Women Participation in Rural Tourism: A Case of Ella, Sri Lanka

Tourism industry is one of sectors that have potential to develop and grow in the next few years in Sri Lanka. According to Tourism Development Strategy of Sri Lanka, tourism industry is expected to be the largest foreign exchange earner by 2024. The principal focus of this study was to explore major factors that affect women’s participation and non-participation in the hospitality industry in Ella DS division Sri Lanka. The study used a deductive approach, and primary data were collected through a self-administered structured questionnaire. Samples were 60 women, consisting of thirty women involved in the hospitality industry and thirty women of the non-hospitality industry, randomly selected. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics.  The results found that the differences in language skills and problem-solving had the most significant effect on women’s participation in hospitality industry. Besides, childcare responsibility and lack of experience were affected women’s involvement in this industry. The results also showed that most of the non-hospitality workers have language barriers (33.3%), lack of knowledge about tourism industry (23.3%), and lack of opportunities to engage in tourism work (13.3%). Based on the results, 53.3% of 30 non-hospitality workers had an idea to be involved in tourism and hospitality industry in the future, while the remaining 46.6% had no idea to be involved

Оценка воздействия неблагоприятных факторов среды на морских двустворчатых моллюсков с помощью метода днк-комет: автореферат диссертации на соискание ученой степени кандидата биологических наук: специальность 03.02.08 - экология

Sri Lanka’s energy policy presumes that the country will be meeting 20% of its energy requirements by non-conventional renewable energy resources by 2020. This study attempts to assess diesel vehicle owners’ willingness to pay (WTP) for Jatropha biodiesel and the factors affecting their decisions. The Contingent valuation method (CVM) was used to elicit the WTP for the non-marketed biodiesel, which leads to a hypothetical allocation. For diesel vehicle users, a single bid approach was used at Rs.121/= per litre (€ 0.83). The study was carried out in Kandy region among diesel vehicle users. The factors affecting WTP were estimated using probit regression and WTP was estimated using nonparametric estimation techniques. The mean WTP for biodiesel by the diesel vehicle users was Rs.109 per litre (€ 0.74) for lower bound levels. The median WTP was Rs.124/= per litre (€ 0.85). Elderly respondents with higher education are less likely to pay for biodiesel in both samples. Married respondents with higher income are more likely to pay higher prices for biodiesel

Customer perceived value and customer relationship marketing in b2b agribusinesses: a case of agrochemical market in Sri Lanka

This research examined the impact of customer’ perceived value on CRM in Business to Business (B2B) agrochemical agribusinesses in Sri Lanka. Customer perceived value was measured by economical value, emotional value and social value based on standard 36 attributes. A total of 110 respondents including distributors and direct dealers engaged in agrochemical marketing covering all island were interviewed. Results were obtained by both descriptive and inferential statistics. Two mediating variables; customer satisfaction and customer loyalty were used to find the impact of customer perceived value on relationship marketing attributes. Findings revealed that dealers perceived slightly higher economical values than emotional values and comparatively low social values. Weaker but positive correlations were found between dealer’s perceived emotional, economic and social values with their satisfaction and customer loyalty. Customer satisfaction and customer loyalty had mediating effects to the relationship of customer perceived value with CRM attributes hence with relationship marketing. The findings provide utilizable model for the agro chemical manufacturing companies to enhance dealer’s perceived value that contribute to higher dealer satisfaction, loyalty hence re-purchase behaviour and long term customer retention

Consumers ethnocentrism and attitudes towards local versus foreign milk powder brands: evidence from Sri lanka

Sri Lanka spends a colossal sum of money for importing milk powder. But Sri Lanka has its own milk powder too. So, local brands have to face competition in the market. To get benefit from competition, local firms should identify the consumers’ attitudes towards both foreign and local milk powder brands. The main objective of this research is to identify the consumers’ attitudes on local and foreign milk powder brands. Survey strategy was used. Primary data was collected through the pre-tested self-administered questionnaire. Convenience sampling was used to collect data from 120 respondents in Colombo district. Fishbein’s model was used to calculate the attitudes, CETSCALE used to measure the effect of ethnocentrism on consumers’ attitudes towards local and foreign milk powder brands. Mann- Whitney test was used to compare mean rank between attributes. Spearman’s correlation used to find the ethnocentrism effect on consumers’ attitudes on local and foreign milk powder brands. According to the findings, consumers’ have more attitudes towards foreign milk powder brands than local milk powder brands. There is the difference between attitudes on availability, awareness, price, and trust on local milk powder brands and foreign milk powder brands. Ethnocentrism has an effect on consumers’ attitudes on foreign milk powder brands