Browsing by Author "Gamage, T.C."

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Internet-mediated Market Orientation towards Customer Perceived Value: Empirical Evidence from Hotel Industry in Sri Lanka
(Staff Development Center, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Gamage, T.C.; Ahsan, F.J.
Market orientation (MO) has long been stressed as an essential concept in the marketing discipline. Despite the emerging role of the Internet as a crucial topic in the marketing discipline, the nature of MO on the Internet remains an area of ambiguity. Drawing upon the MO theory and the consumption-values theory, this paper proposes a framework which addresses the mechanism underlying the relationship between MO and customer perceived value (CPV) on the Internet with a use of a mediator variable called information-based value creation (IVC). Adopting the pragmatism research paradigm and mixed method research design, face-to-face questionnaire survey is used as the main research strategy. Semistructured interviews are initially used to validate the measurement scales and at the end, to help explain the quantitative findings. Data stemmed from 116 manager- customer dyads are used to assess the proposed framework in hotel industry in Sri Lanka using the Partial Least Squares path modeling. The results indicate that the proposed framework explains 96.6% of the variance in IVC and 92.2% of the variance in CPV, providing strong evidence of its explanatory power. Moreover, the results demonstrate that IVC has a complementary mediating effect on the relationship between MO and CPV indicating that besides influencing CPV indirectly via IVC, MO also impacts CPV directly on the Internet. The significance of this study stems from theory and methodological triangulation. The findings may help hotels to deliver superior value to their customers through proper integration of the Internet into MO process.
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.
Strategy for achieving ecological sustainability while improving business performance: with special reference to the textile & clothing industry
(Research Symposium 2009 - Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, 2009) Gamage, T.C.; Nanayakkara, L.D.J.F.
Since the world‟s eyes are more focused on corporate environmental responsibility than ever, environmentally benign manufacturing will become one of the manufacturing industry‟s greatest strategic challenges in not-too distant future. Although some positive trends in the greening of textile industry can be identified, a quantum leap in improving environmental performance cannot be observed, due to the widespread confusion about the cost implications of the process us achieving such a goal. This research is an attempt to examine how corporations in the textile industry can leverage the strength of the ecologically sustainable business practices for improving business performance. A comprehensive literature review was carried out and the factors that need to be focused on for the study such as resource conservation, effluent management, sustainable landscaping, fair trading, ethical labour practices etc. were identified. Besides, detailed discussions and interviews were carried out with the experts in the industry covering a cross-sectional sample, to gather their views and opinions in order to identify and verify the factors. Moreover, an in-depth investigation was carried out in a selected textile & clothing plant which has been recognized as a global benchmark for greener operations & business performance. The research revealed that the ecologically sustainable business practice efforts should be included into the corporation‟s overall business strategies. This can be done in a cost effective way to address these green production concerns while maximizing growth and returns for the corporation.