Browsing by Author "Mudalige, DM"

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item: Conference-Full-text
An analysis of employee welfare practices in oil and gas construction projects at Qatar
Dissanayake, LC; Somachandra, V; Mudalige, DM
Oil and Gas construction industry has been identified as a very dangerous and risky construction industry sub-sector in the world compared to building and other infrastructure sectors. This field requires highly experienced employees. Those employees are fully open to dangerous situations and risky environment and it may course to lose their life/body parts, permanent disabilities or mental issues. Nowadays, many of Oil & Gas construction companies are using advanced technology to accelerate the works and protect their employee’s from risk. But still, there is risk and incidents are reported all over the world. In this research paper, welfare facilities in Oil & Gas construction industry in Qatar are considered and is aimed to find out awareness of the welfare facilities within that field. First of all, the researcher carried out a thorough literature review using past published books, magazines, journals and the internet. Then the online survey was designed using 30 numbers of questions to collect the required data. Around, 50 numbers of responders are responded to the questionnaire and most of them are supervisory level. 59% are fully aware about facilities and other 41% are partially awareness about the welfare facilities. According to this study, some of the welfare facilities have to be improved and developed around some key areas, like orientation programs, well experience staff for safety department and health and insurance benefits.
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The effect of entrepreneurial orientation and brand orientation on SME internationalization and performance : a conceptual framework
(2015-05-19) Mudalige, DM; Ismail, NZ; Dassanayaka, SWSB
This paper presents a framework for determining the relationships between entrepreneurial orientation and brand orientation on internationalization and performance of SMEs with the moderating effect of industry context and organizational learning.In review of the current literature, it was found that the complex investigation of SME performance involving the above variables has not been studied.Few and fragmentary studies have been conducted involving the variables yet they do not warrant us a broader generalization. Brand orientation has not been studied in association of SME internationalization so far.Studies involving entrepreneurial orientation and SME internationalization have been confronted with mixed results indicating the presence of a moderator/s in the relationship.Industry context is hypothesized as the as the moderator in this framework. The inability of the gradualist and non-gradualist models to explain the SME internationalization fully compels us to explore whether the above models are suited to explain the internationalization of SMEs in a particular industry.The mixed results of internationalization and performance can be attributed to the fact that the moderating effect of organizational learning has been ignored. According to gradualist theories, firm internationalization is based on “experimental knowledge”.Hence the ability of the organization to learn moderates the success of international endeavor.Furthermore previous researchers have concentrated on entrepreneur orientation of founder or top managers as a predictor of internationalization.This framework identifies the middle managers’ perception of the internal environment for corporate entrepreneurship as an important predictor of performance especially in collectivist countries. This framework also proposes to extend the study to test non-financial aspects of firm performance as a result of internationalization which has gained surprisingly little attention.Therefore to fill this research gap in research literature, a conceptual framework and hypotheses are developed.
item: Conference-Full-text
Entrepreneurial antecedents of secondary school students in western province, Sri Lanka
(2020-10-27) Jayath, T; Mudalige, DM
Business entrepreneurship is an essential ingredient of economic prosperity and the need to understand the antecedents contributing to entrepreneurial ambition in Sri Lankan teenagers is paramount for successful policy planning in future. The attitudes and behaviors of youth will be conditioned during the developmental years and as a consequence perception towards entrepreneurship will be conditioned heavily during this phase of development. Despite the continued interest in promoting entrepreneurship among the young generation, researchers have paid little attention to primary and secondary educational stages. The main objective of this research is to analyze the factors affecting entrepreneurial ambition of teenage students as a career choice. The research is formulated as a quantitative research adhering to the deductive approach. Research finds the existence of two factors; Perception of benefits of entrepreneurship and family and friends teenage students. Further it reveals the moderation effect caused by prior entrepreneurial education on the interaction between perception of benefits of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial ambition. The study reveals existence of differences with respect to entrepreneurial ambition and antecedents in different communities. The study recommends introducing entrepreneurial education with more emphasis to teenage students. The understanding of the preferences of the young generation will support policy efforts to create useful avenues for entrepreneurial success in the future
item: Conference-Full-text
Evaluation of quality control measures and competency of the staff in non-accredited testing laboratories in sri lanka
Maduranga, M; Mudalige, DM
The purpose of this research was to identify the quality control measures adopted by non-accredited testing laboratories (excluding medical and calibration laboratories) in Sri Lanka and to examine the competency of the staff in conducting the tests in non-accredited laboratories using ISO 17025 as the guidance. A field study based on a structured questionnaire and personal interviews was carried out in ten (10) non-accredited laboratories in Sri Lanka. Eighteen test methods (18), twenty one (21) actual tests were observed and twenty four (24) employees were given a structured examination. The study analyzed non-accredited laboratories based on management and technical requirements of ISO 17025. Several specific clauses stipulated in ISO 17025 were considered for the assessment. Each clause selected was subdivided in to a set of objective requirements which was examined in each laboratory/test method/test. The laboratory was decided to have complied with minimum quality control procedures related to the clause if these requirements are met as per the acceptance criteria developed by the researcher. The study identified that less than 40% laboratories observed, used adequate quality control methods in conducting the tests in aspects related management system, equipment and reporting results. Less than 70% laboratories observed, used adequate quality control methods in conducting the tests in aspects related to internal audit, organizations and laboratory environment. Erroneous procedures and deficiencies in conducting the test were observed in many aspects. Ignorance of conditions laid down in the relevant test method/standard, inappropriate handling of testing equipment or standards by the staff, non-use of quality control samples when required and errors in documentation and issuing of the test report were the four major shortcomings observed in test methods. Three major deficiencies in laboratory quality control included calibration issues, not enough facilities to monitor the test environment and lack of documentation in quality procedures. The study also revealed the poor competency and knowledge of the laboratory staff in general quality principles. Although 56% of the employees examined had sufficient technical knowledge to carry out the given test, only 30% had satisfactory understanding of general quality management policies laid down in ISO 17025. The outcome of this research is that due to inadequate level of quality control procedures implemented in most of the non-accredited laboratories and due to the lack of knowledge of the staff in these testing laboratories in quality assurance principles, the ability of non-accredited laboratories to consistently deliver reliable and valid results is highly doubtful. Finally, this paper presents recommendations for an effective and reliable laboratory network in Sri Lanka.
item: Conference-Full-text
Factors affecting for growth of the social enterprises in Western Province, Sri Lanka
Gunawardena, LHTK; Mudalige, DM
Social entrepreneurship is the newest growing segment of entrepreneurship. The concept is to cater a social or environmental problem while making money. The concept is more valuable as social enterprises are economically selfsustainable. Unlike charitable organizations, social enterprises generate adequate money to support its service or production. Similarly, the first priority of social entrepreneurs is not maximizing economic profits as their central vision is to avoid or mitigate an effect of a social or environmental issue. In Sri Lanka, engaging to overcome a common issue without an invitation as a team or giving and dedicating for others benefit are not new. However, the ‘Social Entrepreneurship’ wording is new to the island. Consequently, there is limited research work that has taken place in Sri Lanka on ‘Social Entrepreneurship’.
item: SRC-Report
Impact of entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intention and internationalization of engineer-entrepreneur start-ups
(2021) Mudalige, DM
Despite favourable impressions of entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurship behaviour from past research, the influence of entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurship education on achievement entrepreneurial goals of engineers in Sri Lanka remains understudied and uncertain in many circumstances. This necessitates a thorough examination of the mechanisms by which entrepreneurial orientation and education influences entrepreneurial intention. Further, as per international entrepreneurship theory, entrepreneurial intent leads to internationalization intent when facilitated by conducive environment factors. The objective of research is to investigate the influence of entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intention and internationalization intent of engineer entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka. Three hypotheses related to above links were tested using a validated questionnaire through a survey of 92 engineer-entrepreneurs. The results show that there is a significant positive relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intention and internationalization intent of engineer entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka. The variable entrepreneurial intention explained 40% variance of internationalization intention. This research gives valuable inputs and suggestions with respect to entrepreneurship education and promotion of entrepreneurship orientation of engineers in Sri Lanka for policy makers.
item: Conference-Full-text
Influence of web-based hedonic stimuli to emerge impulse purchasing decisions in fashion retail sector – an S-O-R model-based customer biometric analysis
(Business Research Unit (BRU), 2024) Nisansala, KTD; Samarasinghe, GD; Mudalige, DM
Customer biometrics such as blood pressure, pulse rate, and eye movement can be recognized as significant indicators engaged with impulse purchasing decision-making in fashion retail websites due to numerous web-based hedonic stimuli. There is an empirical gap that was recognized as relevant to existing studies performed under the respective areas of the research. This resulted in understanding the research problem as “there is a lack of the existing empirical studies relevant to the fashion retail sector on impulse purchasing decisions based on web-based hedonic stimuli addressing customer biometrics” and the conceptual framework has been developed under the S-O-R model to resolve the research problem identified under stimuli – response principle. The research was conducted as a pilot exploratory study to obtain a basic understanding of how customer biometrics indicate impulse purchasing decisions based on different appearances of web-based hedonic stimuli under five (05) participants representing both Generation Y and Z based on judgmental sampling. Participants were tested for 10 minutes each by displaying three (03) websites categorized under three levels of richness and tracked eye movements by using an online eye tracking software. The pulse and blood pressure were measured too before and after the sessions of each participant. The results of eye tracking were thematically analyzed and concluded as different web-based hedonic stimuli lead to impulse purchasing decisions in the fashion retail sector reflecting factors such as image and graphic use, color use representing “perceived enjoyment (PE)” and navigational flexibility of websites representing “perceived ease of use (PEU)” according to the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The study opened the gates to conduct future research to identify reasons why the blood pressure and pulse rate of web visitors decrease in short web surfing periods when into impulse purchasing decision-making.
item: Conference-Abstract
Towards an effective entrepreneurial ecosystem in higher education: experience of a South Asian technological university
Samarasinghe, GD; Mudalige, DM; Kuruppu, GN; Samarasiri, NC
Higher education systems of South Asian countries especially the Engineering education focus more on technological knowledge development than entrepreneurial attitude and skills development. However, by introducing reforms into the existing university system to promote entrepreneurial ecosystems, a few technological universities have attempted this in the recent past in emerging economies. In addressing important issue, University of Moratuwa, the premier technological university in Sri Lanka, launched certain entrepreneurial initiatives to promote the entrepreneurial capabilities of its Engineering undergraduates in the recent past. However, the perceived effect of this phenomenon on various stakeholders of the university is not yet explored. In order to address this empirical gap, the present study aimed at investigating stakeholders' attitudes towards effectiveness of these initiatives in enhancing entrepreneurial eco-system of the university. On this ground, the study adopted a qualitative in-depth interview with the key stakeholders who was involved in the entrepreneurial eco-system, selected based on purposive sampling. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis using narratives. Thematic analysis of interview data revealed that academic leadership style laid the corner-stone for formally establishing a dynamic entrepreneurial strategy and creating change agents who flourish entrepreneurial eco-system of the university. The analysis also revealed many interesting themes behind the success including how networking and collaborations with external agents fueled the process, role of existing brand image of the university and how structural changes overcame the barriers. These imply that action-oriented, student-centered programs need to be developed prior to institutionalizing entrepreneurship through curriculum changes and alignment of organization structure through strategic leadership and intent. Policy makers could gain insights from this study on how to facilitate entrepreneurship in the university system as knowledgebased entrepreneurs will create societal, technological and economic value for an emerging economy