Browsing by Author "Wickramarachchi, A. P. R."

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Business transformation through technology adoption: Special reference to rice millers in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka.
(International Research Symposium on Pure and Applied Sciences, 2017 Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Athambawa, S.; Wickramarachchi, A. P. R.; Puspakumara, C.
The objective of this study is to examine the transformation of business organizations in the agricultural sector in the conflict-affected provinces in the post-conflict period facilitated through the adoption of new technologies. While the opportunities for transformation and growth have increased manifold, the agri-based industries, especially the rice producing sector in the province has not shown many signs of exploiting these opportunities to their potential. Therefore, this study focuses on the rice production business in the Eastern Province. Technologies can play a major role on transforming any businesses, but that entails technology adoption at the right time in the right manner. Through literature factors that contribute to the adoption of technologies leading to business transformation were identified. In order to systematically investigate the existing technology adoption gaps in the region, a comprehensive questionnaire survey was carried out among a large sample of rice millers in the Eastern Province (EP). Then a similar study was carried out with selected millers in the North Central Province (NCP) which possesses a well-developed rice production industry in order to benchmark the performance of the Eastern Province. To select a sample, categorical variables “output capacity” was used for stratification. The sample for the study was selected from each stratum using a simple random sampling technique. Analysis of the data revealed that all factors had positive relationships with technology adoption in the way of transformation. However, the results in the EP indicate that existing set up is inadequately arranged for rapid transformation. The results of a bench marked study showed rice millers in NCP are in a better position when compared to EP in relation to business transformation through technology adoption. Majorities of the Eastern millers have adopted with a moderate level of technology component and capability adoption. In contrast, the benchmarked millers were at high levels of adoption in all components of technology adoption factors. These higher adoption levels led to higher transformation of the benchmarked millers. So, the researcher concludes that the North Central province millers proved that they have more concern on influencing factors, adopted accordingly for the transformation. Further, it was observed that transformation can be achieved through redesigning organizational structure, process, human resources management practices, technology, and changing the organization’s culture. Further, a strong emphasis is to be placed upon a network-based approach with the close cooperation between, owner/managers, government support programmes, and policies.
General Data Protection Regulation(GDPR) Adoption in Sri Lankan Businesses: A Data Governance Model
(2nd International Conference on Advanced Research in Computing (ICARC), 2022) Ranathunga, P. a. I.; Wickramarachchi, A. P. R.
For many data-driven businesses, the growing volume and complexity of data demand the use of specialized data protection solutions. The use of personal data resulted in a significant impact on privacy and security. Many countries have passed legislation to protect personal information. GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is one of them, and it is very vital for EU data processing companies. Although it does not directly apply to Sri Lanka, it applies to firms that deal with European Union counterparties. Sri Lankan firms must comply with GDPR to avoid losing business with the EU. Even though there has been minimal research into GDPR implementation guidelines it was found that the present resources available for Sri Lankan firms are not adequate. To address the problem, a comprehensive data governance model with multiple steps was developed. The proposed data governance model enables secured data management. Indicators and drivers that must be observed when applying GDPR principles were identified through interviews with industry specialists and a thorough literature review. This study provides a data governance model that data-driven enterprises may use to easily execute compliance.
Procurement optimization with Industry 4.0 in ERP based Sri Lankan apparel industry: a systematic review of literature
(4th International Research Symposium on Pure and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2019) Chandrasekara, H. A. S. Y.; Vidanagamachchi, K.; Wickramarachchi, A. P. R.
Apparel industry is the Sri Lanka’s largest export industry and the highest net foreign exchange earner since 1992. It Provides wide range of clothing solutions for renowned international brands. Therefore, satisfying both customers and suppliers is a mandatory requirement in apparel industry. To survive in the market and acquire competitive edge, industries need to invest in advanced technology. However, most companies fail due to poor integration of technology in their supply chain. The concept of Procurement 4.0 has emerged to optimize supply chain performance developing new value propositions and meeting new business needs. It is the integration of Industry 4.0 concepts in procurement. To adapt these new technologies in an enterprise, a strong ERP system which can act as a platform for integration is required. Although Industry 4.0 concepts have been studied in different industrial contexts, a limited number of researches have been conducted on the use of emerging technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Big data and Cognitive analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cloud technologies etc. in relation procurement while more existing researchers have focused on e-procurement. Therefore, this study explores how the ERP based apparel industry can optimize their procurement process with the emerging procurement technologies from Industry 4.0. In this study, a systematic review of literature was conducted based on the keyword-based search and content analysis, and 20 articles were selected out of 50 articles depending on the relevance to the major areas of study. Based on the findings, a framework was developed incorporating Industry 4.0 technologies that can be used in each step of the procurement process and their impact on procurement performance have been identified. In conclusion, this research provides a framework for implementing technology-based procurement practices. Apparel manufacturers can use the developed framework as a guideline to identify the current state of technology implementation in procurement process and to identify the next potential steps towards procurement 4.0. Further, the results of the study could be generalized and applied to any manufacturing industry. Future researches can be carried out to validate this model through a case study approach
Transport optimization models for the downstream agricultural supply chain: A systematic review of literature
(4th International Research Symposium on Pure and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2019) Kaldera, H. G. S. R.; Tharaka, V. K.; Wickramarachchi, A. P. R.
Agricultural supply chains play a major role in the Sri Lankan economy as the agricultural sector accounts for 7.6% of the total gross domestic product and 26.6% of the total employment. Sri Lankan consumers have to pay more for vegetable products mainly due to the perishable nature of vegetables and the inefficiencies in the supply chain which is leading to high levels of wastage. According to previous research, 48% of post-harvest wastage happens during transportation. Some other factors that contribute to such waste include: packaging, storage conditions, communication of information, and excess supply. The objective of this study is to explore existing network optimization models for the vegetable supply chains in order to minimize cost and wastage levels. Factors that contribute to inefficiencies, prevailing policies and the current operating model of the downstream logistics in vegetable supply chain have been examined through a systematic review of 30 selected research papers. Various distribution network optimization models, tools and techniques that could be used for this purpose were reviewed through literature analysis. A framework was developed for distribution network optimization of vegetable supply chain in order to reduce wastage and increase the efficiency of the downstream logistics process. Based on the review of literature, Mixed-integer linear programming and integer programming were identified as widely used models for developing a three-stage optimized distribution network. Data regarding Cost, time, distance between distribution centres and retail locations and transported quantities are required to develop these models. In addition, simulation, genetic algorithms, heuristic and simplex are identified as potential techniques and CPLEX, Xpress-MP, GLPK and Supply Chain Guru are identified as tools that are capable of deriving optimal solutions by considering all the elected variables. In conclusion, this research discusses how the end consumer is benefitted by an optimized agricultural distribution network. Further, this research provides an insight into the currently available knowledge in the research area and acts as a guide for developing an optimized distribution network while suggesting the most suitable optimization models and techniques for future research on the agricultural supply chain in Sri Lanka