Symposia & Conferences
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Item The Impact of Social Media Marketing Activities on Customer Purchase Intention of Used Passenger Cars, The Moderating Role of Customer Engagement with Special Reference to Car Dealership Agents(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Sudarshana, S. M. A.; Gunawardane, W. A. D. N. R.With substantial contributions to GDP and employment, Sri Lanka's automotive industry is an essential economic sector that includes both vehicle assembly and component manufacture. Import limitations on new automobiles have caused consumers to shift their attention to used passenger cars. The used automobile market has difficulties using digital technologies to adapt to shifting consumer tastes. As customers increase in the use of digital platforms to make decisions, traditional marketing strategies are becoming less and less effective.Social media marketing activities (SMMAs) have a impact on consumer engagement and purchase intent. The study emphasizes the car industry's transition from conventional to digital marketing, highlighting the ways in which social media sites like Facebook and Instagram may change consumer interaction and buying patterns. Convenience sampling was used to gather data from 385 respondents and the study found strong internal consistency and validity for all variables, including SMMA and purchase intention. . The study highlights the importance of social media marketing in influencing customer purchase intentions in the Sri Lankan automobile industry, especially for used passenger car buyers.Item The Impact of Social Media Influencers on Consumer Engagement with Special Reference to International Education Consultancy Industry in Western Province: A Mediating Effect of Attitude Towards the Social Media Influencers(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Liyanage, V. H. S. P.; Udovita, P. V. M. V. D.This study examines the impact of social media influencers (SMIs) on consumer engagement in the international education consultancy industry in Sri Lanka’s Western Province. It explores the mediating role of consumer attitudes towards SMIs in bridging the gap between high consumer awareness and low engagement. The study identifies key influencer attributes—attractiveness, expertise, trustworthiness, and engagement quality—and assesses their influence on shaping consumer attitudes and engagement, contributing to effective marketing strategies in student recruitment. A quantitative research approach was adopted, utilizing a structured survey instrument to collect primary data from 369 respondents in the Western Province. The conceptual framework links SMI characteristics, consumer attitudes towards SMIs, and customer engagement. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25 through multiple regression models, correlation analysis, and descriptive statistics to evaluate the mediating role of consumer attitudes. The results indicate that SMIs significantly influence consumer engagement in the international education consultancy industry. Attractiveness, expertise, and trustworthiness emerged as key predictors of favorable consumer attitudes, which, in turn, mediated the relationship between SMIs and consumer engagement. These findings align with previous research, reinforcing the effectiveness of personalized and relatable influencer marketing in fostering deeper consumer connections. The study highlights SMIs’ potential to enhance engagement by bridging the gap between consumer awareness and action. The study is geographically limited to the Western Province, restricting the generalizability of findings to other regions or industries. Additionally, by focusing solely on the international education consultancy sector, the research does not account for variations in influencer marketing effectiveness across different industries. A longitudinal approach could be employed in future research to examine the long-term effects of influencer marketing on engagement. Theoretically, this study contributes to the literature on social media influencer marketing by demonstrating the mediating role of consumer attitudes in driving engagement. Practically, the findings offer actionable insights for marketers in the international education consultancy sector. Organizations can enhance engagement by collaborating with credible, relatable influencers who align with their target demographic’s values and needs. This study provides a strategic framework for optimizing influencer partnerships to foster consumer trust, improve return on investment, and strengthen long-term customer relationships.Item The Impact of Instagram on Customer Engagement in Sri Lanka’s Fashion Startups(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Siyambalapitiya, A. H. D.; Udara, S. W. I.Instagram has emerged as one of the most influential social media platforms globally, enabling startups to reach their target audiences, expand their businesses, and foster customer relationships. However, despite its potential, many startups struggle to maintain consistent customer engagement on the platform. Existing studies have broadly examined consumer engagement across various social media platforms, but there is a notable gap in research focusing specifically on Instagram’s role in shaping consumer interactions. Although Instagram is widely recognised as a powerful tool for businesses particularly in the fashion sector, limited studies have explored its unique attributes and their impact on customer engagement. This study seeks to bridge this gap by examining the key factors influencing Instagram engagement, with a specific focus on Sri Lankan fashion startups. Customer engagement, the dependent variable in this study, is analysed in relation to four independent variables: post format, posting time, message interactivity, and topic attractiveness. Data were collected through an online survey targeting Instagram users in Sri Lanka, yielding 385 valid responses. A filtering question ensured data relevance, requiring participants to have followed at least one clothing brand on Instagram for more than a year. The survey was designed to assess how the identified variables influence customer engagement, and the collected data were analysed using advanced statistical techniques, including regression analysis. The findings confirm that all hypotheses are supported, indicating that topic attractiveness, message interactivity, post format, and posting time significantly influence customer engagement. Notably, topic attractiveness and message interactivity emerged as the most influential factors, reinforcing prior research that highlights the importance of visually appealing and interactive content in driving social media engagement. These results provide empirical evidence supporting the strategic use of Instagram to enhance consumer interaction, offering valuable insights for fashion startups in Sri Lanka on how to optimise their content and posting schedules. Despite its contributions, this study has certain limitations. While the sample of 385 Instagram users provides meaningful insights, it does not fully represent the diverse demographic of Sri Lankan consumers engaging with fashion startups, as respondents were predominantly young, female, and students. Additionally, given the dynamic nature of social media, engagement trends observed within the study’s timeframe may not reflect long-term behavioural patterns. The findings should also be interpreted within broader social media marketing frameworks due to the limited theoretical and empirical research on Instagram-specific customer interactions. This study advances the understanding of Instagram consumer interactions and offers both theoretical and practical contributions. Theoretically, it underscores the significance of topic attractiveness, message interactivity, posting time, and post format in shaping customer engagement. These insights provide a foundation for future research exploring engagement dynamics across different sectors, geographical regions, and extended timeframes. Practically, the findings offer actionable strategies for fashion startups to enhance their digital marketing efforts. By developing compelling content, integrating interactive elements, and strategically scheduling posts, businesses can strengthen customer relationships and gain a competitive advantage in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Future studies should explore the integration of emerging social media features and their long-term effects on customer engagement.Item The Effectiveness of Short Message Services (SMS) Marketing on Customer Engagement in Mobile Apps in the Mobile Telecommunication Industry in Sri Lanka: The Mediating Effect of Attitude Towards SMS(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Herath, W. M. T. D.; Patabendige, S. S. J.; Dhuveeshan, M.With the rapid evolution of mobile technology, SMS marketing has become an integral tool in enhancing customer engagement, particularly within mobile apps. This study investigates the effectiveness of SMS marketing in the Sri Lankan mobile telecommunication industry, with a specific focus on how attitude towards SMS mediates its impact on customer engagement in mobile apps. By addressing a critical research gap, this study integrates SMS marketing strategies, consumer behavior, and technological adoption to evaluate their interconnected effects within the industry. The research adopts a positivist approach, utilizing a quantitative methodology to test hypotheses employing a structured survey with 26 questions targeting 418 respondents aged 18 and above. The analysis focuses on three primary variables: SMS marketing as the independent variable, customer engagement in mobile apps as the dependent variable, and attitude towards SMS as the mediating variable. The conceptual framework is based on the Stimuli-Organism-Response (SOR) model, examining the relationship between SMS marketing, attitude towards SMS, and customer engagement. Data analysis techniques include reliability and validity assessments, regression analysis, and mediation testing to validate the hypotheses. The research was conducted within the Sri Lankan mobile telecommunication industry, and data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 to ensure accurate statistical insights. Findings reveal a significant positive relationship between SMS marketing and customer engagement in mobile apps, with attitude towards SMS acting as a critical mediator. Specifically, SMS marketing's effectiveness is enhanced when customers perceive the messages as entertaining, informative, and credible. Conversely, irritation an intrusive SMS content negatively impacts engagement. The mediating role of attitude underscores the importance of emotional and cognitive responses in determining the success of SMS campaigns. The study also identifies key factors influencing attitudes towards SMS, including entertainment, informativeness, irritation, credibility and intrusiveness. The study acknowledges several limitations, including a relatively small sample size because of the time limitation. Future research could expand the scope to include cross-industry comparisons or longitudinal studies to examine the evolving dynamics of SMS marketing and app engagement. Additionally, exploring the role of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, in personalizing SMS content offers promising avenues for further investigation. Theoretical implications extend existing literature on mobile marketing by bridging the gap between SMS marketing and app engagement, highlighting the interplay of customer attitudes as a mediator. Practically, the findings provide actionable insights for telecommunication companies in Sri Lanka. To maximize engagement, marketers should focus on crafting personalized and contextually relevant SMS campaigns that resonate with customers' preferences and reduce perceived intrusiveness. Furthermore, integrating SMS marketing with app-based promotions and leveraging data analytics can enhance the alignment of marketing strategies with user behaviors.Item Illuminating the Influence: How Facebook Advertising Content Shapes Customer-Based Brand Equity in Western Province Sri Lanka's Lighting Industry through Customer Engagement(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Sulakshana, T. M. D.; Karunanayake, R. K. T. D.This study, focusing on the Western Province, explores the impact of Facebook advertising content on Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) within Sri Lanka's lighting industry. Specifically, it examines how perceived information quality, advertisement enjoyment, and perceived interactivity influence customer engagement, which, in turn, mediates brand awareness, customer loyalty, perceived quality, and brand association—key dimensions of the CBBE model. Grounded in the Elaboration Likelihood Model and the Stimulus-Organism-Response framework, the study addresses existing research gaps in digital marketing and branding by assessing the effectiveness of Facebook advertisements in shaping brand equity within a localized Sri Lankan context. A quantitative research approach was employed, with data collected through an online self-administered questionnaire distributed to active Facebook users in the Western Province who had previously engaged with lighting industry advertisements. The questionnaire utilized a five-point Likert scale to measure perceived information quality, advertisement enjoyment, perceived interactivity, customer engagement, and brand equity. Pearson correlation analysis and simple regression tests were conducted to examine the relationships between the constructs, while mediation regression analysis was used to assess the mediating role of customer engagement. The findings confirm a significant positive relationship between Facebook advertisement content and CBBE. The study highlights that perceived information quality, advertisement enjoyment, and perceived interactivity significantly enhance customer engagement, which subsequently strengthens brand equity. Furthermore, the mediating role of customer engagement suggests that well-designed advertisements not only foster brand awareness but also contribute to increased brand loyalty and improved quality perception among consumers. These insights underscore the strategic importance of engaging and interactive Facebook content in enhancing digital branding efforts. However, the study is limited in scope to the Western Province of Sri Lanka and focuses solely on Facebook, excluding other social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. Additionally, platform-specific algorithm variations and technological constraints may affect the generalizability of the findings. From a theoretical perspective, this research extends prior literature on digital marketing by integrating customer engagement as a critical mediator in the relationship between Facebook advertising and brand equity. Practically, the study provides valuable insights for marketers, emphasizing the need to develop compelling and interactive Facebook advertisements to enhance brand visibility and engagement. The findings contribute to the development of predictive models for leveraging social media to cultivate long-term brand equity in both local and global markets. Future research may explore the effectiveness of advertisements across different social media platforms and industries, as well as investigate cross-cultural implications of digital branding strategies.