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Item Impact of COVID-19 on Employee Well-being in Apparel Industry in Sri Lanka(Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2023) Lakmali, M. G. T.; Sandeepani, D. M. M.Sri Lanka is one of the most vulnerable developing countries suffering from the emergence of novel COVID-19 pandemic. Along these lines, the Sri Lankan apparel sector was mainly impacted. Examining the impact of epidemics on the well-being of employees who work in the Sri Lankan apparel industry is a notable research direction as per the empirical evidence. Thus, the present study aimed to examine the attributes of perceived pandemic concerns in terms of physical, psychological, financial, and concerns regarding social gaze while investigating the well-being of employees working in the apparel sector during COVID-19. A total of 100 apparel sector employees from 10 different companies in Sri Lanka was selected as respondents using simple random sampling technique. A Google-form based questionnaire was developed for the data collection. Data analysis was conducted applying structural equation modelling using SMART PLS software. The results revealed that employees’ physical, psychological, financial, and concerns regarding social gaze, have a significant influence on their work stress during COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, work stress during pandemic significantly influences employee well-being in the Sri Lankan apparel industry. Moreover, significant indirect influences were identified between physical, psychological, and financial concerns and employee well-being via work stress. The present study provides valuable insights to the human resource officials attached to the apparel industry to mitigate possible work stress of employees to ensure higher employee well-being during pandemic situations.Item Enhancing IT Graduates’ Employability Skills for Surviving in New Normal: Perspective of IT Professionals(Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2022) Samarasinghe, H. M. U. S. R.; Kumarapperuma, C. U.; Rathanayke, R. M. N. M.; Karunarathne, K. N. P.This research focused on how Information Technology (IT) Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) contribute to equip IT graduate employability, from the perspective of IT industry experts in Sri Lanka. The research further identifies the mismatches between IT HEIs’ contributions to equip IT graduate employability and the industry demands after COVID 19 in Sri Lanka. Thirteen semi structured interviews were conducted via zoom platform with the industry experts representing major IT companies in Sri Lanka. The interview protocol was designed to get the expert opinion about the contribution which HEIs can make to equip future graduates with necessary employability skills in general and specifically in the new normal. According to key findings of the study, providing opportunities for industrial experience, sharing technical and practical knowledge, up-to-date syllabus, firm foundation of knowledge, trainings on online platforms and tools, developing soft skills and remote working skills of graduates such as trustworthiness, minimum supervision, stress management, self-driven, attitude, team spirit, ability to take challenges and responsibilities were identified as the areas in which HEIs could contribute towards creating smart IT graduates with a digital presence ready to be employed in new normal. The outcome of this study will strengthen HEIs with necessary requirements to upgrade their IT education quality and quantity wise as then graduates can meet industry expectations for better employability.Item Coping with Psychological Issues Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic Times: Perspectives of Undergraduates of Non-State Universities(Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2022) Weerarathna, R. S.; Dunuwila, V. R.; Jayasuriya, N. U.; Madhusanka, A. K. P.; Ravishanka, M. K. U.; Pothupitiya, S. N.The COVID-19 pandemic caused much upheaval to people's lifestyles worldwide/globally. Even university undergraduates had to switch from conventional physical classrooms to online learning. According to several studies, various issues pertaining to online learning have intensified the stress levels of undergraduates. This study adopted a qualitative approach. Primary data were gathered through structured interviews, from which coping mechanisms used by the students were identified based on a thematic analysis performed through NVIVO. Coping mechanisms played a critical role in ensuring these undergraduates' ability to handle their psychological issues and continue their academic work. The population included non-state undergraduates in Sri Lanka in the academic year 2020 and the sample size was 30. Findings revealed online learning, high workload, and IT infrastructure issues as key challenges undergraduates face during the pandemic. Among these, two main themes were identified as individual activities and group activities regarding coping mechanisms adopted by undergraduates to alleviate stress. This study recommends/highlights the importance of undergraduates engaging in such activities that help sustain their psychological status. Similarly, the study emphasized the role of universities and higher education institutes in facilitating and promoting such activities among their student population.Item Qualitative Research Inquiry to Explore the Corporate Leaders in the Time of COVID-19(Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya., 2021) Eranda, B. A. N.The outbreak of COVID-19 has influenced the business organizations’ performance and behavior in numerous ways. Based on the pressing need to respond to this pandemic researchers have to play a significant role in uncovering the possibilities for business organizations to adapt to this uncertain situation. Therefore, it is important to pay attention on the corporate managers’ and entrepreneurs’ contextualized experiences and their meanings attributed to COVID-19 in order to mitigate failures and to learn to be sustained. This requires qualitative research which can be helpful to capturing the deeper understanding of lived realities of the corporate leaders who are affected by the pandemic. The qualitative researchers can adopt five types of approaches including narrative inquiry, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, and case study to uncover these lived experiences of corporate respondents and to make sense of those experiences for the benefit of various stakeholders. Each of these five approaches to qualitative inquiry can be utilized for researching different facets of the corporate leaders at the time of pandemic. The in-person interactions need for qualitative inquiry to look into the corporate leaders’ lives is challenged by the social distancing generated by the new normal behavior. However, the evolving nature of the modern technology has ended this challenge with its novel initiatives.