Browsing by Author "Abeysinghe, D."

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A Strategy on Competitive Intelligence for the Sri Lankan Rubber Industry to Generate Potential Value
(2011) Ekanayake, S.; Abeysinghe, D.
The competitive intelligence (CI) is analyzed knowledge and foreknowledge having effective decision making powers to empower business innovative performance for evolution of market advantage and potential value. The competitive intelligence reins with power of knowledge: knowledge management influence business performance to protect intellectual capital vulnerable to competitor incursions, to receive intellectual benefits and appropriation to extract potential market value. The concept of ?competitive intelligence? came to light during an empirical investigation in the Sri Lanka rubber industry. The industry had developed its market advantage as ?latex crepe rubber?, but, had stagnated thereafter by trading it as a commodity. Nonexistence of industrial strategy and committed regulatory role for knowledge management in pursuance of competitive market intelligence had immobilized industrial innovation performance; thus preventing promotion of technological superiority and attainment of intellectual benefits for market advantage to extract potential market value. A qualitative inquiry to understand industry environmental phenomenon from industry practitioners and a quantitative inquiry on industrial performance and value generation was undertaken to arrive at conclusions. A strategic management focus in combination with competitive intelligence needs understanding by industry practitioners and academics to gather insights for potential value generation.
Design and construction of low cost petri dish incubator
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Wanigasekara, G.; Perera, N.W.; Abeysinghe, D.; Geegamage, S.S.; Wijekoon, D.; Jayathilaka, N.
Petri dish incubators are used in laboratories to keep petri dish samples at a stable and optimal temperature of 37 °C. Incubators are one of the frequently needed equipment. These incubators are expensive due to the use of complex systems. Many of the local universities do not have the necessary financial resources to purchase this equipment. Therefore, undergraduate students usually do not have access to incubators for academic learning. In order to surmount this challenge, it is necessary to look at a low cost, simple design for petri dish incubators. Hence, we have designed an incubator utilizing low cost microcontroller boards and sensors. Both microcontrollers and sensors were selected to provide adequate accuracy for the incubation at 37 °C. The incubator is constructed of three major components; sensors, controller and temperature regulation system. The incubator uses three LM35 temperature sensors to monitor the temperature with 0.5 °C accuracy and the system is controlled by Arduino Uno board with 16 MHz ATmega328P microcontroller. The microcontroller regulates the temperature of the incubation chamber utilizing 200W Nichrome heating element and two exhaust fans. Three temperature sensor readings were taken to acquire chamber temperature by averaging three values. Microcontroller uses these data to control the heating element, the fan for heating and the fan for cooling. The controller uses a PID (Proportional–Integral–Derivative) algorithm to stabilize the temperature. The sensor input wiring is highly shielded to avoid interference from the main powerline magnetic noise. The incubator body is shielded with porcelain to avoid fire hazards. The average temperature recorded by the incubator sensor and the chamber temperature as recorded with a thermometer was monitored at 2 hr intervals over a 16 hr period at 37.6 ± 0.5 °C and 37.6 ± 0.5 °C respectively indicating the accuracy of temperature regulation in the petri dish incubator over an extended period of incubation.
Gatekeeper training for vendors to reduce pesticide self-poisoning in rural South Asia: a study protocol for a stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trial
(BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, 2022) Weerasinghe, M.; Pearson, M.; Turner, N.; Metcalfe, C.; Gunnell, D.J.; Agampodi, S.; Hawton, K.; Agampodi, T.; Miller, M.; Jayamanne, S.; Parker, S.; Sumith, J.A.; Karunarathne, A.; Dissanayaka, K.; Rajapaksha, S.; Rodrigo, D.; Abeysinghe, D.; Piyasena, C.; Kanapathy, R.; Thedchanamoorthy, S.; Madsen, L.B.; Konradsen, F.; Eddleston, M.
Introduction: Pesticide self-poisoning kills an estimated 110 000-168 000 people worldwide annually. Data from South Asia indicate that in 15%-20% of attempted suicides and 30%-50% of completed suicides involving pesticides these are purchased shortly beforehand for this purpose. Individuals who are intoxicated with alcohol and/or non-farmers represent 72% of such customers. We have developed a 'gatekeeper' training programme for vendors to enable them to identify individuals at high risk of self-poisoning (gatekeeper function) and prevent such individuals from accessing pesticides (means restriction). The primary aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the gatekeeper intervention in preventing pesticide self-poisoning in Sri Lanka. Other aims are to identify method substitution and to assess the cost and cost-effectiveness of the intervention. Methods and analysis: A stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial of a gatekeeper intervention is being conducted in rural Sri Lanka with a population of approximately 2.7 million. The gatekeeper intervention is being introduced into 70 administrative divisions in random order at each of 30 steps over a 40-month period. The primary outcome is the number of pesticide self-poisoning cases identified from surveillance of hospitals and police stations. Secondary outcomes include: number of self-poisoning cases using pesticides purchased within the previous 24 hours, total number of all forms of self-harm and suicides. Intervention effectiveness will be estimated by comparing outcome measures between the pretraining and post-training periods across the divisions in the study area. The original study protocol has been adapted as necessary in light of the impact of the COVID-19. Ethics and dissemination: The Ethical Review Committee of the Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University, Sri Lanka (ERC/2018/30), and the ACCORD Medical Research Ethics Committee, Edinburgh University (18-HV-053) approved the study. Results will be disseminated in scientific peer-reviewed journals.
Management Functions and Core Competencies for Value Gain: Sri Iankan Gem and Jewelry Industry
(University of Kelaniya, 2007) Ekanayake, S.; Abeysinghe, D.
The focus of the research study is value gain. The purpose ofthe research is therdorc: to identify capable core competencies and a capable management function that would continue to generate economic value over tJme and at the same time. meet increasingly competitive pressures of the outside world. Generating an increasing value is a gradual elevation process that runs through a long period of time. The research study identifies three types of management functions required for value gain for short and long run. Initial set of growth strategies are required to build resources; a second set of management strategies are required to mould competitively capable core competencies for value generation, and a third set or strategies are required to retain the competitive advantage built over years to generate greater value in a fast changing competitive global business environment. The three strategic management functions would develop, integrate, augment, build core competencies and carry them from one stage to another in a continuous value accrual process to achieve greater value. The study was conducted through the identification of four research variables considered as resources set in motion in an integrated manner to generate value. The four variables are 'human', 'energy', 'knowledge' and 'capital'. The research design recognizes the four variables as cornerstones of value creating process and their combined efl"orts or cross functional activities build them to be competiti'11ely capable core competencies or a country to generate value over time. It is envisaged that their potential for long term competitive advantage depends on building and nurturing these core competencies in the value creating process. The final resulting 'value' represent 'entrepreneurs' assisted by 'intellectual capital', capable of 'innovation' for production of 'goods and services' in a country. Application of the research variables in the Sri Lankan gem and jewelry industry made it possible to highlight relevant strategic management functions for value generation.
Service Technologies Creates a Tangible Link for Value Generation: Service Economy in Sri Lanka
(University of Kelaniya, 2008) Ekanayake, S.; Abeysinghe, D.
A country’s ability to develop a competitive service economy depends on its production sector, as they demand use of services. Continuous improvement or innovation in technologies in both manufacturing and services will simultaneously increase smooth flow of operations for competitiveness by lowering cost of production to enhance customer satisfaction, to attain value. The success of different industries depends on how well the service sector is geared to support them. To carry out better management strategies for value gain, it is necessary to provide a tangible link to integrate the production and distribution channels for efficiency and effectiveness of the organizational and technological dimensions. Technology transfer and continuous innovation of systems enhances productivity growth for cost competitiveness leading to better prices, responsiveness and flexibility of the processes to deliver a quality product to changing markets. The research purpose is therefore to identify management strategies and service technologies to analyze the characteristics of research variables in relation to GDP value generating sectors and focus on issues relating to value.
STRATEGY FOR ACHIEVING ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY WHILE IMPROVING BUSINESS PERFORMANCE: A FIELD STUDY IN TEXTILE & CLOTHING INDUSTRY
(2010) Gamage, T.C.; Abeysinghe, D.
World is focusing its attention on corporate environmental responsibility than ever before. Expanding economic activities has been accompanied by growing concerns about global warming, climate change, energy security and scarcity of natural resources. While industries are showing greater interest in environmentally benign manufacturing and are undertaking a number of corporate social responsibility initiatives, a quantum leap in improving environmental performance cannot be observed, due to the incompatibilities between expected business performance & initial investments needed in achieving such a goal. These incompatibilities may serve as obstacles for corporations? response to ecologically sustainable business practices. Ecologically sustainable manufacturing results cost efficiency and productivity; delivery of market innovation through new market opportunities and differentiation for profitability; and creating competitive advantage through compliance with regulatory bodies. To survive, thrive, and to be distinct in a competitive business environment, industry must be restructured and existing and breakthrough technologies must be more innovatively applied to realize green growth. This should involve a paradigm shift in the business scenario and integrate ecologically sustainable business practice efforts into the corporation?s overall business strategy. This is the most effective way to address these concerns while maximizing growth and returns for the corporation. In the case where integration does not take place, industry may lose its market value. This scenario was observed in the Sri Lankan textile & clothing industry, which has not completely unleashed, its immense potential to obtain the rightful place in global economic space.