scholarly journals APPLICABILITY OF LEED REQUIREMENTS TO ACHIEVE WATER EFFICIENCY IN SRI LANKAN HOTEL INDUSTRY

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.G.U. Damsari ◽  
◽  
P. Sridarran ◽  
F.N. Abdeen ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Asian Country ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Water Efficiency ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Leed Certification ◽  
The Us ◽  
Qualitative Research Methodology ◽  
Compare And Contrast

LEED is an universally used green ranking system in the world. Among the six evaluation factors it specifically focuses on water use reduction, water efficient landscaping and innovative wastewater technologies. LEED provides a structure or collection of metrics to determine the water efficiency level that a building can achieve. Most of the hotels worldwide are inclined towards gaining LEED certification which is prompted by the higher volumes of water consumption in the facility. LEED is a US created rating system and the most categories of LEED certification are built according to the US aspects. Being an Asian country, Sri Lankan hoteliers also attempt to obtain LEED certification to their hotels with the motive of becoming in order to be more efficient. However, some of LEED requirements under the water efficiency category does not match the Sri Lankan hotel industry requirements. Therefore, the aim of the study to identify whether the LEED requirements under the water efficiency can be applied to Sri Lankan hotel industry. To accomplish the aim, literature synthesis was conducted to explore the water efficiency practices used by LEED certified hotels in other countries. A qualitative research methodology was subsequently adopted, directing semi-structured interviews with two LEED certified hotels in Sri Lanka to identify the LEED practices used in Sri Lankan hotel industry. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyse the collected data. Finally, a framework was developed to compare and contrast the water efficiency practices used in LEED certified hotels in other countries and Sri Lanka.

Significance of operational capabilities of suppliers on the front-end decision making in apparel product innovation in Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Niromi Seram ◽  
Julian Nanayakkara ◽  
Gamini Lanarolle
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Product Innovation ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Apparel Manufacturing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Front End ◽  
Operational Capabilities ◽  
Apparel Product

Purpose The suppliers are recognized as important external sources who can significantly contribute by working together with the buyer during the innovation process. Operational capabilities of suppliers can be one of the considerable factors when selecting them to participate in the activities at the front-end of innovation. However, proper understanding of the influence of operational capabilities of suppliers on front-end decision-making in apparel product innovation is still very limited particularly in the context of the Sri Lankan apparel industry. Therefore, this study aims to explore the influence of operational capabilities of suppliers on the front-end decision making in apparel product innovation in Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach Both semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey were used as data collection techniques. Six senior managers for the interviews and 60 participants for the questionnaire were randomly selected. All those who participated in interviews and the questionnaire respondents have been involved in the front-end of innovation in different apparel manufacturing organizations in Sri Lanka. Findings The results indicated that the operational capabilities of suppliers had a direct positive influence on front-end decision-making, and the suppliers’ production flexibility was found to be the most influential. Further, the results highlighted that 27.3% of the front-end decisions associated with apparel product innovation in Sri Lanka were influenced by the factors governing operational capabilities of suppliers. Originality/value The findings of the research will be beneficial for both academia and industry. The findings will be useful to extend the current understanding and make a noteworthy contribution to this topic and to provide useful and practical guidance to material suppliers and supporting industries who work with Sri Lankan apparel manufacturing.

scholarly journals APPLICABILITY OF POLYMER BUILDING MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCEMENT AND COST REDUCTION IN SRI LANKAN BUILDING INDUSTRY

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.D. Wijeratne ◽  
◽  
K.A.K. Devapriya ◽  
S.D. Gallage ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Cost Reduction ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Quantitative Model ◽  
Building Construction ◽  
Polymer Materials ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Structured Interviews

Building construction contributes to a substantial consumption of raw materials compared to other sectors in Sri Lanka. Despite the excessive consumption of raw materials, industry is suffering due to low productivity and economic inefficiency. Thus, the circumstance has led to employ alternative building materials to overcome productivity and cost inefficiency with favourable impacts on sustainability. Polymer has become a global phenomenon with increasing demand as sustainable alternative. Polymer facilitates multiple applications in building construction due to its supreme properties and characteristics. Thus, this research focused develop a quantitative model based on factors related to productivity enhancement and cost reduction to measure the applicability of polymer materials in Sri Lankan building construction. A mixed approach consisting of semi structured interviews followed by a questionnaire survey was adapted for conduct this study. 12 experts were selected for the semi structured interviews and 34 respondents participated for the questionnaire survey. The significance of favourable impact to the productivity and cost efficiency of using polymer materials have been identified in the study. The study discussed the applicability of polymer types in building sector in Sri Lanka and derived resulted in a quantitative model to measure applicability of polymer adoption in the terms of productivity and cost related factors. Study concluded that inherent properties of polymers, buildability, ability to prefabricate, life cycle cost, handling would improve the applicability to local context. Further, relationship identified through the regression model would assist practitioners to select polymer materials while enabling researchers to improve the quality of the products.

scholarly journals How Hotel Industry Cope up with the COVID-19: An SME Perspective

ETIKONOMI ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-224
Author(s):  
Muhammad Nawaz Tunio ◽  
Lenny Yusrini ◽  
Zubair A. Shah ◽  
Naveeda Katper ◽  
Mushtaque Ali Jariko
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Jel Classification ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Qualitative Research Methodology ◽  
The Government ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
Role Of The Government

This study aims to determine the plans and strategies adopted by the hotel industry during the COVID-19 crisis. In order to conduct this study, a qualitative research methodology was used where semi-structured interviews were conducted from three countries: Austria, Pakistan, and Indonesia. Interviews were conducted online with the help of applications such as Skype, WhatsApp, and Zoom. A thematic analysis was conducted in which codes, categories, and final themes were generated. The final themes are the study's findings, which are strategies for employees, strategies for customers, strategies for SME hotels, and strategies for the staff. Strategies for employees indicate the planning and programs of the SME Hotels. The study's findings show that strategies adopted by the hotel industries vary from country to country while depending on the contextual factors and role of the government. Most Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) hotels in developing countries are less familiar with how to react and survive in the conditions of the crises. Thus, this study can benefit the different stakeholders in the developed and developing countries for adopting strategies and maintain their business during the crises of the COVID-19.JEL Classification: B17, B27, F30, L83How to Cite:Tunio, M. N., Yusrini, L., Shah, Z. A., Katper, N., & Jariko, M. A. (2021). How Hotel Industry Cope Up With The Covid-19: An SME Perspective. Etikonomi, 20(2), 213 – xx. https://doi.org/10.15408/etk.v20i2.19172.

scholarly journals AN INVESTIGATION ON CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF CONSTRUCTION ORGANISATIONS IN DISASTER IN SRI LANKA

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.B. NANAYAKKARA ◽  
◽  
Y.G. SANDANAYAKE ◽  
B.J. EKANAYAKE ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Work Force ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Disaster Situation ◽  
Corporate Social

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a concept, which is broadly determined as ensuring the efficacy of the organisation in integrating social and environmental considerations into organisational operations. In Sri Lankan context, a great enthusiasm can be seen among organisations to engage in CSR initiatives. Having considered the importance and impact, the study aims to investigate the importance of CSR initiatives by construction organisations in disasters in Sri Lanka. Thus, a mixed method research approach was followed as the methodology of this study. Findings are based on semi-structured interviews held with construction industry professionals. Findings of this study revealed that the implementation of CSR initiatives is more important during a disaster situation in the aspects of both affected party and aiding party. Moreover, construction organisations implement CSR during disaster situations by considering it as a mandatory responsibility of an organisation. Further, most of the construction organisations engage in CSR implementation during natural disaster situations. In practice all the construction organisations tend to engage in reactive initiatives. More importantly, it is revealed that both the organisational work force and society are benefitted through CSR implementation in disaster situations.

scholarly journals A Cost-of-Illness analysis of β-Thalassaemia major in children in Sri Lanka – Experience from a tertiary level teaching hospital 

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamish Reed-Embleton ◽  
Savinda Arambepola ◽  
Simon Dixon ◽  
Behrouz Nezafat Maldonado ◽  
Anuja Premawardhena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Teaching Hospital ◽  
Cost Of Illness ◽  
Economic Burden ◽  
Iron Chelation ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Thalassaemia Major ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Illness Study ◽  
Clinical Records

Abstract Background: Sri Lanka has a high prevalence of b-thalassaemia major. Clinical management is complex and long-term and includes regular blood transfusion and iron chelation therapy. The economic burden of β-thalassaemia for the Sri Lankan healthcare system and households is currently unknown.Methods: A prevalence-based, cost-of-illness study was conducted on the Thalassaemia Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Kandy Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka. Data were collected from clinical records, consultations with the head of the blood bank and a consultant paediatrician directly involved with the care of patients, alongside structured interviews with families to gather data on the personal costs incurred such as those for travel. Results: Thirty-four children aged 2-17 years with transfusion dependent thalassaemia major and their parent/guardian were included in the study. The total average cost per patient year to the hospital was $US 2601 of which $US 2092 were direct costs and $US 509 were overhead costs. Mean household expenditure was $US 206 per year with food and transport per transfusion ($US 7.57 and $US 4.26 respectively) being the highest cost items. Nine (26.5%) families experienced catastrophic levels of healthcare expenditure (>10% of income) in the care of their affected child. The poorest households were the most likely to experience such levels of expenditure. Conclusions: β-thalassaemia major poses a significant economic burden on health services and the families of affected children in Sri Lanka. Greater support is needed for the high proportion of families that suffer catastrophic out-of-pocket costs.

scholarly journals BENEFITS OF LEED CERTIFICATION IN TERMS OF WATER EFFICIENCY IN HOTEL INDUSTRY: A LITERATURE REVIEW

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.G.U DAMSARI ◽  
◽  
P. SRIDARRAN ◽  
F.N ABDEEN ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Consumption ◽  
Cooling Tower ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Water Usage ◽  
Water Efficiency ◽  
Rating Systems ◽  
Leed Certification ◽  
Literature Synthesis ◽  
Precious Resource

Water is the world's most precious resource, vital for humanity and the remainder of the world. Due to the incredible water consumption in the hotel industry, hoteliers are required to pay more concern on water saving. The water consumption of the hotel is directly influenced by existing water efficiency practices. Green Building Rating Systems (GBRS) provides a structure or collections of metrics to determine the level of water efficiency achievable by a building. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to identify how LEED certification guide hoteliers to achieve water efficiency. The literature synthesis highlights the water efficiency practices, which should be followed by the hoteliers in order to obtain LEED certification. Accordingly, it guides hoteliers to achieve water efficiency under four categories such as outdoor water usage reduction, indoor water usage reduction, cooling tower water usage reduction and water metring. Further, the study identifies the performance gaps between LEED certified hotels and non-LEED certified hotels by highlighting the water efficiency practices adapted by worldwide LEED certified hotels. Moreover, the study revealed that LEED is the most adaptable system used in Sri Lanka among other green rating systems due to its glob-al recognition. The findings of this study could be used by hoteliers as a basis in understanding the available water efficiency practices and measures for the hotels that could be utilised in achieving water efficiency.

Staying positive among negativities: strategies employed by teachers in Sri Lankan state universities to manage their wellbeing

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rozilini Mary Fernandez-Chung ◽  
Sudakshi Medhani De Zoysa
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
South Asian ◽  
State Universities ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
Teacher Wellbeing ◽  
Research Studies

PurposeTeacher wellbeing is critical given its impact on students’ experience and achievement. This qualitative study provides insights into teacher wellbeing in Sri Lankan state universities. The study occurs during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, where institutions are stretched for resources and teachers sought better work–life balance while working from home.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses semi-structured interviews of teachers from four state universities in Sri Lanka to discover their strategies for managing teacher wellbeing and staying positive among negativities.FindingsIt concludes that the strategies can be expounded to existing research and categorized under four overarching themes: Versatility and Devotion, Pillars of Support, Conformity over Individualism, and Avoidance and Detachment. Sri Lankan university teachers, like many of their global counterparts, believe in staying positive.Research limitations/implicationsLike most qualitative research studies, if not all, this research studies the specific phenomenon of teacher wellbeing among university teachers in Sri Lanka. The findings, though supported, has its limitation to only public universities teachers thus cannot be generalized and may not apply to teacher wellbeing in private universities in Sri Lanka. Nevertheless, the application of the themes developed forms a valuable framework to support any future study of teacher wellbeing. The conceptual robustness of the findings will make this framework particularly useful for Sri Lanka and other South Asian countries.Practical implicationsThe findings will inform future studies on teacher wellbeing, particularly in other South Asian countries. This study may also be the impetus for starting a discourse on related policies in Sri Lanka.Social implicationsTeacher wellbeing positively impacts teacher relations with peers and leadership, which has direct implications on student wellbeing. Happy teachers make happy students.Originality/valueThe findings revealed eight strategies employed by Sri Lankan state university teachers. These strategies were framed under four overarching themes: Versatility and Devotion, Pillars of Support, Conformity over Individualism, and Avoidance and Detachment.

scholarly journals Food labour, consumption hierarchies, and diet decision-making in Sri Lankan households: a qualitative study

BMC Nutrition ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Renzella ◽  
S. Fernando ◽  
B. Kalupahana ◽  
P. Scarborough ◽  
M. Rayner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Dietary Interventions ◽  
Double Burden ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Context Specific

Abstract Background Sri Lanka faces the double burden of over- and undernutrition. To tackle this dual challenge, double duty interventions that improve the quality of the Sri Lankan diet in line with national dietary guidelines have been suggested. The success of these interventions depends upon an understanding of the context-specific factors that impact their uptake within the population. The purpose of this study was threefold: explore household responsibility for food-related labour; understand food decision-making influences; and investigate consumption hierarchies that might impact the distribution of intervention benefits. Methods We conducted face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 93 Sri Lankan adults residing in urban Colombo (n = 56), and urban and rural sectors in Kalutara (n = 29) and Trincomalee (n = 8). Interview data were analysed thematically. Results Findings from this study suggest that women in Sri Lanka continue to shoulder the burden of food-related labour disproportionately to men but that this responsibility is not always a proxy for dietary decision-making power. While men are often absent from the kitchen, their role in food purchasing and payment is prominent in many households. Despite these observed gender differences in food labour and provisioning, “traditional” age- and gender-based consumption hierarchies with negative nutrition consequences for women and children are not common, indicating that Sri Lankan ‘table culture’ may be changing. Conclusion Dietary interventions with the aim of influencing day-to-day practice should be developed with an awareness of who is responsible for, who is able to perform, and who influences targeted behaviours.

scholarly journals Early Violence Prevention in Sri Lankan Preschools: Perceived Preschool Teacher Practices

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Buddhiprabha D D Pathirana
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Violence Prevention ◽  
Teacher Practices ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Preschool Teacher ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Religious Activities ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Early Childhood Care ◽  
Childhood Care

Early Violence Prevention (EVP) programs are a concept alien to policy makers of the Early Childhood Care and Education in Sri Lanka, even though Sri Lanka as a has country experienced violence for almost fourt decades. This study explores the perceived preschool teacher practices pertaining to EVP (preventing/minimizing aggressive behaviors and promoting prosocial behaviors) within Sri Lankan preschool teachers using a survey (n = 275) and a semi structured interviews (n = 23). The results conveyed that Sri Lankan preschool teacher recognize such practices as a necessity and seemed to be practicing a wide spectrum of behaviors. These could be categorized on several dimensions: telling/teaching vs. doing activities, individual focused vs. group/social, authoritative/instructive vs. democratic, child initiated good practices vs. bad practices. Practices could also be categorized into religious activities, activities with emphasis on silence, praise, techniques to prevent discrimination, techniques to divert attention, socially focused, direct conflict management, instructional emphasis, empowering the children, moral and teacher initiated action. These activities were carried out using stories, puppets and role-plays. The study also provides recommendations to policy developers in the context of culture sensitive early violence prevention practices for Sri Lankan preschool children.

scholarly journals Provision of facilities management services in Sri Lankan commercial organisations

Facilities ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 394-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.A.K.S Perera ◽  
M.H.S. Ahamed ◽  
Raufdeen Rameezdeen ◽  
Nicholas Chileshe ◽  
M. Reza Hosseini
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
The Body ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Delivery Mode ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Services

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore sourcing strategies for facilities management services using core-competency theory of outsourcing. The aim is to develop a screening framework for deciding the suitability of outsourcing versus in-house delivery for these services based on three levels of managerial functions prevalent in a typical commercial organization. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was administered for facilities managers in Sri Lanka to investigate the relative importance of these managerial functions for facilities management services and obtain their opinions on the best delivery mode. The managerial functions were derived from a literature review and verified using three semi-structured interviews prior to the questionnaire survey design. Findings The findings showed that facilities management services that are aligned to strategic functions are suitable for in-house delivery, while those that are aligned to tactical and operational functions for outsourcing. Research limitations/implications Further studies should be conducted and extended to other types of organizations beyond commercial ones. Secondly, the quantitative study employed a smaller sample (n = 40), and the survey items were based on the review of literature which was verified using a very small number of interviews (n = 3). Practical implications The proposed framework can be utilized when choosing the best facilities management approach for commercial organizations in developing countries such as Sri Lanka. Originality/value This study contributes to the body of knowledge on the subject of facilities management by exploring the context in Sri Lankan which has not previously been done.

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