-text
The Effectiveness of customer relationship management techniques adopted by fast food industry in Sri Lanka
Permson, M; Ekanayaka, LL
Globalization and modernization has redefined the Sri Lankan fast food industry and today people can be seen consuming food out of their homes moving towards convenient options. The demand for fast food is on uptrend. Fast food restaurants are in a constant race to increase profits, keep the current customers and gain or poach new ones, competing for customers on a globalised market. One of the many sets of strategy aimed at aiding the interaction between fast food restaurant and customer is the Customer Relationship Management (CRM). It aims to help restaurants build individual customer relationships in such a way that both the fast food restaurant and the customer get the most out of the exchange, providing both parties with long term benefits. Fast food restaurants are implementing Customer Relationship Management by using Customer Relationship Management techniques. The purpose of this thesis is to check the effectiveness of CRM techniques in customer retention. To identify the significant relationship between CRM techniques and customer retention, a well-structured self administrated questionnaire has been used for data collection. For data analysis, and testing of hypothesis, Statistical package for the social science (SPSS) has been employed. Data was collected from 100 employees in marketing department of four major fast food entities in Srilanka. Maintenance of purchasing data, Send frequent promotional, Customer service, Loyalty schemes and Providing customized product techniques were tested, and these CRM techniques influence positively on customer retention in fast food restaurants. The results also supported the contention that CRM techniques are effective in Fast food restaurant’s CRM implementation. The contribution of this master’s thesis relevant to academics, researchers for further development studies in CRM and also companies’ Marketing Managers in a way to use these findings to increase the retention rates by adjusting or introducing relevant techniques in the CRM system.
item: Thesis-Full-text
Facility management practices in telecom industry towards the job satisfaction of executives
(2014-05-27) Samarasinghe, CM; Ekanayaka, LL
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between Job Satisfaction and factors influencing on it to executives’ in a Telecommunication organizational sector, and to find the significance of physical space and physical working environment on the job satisfaction This study also focuses on revealing demographic characteristics of the executives that affect executives’ general happiness about the job. Research was conducted through a field survey by a structured questionnaire comprising demographics, five facets such as Leadership, Work Itself, Recognition of work, Physical space and Physical work environment to measure the job satisfaction. Twenty three job attributes were listed to see the importance of them on job satisfaction. A survey was carried out covering a sample of 78 executives of Head Office of the organization. The study generated an 85 percent response rate. Responses from the survey were statistically analyzed with linear regress analysis, Pearson’s correlation coefficient using the 13.0 version of SPSS software. Hypotheses were tested on 0.05 significance level desiring a 95 percent confidence. Results of hypotheses formed a solution to reject all null hypotheses and to accept alternatives. The study revealed that there is a significant correlation between executives’ job satisfaction and selected variables. Researcher concludes the study introducing a new conceptualization of worker behavior based on job satisfaction. Recommendations have been made to enhance the executives’ job satisfaction as well as for future directions on this scope.
item: Thesis-Abstract
A Framework for providing a lifelong social security system for the operational workforce in the construction Industry in Sri Lanka
Wijewickreme, SP; Ekanayaka, LL; Pathirage, CP; Egbu, C
Construction is a projectised industry. One of the important resource requirements for construction projects is the availability of an operational workforce for its physical production. Hence, the operational workforce is a critical deciding factor in the success and failure of construction projects. The construction sector in Sri Lanka is suffering from a shortage of a required operational workforce for its physical operations even though the unemployment rate in Sri Lanka is about 5.2%. Research has further highlighted that “work” and “pay” are only the surface factors, hiding underneath them (similar to an iceberg) are a multitude of different problems and the psychological needs of the workers. In addition to the shortage, there is a lack of an organised structure for human resources, which delivers time, cost and quality related behavioural constraints within the construction industry of Sri Lanka since circa the 1980’s. The aim of the research is to develop a sustainable framework for a lifelong social security system for the operational workforce of the construction industry in Sri Lanka without increasing the prevailing construction costs. The hypothesis is the minimising of resource wastages and behavioural impacts of current practices and the introduction a secured future life through a new system of lifelong social security [PR/SS] for the operational workforce. It is anticipated that the finances required for providing a social security system can be salvaged from the recovery values of material and time wastages and the demand and supply impacts generated as repercussions from the behavioural practices of the current operational workforce. The research instruments used for gathering primary and secondary data for evaluating the financial impacts of behavioural constraints were a questionnaire survey and audited financial statements. About 400 questionnaires (That were premeditated to calculate the monetary impacts of the social behaviors of the construction operatives via ‘degree of importance’ and ‘relative important index’) were distributed to higher management of contracting organisations in Sri Lanka. A further request was made to the contracting organisations to provide audited statements for the past five years. From the research, it was identified that the unavailability of a human resources structure is a major constraint for the construction industry in Sri Lanka. Salvaged finances that could derive from the removal of the transitional layers of risk multiplication and the removal of the behavioural constraints of the construction operatives are sufficient to finance a lifelong social security system for themselves. Based on the research findings, framework for the Building Forces of Sri Lanka [BFSL] was developed to overcome from the interim thinking pattern of the current construction operatives. In the current system, contracting organisations are not capable of providing the required training for the operatives. With the implementation of BFSL alongside the strong intervention from statutory organisations, a trained operational workforce can be developed to face any situation within the construction arena in Sri Lanka.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Impacts of electricity tariff subsidies to households
Alahakoon, UMC; Ekanayaka, LL
Energy has become the life line of any economy and most vital instrument of socioeconomic development of a country. Eighty percent of the present global primary energy demand is fulfilled by fossil fuels and the fuel reserves are limited. Hence, the energy prices are increasing and are subsidized for Low Income households. Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is the sole author of electricity business in Sri Lanka (SL). Its tariff is also highly subsidized for consumption up to 90 units in Domestic and Religious tariffs through “Increasing Block Price” (IBP) tariff structure. Cost of electricity has drastically increased due to lesser rain and the increase of high cost thermal contribution for power generation in Sri Lanka since 1996 and CEB has been posted to loss maker since 2000. This situation was aggravated by continuing tariff subsidies. Total domestic consumer base at the end of 2010 was around 4 million and analysis of consumption patterns shows that 3.2 million (80%) families out of the total have consumed below 90 kWh per month where highest tariff subsidy is incorporated. Can this entire 3.2 million families in Sri Lanka be really poor? Main objective of this research is to find that the users below 90 kWh are really poor by a field survey of random consumer sample. The other objectives are to study the present domestic tariff structure and its subsidy and to propose recommendations for tariff revisions for economically viable electricity industry. Literature review of published tariffs of regional and global countries revealed that most of their domestic tariffs are IBP and few countries give direct payments also for electricity subsidy. Present CEB tariff has higher overall bills for commercial and high end domestic consumers than regional countries. The bills of Domestic consumers of CEB below 90 kWh are lower than most of the regional countries. Literature on tariff studies revealed that IBP tariff has conservational, re distributional and demand elasticity impacts. The sample field survey of 50 households was carried out in Dehiwala area to ascertain the income and family status of electricity consumers who consume below 90 kWh per month. Survey results revealed that the income of the majority (78%) is above two times of Colombo district poverty level income of Rs. 3469/= per head per month. Only 8% was detected below poverty level (BPL) since they have no regular incomes or jobs. Only one family was found receiving samurdhy benefits. As per the survey results there is no evidence to prove that low unit users are low income families. Also IBP tariff has totally failed to filter the real low income families. Further analysis of the results by tariff block wise revealed that different income families are scattered in all the blocks. More rich and very rich families in 0 to 30 unit block. Hence Real LICs cannot be found even by reducing the subsidy level of tariff below 90 units. Finally it is recommended to eliminate the IBP structure of domestic tariff, and make reasonable cost reflective flat tariff in steps. Subsidy should be limited to real low income households who identified by Island wide survey and paid as direct government subsidy Dehiwala area can be considered only for high population density and congested municipal area. Therefore more surveys should be done in semi urban and rural areas for moderate and generalized solution for the whole country.
item: Thesis-Full-text
Motivating blue collar workforce towards construction industry
Wijewickreme, SP; Ekanayaka, LL
The fundamental purpose of this study is to recognise the reasons for scarcity of the Blue Collar Workforce in construction industry today and highlight its impact, and to forward my recommendations with an intention of resolving the issue. As a Construction Professional, my great concern is, what will happen to the industry, if we keep on neglecting the people who brings the desires of clients, blended with innovativeness of architects, strengthened by engineers, enumerated by quantity surveyors, documented by contract administrators into reality according to the sequence of planning engineers, performed by builders and contractors, if no proper Blue Collar Workforce is available. Professionals such as client advisors, architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, planning engineers, contract administrators, builders, contractors etc. are working towards the future of the industry. Series of professional bodies are supporting them to develop their career status stanchion with professional development programmes, seminars, exhibitions, award ceremonies, annual general meetings, day outings, dinners and so on. Although there are thousands of Research Papers available in various means of publishing, I was unable to locate a single article addressing how to motivate people towards the core layer of the Construction Industry or to discuss the problems they are being experienced by the foundation layer of the industry. Hence, I have selected 'Motivating Blue Collar Workforce towards Construction Industry' as my research project for partial fulfillment of the requirement for the MSc in Construction Project Management at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.
item: Thesis-Full-text
Prefabricated building method in Sri Lanka and user attitude
De Silva, CSR; Ekanayaka, LL
During the development of construction industry, people looked forward on building their houses by using less time and cost consuming methods. Prefabricated building methods were introduced as the outcome of this developmental process. In conventional building method, both total fabrication and erection were carried out in the site, which was a highly labour intensive work and also it was difficult to control the wastages and quality. In such rough working environment, labours refused working, where it became very difficult to arrange skill labours to these work sites. High scarcity of resources, daily rising cost of raw materials, controlling of wastage become much more important. Prefabricated building method grab considerable market share in developed countries like United States, Japan, china and United Kingdom. From early 1960s prefabricated housing projects were lunched in Sri Lanka. But this method could not grab significant market share in Housing industry of Sri Lanka. Prefabricated housing projects that previously carried out in various parts of Sri Lanka, selected as the case study and carried out user responsive survey and using personal observation prepare the conclusion and recommendations. Visiting the prefabricated model manufactures and analysis the pros and cons of their models and found out the reasons behind their models, why that those poorly attract the market. After analysis of all the information, found that major reasons for not grabbing considerable market share as that this prefabricated housing method did not considering the local customs and believes, local climatic conditions, lack of space and expandable ability within these housing units and poor marketing of model manufactures. Then considering these conclusion and prepare the recommendation as the guide line on launching of prefabricated housing projects, where these steps will give good opportunity to grab considerable market shear for prefabricated housing in housing industry.
item: Thesis-Full-text
Productivity improvements of quarry process by identifying lean wastes
Gunasinghe, ULWK; Ekanayaka, LL
The Sri Lankan Central Bank Annual Report 2013 revealed that, the construction industry contribution to GDP has reached 8.7% in year 2012 with continual growth from 2003. It further says that, more public investments in the highway sector contributed to sustaining the growth momentum in the construction industry. Hence construction has automatically become one of the major energy consuming industries in the country. In that regard, the Asphalt concrete production process is at the top level of energy consumption due to the higher amount of energy used to raise the temperature of raw materials to a high mixing temperature of around 150 C. Key findings of a research done on the Asphalt Coating Plant in Scotland, reveals that it is economical to have daily production throughout of at least 100 tones and 1% moisture increment of aggregate, increases the fuel consumption by 0.7 liter/tone (Gillespie, 2012). The above research doesn’t cover the stone quarrying process which provides the aggregates for asphalt production. The research done by Rylander (2013) on the quarrying process has contributed to find lean wastes happening in the raw material supplying process from quarry to crusher. Controlling aggregate production costs are a significant problem in the quarrying process due to high competition in the industry. The production cost of aggregates is severely affected by the selected crushing circuit. In this thesis, the study was carried out based on two different crushing circuits to find a more productive crushing circuit in the quarrying process. The lean principles were applied to identify the lean wastes over production, waiting, transportation, non-value-added processing, excess inventory, defects, excess motion and underutilized people in two crushing processes. The identified wastes of each circuit were analyzed compared to the other circuit. This study was limited to horizontal flow crushing. The analyzed results show that cellular manufacturing with intermediate stockpile increases the availability of the system by minimizing the waiting. At two-stage crushing circuit uses less manpower, machinery and electricity power than a three-stage crushing circuit since two-stage crushing minimizes the waste over conveyance, over motion and over utilization of people. Finally, the study recommends that by selecting the circuit, two-stage crushing with cellular manufacturing can increase the productivity of the system.
item: Thesis-Full-text
Social cost factors and their impacts in sewerage pipe laying projects
Neville, GDN; Ekanayaka, LL
The construction projects have adverse and negative impacts on the residents who live at a neighborhood of a construction project. These negative impacts such as inconveniences, disturbances and economic losses which face by the community surrounding a construction project are referred to as “social costs”. More often the contractor of the construction contracts has no obligation, during his execution of works, to bear these social costs hence consequently have to been dured by the local community in and around the project area. The scenario is true for the sewerage pipe laying related construction projects too as the sewer conveyance pipe lines are laid on the public road‟s right of way in deep and wider trenches. In Sri Lankan point of view the sewerage pipe line trenching is mostly done by traditional open-cut method, with opening up wider trenches along the public roads attributing many social costs and impacts to the surrounding community and businesses. These social cost factors and impacts can take many forms, such as traffic delays and congestion, more fuel consumption, road and third party property damages, increased accidents, air and noise pollution, decreased revenue in businesses and annoyances. To identify and itemize the social cost factors and their impacts to the local community, the literature was reviewed and the recently implemented sewerage pipe laying construction project in Ratmalana/Moratuwa was selected as a case study. By the use of researcher‟s project experience, questionnaire surveys and interviews conducted with the project stake holders the nature and gravity of those social cost factors and impacts on the neighboring community, were analyzed. According to the findings the major social cost factors which businesses incur include customer decline and financial loss, whereas residents find traffic delays and traffic congestion problems to be more of an intrusive inconveniences. The findings further give the gravity of those social cost factors and impacts, effect to the local community and businesses. This thesis concludes, as many techniques are available in the literature for quantification of social costs those social costs should be assessed and accommodated in the project budgets. On the other hand, this would give clear picture of the social costs the iii community endures but neglected by the project parties. Furthermore the findings give alternative trenchless methods instead of traditional open-cut trenching for sewerage pipe laying, by which the foregoing road and property damages and associated social costs could be minimized. This is because the current way of conducting the sewerage pipe laying projects in the public roads by harming the community will lose the credibility of the contractual parties, i.e., the project proponent and the contractor, as the social costs are bared by the community besides the fact that the prime objective of implementing a sewerage project is to protect the environment and the ground by conveying the household sewage in a safe manner.
item: Thesis-Full-text
Technology transfer to local professionals through uma oya project a case study
Puranegedara, PLN; Ekanayaka, LL
Economic growth of a country is linked with the construction industry. Advancement of construction industry is depend on the degree of transformation of technology in to the field. Therefore it is important to understand deeply the best practices in Technology Transfer (TT) by examining significant areas of enablers and hallmarks. During the past few decades, number of major projects were completed by foreign contractors linking with domestic contractors in various approaches such as joint ventures, partnerships and sub contracts, as well at present large number of foreign firms are involved in major construction projects in the country. Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract of Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project (UOMDP) is awarded to FARAB. Though FARAB use new technology, there is a doubt whether appropriate TT benefits will acquire through this contract? Therefore this research was carried out with the objectives of identifying barriers exist in technology transfer to local construction industry through the foreign contract and proposing of strategies to enhance the level of technology transfer to local construction industry from foreign contractors working in Sri Lankan projects. Scope of this research is limited to level of TT to local professionals directly engaged in project activities. Hence carried out interviews with twenty six numbers of senior, middle and junior level professionals working in the project. Collected data was analyzed by Suitability, Acceptability, Feasibility (SAF) model and recommendations were summarized. As a result of deep study through the case, lack of joint venturing (JV) , lack of involvement of junior engineers and insufficient involvement of higher educational institutes are within the finding mentioned in the conclusion. Increase of involvement of local contractors through JVs, giving priority to TT clauses in the formation of EPC contracts, opening of TT offices in the Universities and improvements of skill level of non-professional groups are within the recommendations. Further, responsible institutions such as Ceylon Electricity Board, Mahaweli Authority and Irrigation Department should increase the participation of their professionals covering top to bottom levels of their organizations.