Search results
1 – 3 of 3Srinath Dissanayake, Kathryn Pavlovich and Gábor Kovács
The purpose of this paper is to depict how entrepreneurs improve community vitality in the economic, social and environmental dimensions. The paper joins the conversation of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to depict how entrepreneurs improve community vitality in the economic, social and environmental dimensions. The paper joins the conversation of business spirituality as the study participants were Sri Lankan Buddhist entrepreneurs from the emerging venture context (i.e. from enterprises which are less than 1–10 years old). The aim of the paper is to introduce spiritually informed entrepreneurial actions, thus contributing to a better understanding of entrepreneurial impact on communities.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper involves a qualitative, interpretivist research design. Data was collected by conducting 28 semi-structured interviews with 18 Sri Lankan Buddhist entrepreneurs. Research participants were selected from diverse business sectors. The research applied inductive thematic analysis for structuring and interpreting data.
Findings
For Sri Lankan Buddhist entrepreneurs, improving community vitality is an essential altruistic goal of their business agenda. During the operations of their ventures, this altruistic goal is translated into altruistic actions that improve the economic, social and environmental vitalities of communities. Research findings highlight that in the case of Sri Lankan Buddhist entrepreneurs, altruistic actions are informed by compassion, which is a fundamental value in the Buddhist religion. Drawing on the findings, an integrated model of community vitality, which describes the role of compassion and the mechanisms of entrepreneurial actions in a Buddhist setting was developed inductively.
Originality/value
Studying entrepreneurial actions to focus on the motivations behind improving community vitality is a new research topic. The paper provides valuable knowledge on business spirituality regarding the compassionate motivations of Buddhist entrepreneurs. The integrated model of community vitality, which describes the mechanisms of entrepreneurial actions to improve community vitality in a Buddhist setting could be an essential compass not only to entrepreneurs but also research scholars in the field of business spirituality.
Details
Keywords
Namal Gamage, A.P. Krishni Kavindya Ambagala, Samudaya Nanayakkara and Srinath Perera
The construction industry is often criticised due to inherited challenges: poor payment practices, inadequate collaboration, etc. Blockchain has the potential to address these…
Abstract
Purpose
The construction industry is often criticised due to inherited challenges: poor payment practices, inadequate collaboration, etc. Blockchain has the potential to address these issues with its salient features. Nonetheless, adopting blockchain and smart contracts (B&SC) within the construction industry is a comprehensive endeavour due to its intricate nature. The situation is bleak in Sri Lanka due to numerous barriers such as limited technical expertise, cost implications and many others. Hence, this paper aims to examine these barriers, appropriate strategies to overcome them, explore potential blockchain-applicable areas and formulate a framework to adopt B&SC in the construction industry of Sri Lanka (CISL).
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed a mixed research approach. The barriers for the adoption of B&SC to the CISL and their applicable areas were distinguished through a questionnaire survey and analysed using the Relative Importance Index. Strategies to overcome them were identified through expert interviews and analysed utilising manual-content analysis.
Findings
The study identified 15 barriers, 12 strategies and 9 areas for integrating B&SC for the CISL. The analysis indicated that having fewer blockchain-powered applications, the reluctance of the enterprises to bear costs to integrate blockchain and sluggish adaptation to new digital technologies are significant barriers. Further, conducting an industry-wide digitalisation analysis, developing an industry-wide digitalisation strategy and recruiting skilful IT staff were pointed out as the pivotal strategies. Moreover, payment and supply chain management were identified as areas with high potential.
Originality/value
This study unveils an analysis of barriers, strategies and areas in adopting B&SC for CISL and formulates a framework. It can be deployed as a guideline for implementing B&SC in the CISL.
Details
Keywords
Nimasha Dilukshi Hulathdoowage and Chandanie Hadiwattage
The sluggish progression of disaster-induced housing reconstruction (DHR) in Sri Lanka provoked the assessment of drywall technologies as a mode of improving efficiency. The…
Abstract
Purpose
The sluggish progression of disaster-induced housing reconstruction (DHR) in Sri Lanka provoked the assessment of drywall technologies as a mode of improving efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the applicability of drywall technologies to adopt a technical solution to DHR.
Design/methodology/approach
The research contextualized a mixed research design via a case-study strategy integrating semi-structured interviews, documentary reviews and observations. Two cases based on the 2016 Samasarakanda landslide were investigated. Within-case-analysis and cross-case-analysis were performed to derive conclusions.
Findings
Enablers for drywall technologies application are time saving, cost-saving, less water consumption and logistical easiness. Less strength of drywall technologies will not be a critical obstruction owing to the expected disaster resilience from the concrete frame and the subsequent requirement of non-load bearing walls for landslide DHR. Labor source, community acceptance, durability are potential settings of barriers. Observing model houses, researching the resistance of drywall technologies to landslide-induced vibrations and impulsive waves are some further research areas discovered.
Research limitations/implications
Empirical findings are centered on the 2016 Samasarakanda DHR.
Practical implications
Because of many issues in updating guidelines, drawings and BOQs, a protocol should be gazetted in the parliament to improve its updating flexibility allowing provisions to apply novel technologies for DHR.
Originality/value
Being one of the very first of this kind of research, contextually, the research is original. This study provokes insightful investigation of drywall technologies for DHR beyond its overlooked properties. This study reveals many wall construction challenges of the 2016 Samasarakanda DHR which have not yet been explored in research.