- University of Sri Jayawardenepura, Sri Lanka
- +94773611885
- Researcher in sustainability.edit
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PurposeThe research debate on the direct relationship between environmental strategy and environmental management accounting (EMA) is quite popular; however, integration challenges between these two factors still persist at the firm... more
PurposeThe research debate on the direct relationship between environmental strategy and environmental management accounting (EMA) is quite popular; however, integration challenges between these two factors still persist at the firm level. This paper seeks to adopt the contingency theory perspective to examine how EMA implementation varies across organizations with different intensity levels of environmental management strategy implementation (i.e. environmental management maturity, EMM).Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses a web-based survey, designed and administered to public listed companies and members of three industry chambers in Sri Lanka.FindingsThis study finds that EMA implementation is significantly different among organizations at varying EMM stages. Further, it is observed that organizations at higher stages of EMM use significantly greater domain-based EMA tools and EMA for functional purposes. Therefore, the results show that when organizations progress from rea...
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“An Accountant’s Approach for Energy Efficient Practices- With Special Emphasis on SMEs and Households” is essentially a guidance document aimed at Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and households. Energy management is given paramount... more
“An Accountant’s Approach for Energy Efficient Practices- With Special Emphasis on SMEs and Households” is essentially a guidance document aimed at Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and households. Energy management is given paramount importance in achieving the interrelated economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Due to the rising cost of energy, adoption of energy efficient practices is gaining importance in the local and global arenas. This book has taken an accountant’s approach by providing guidelines/insights to accountants or other professionals from an accounting point of view. Hence, it has essentially used the language of accountants, yet, in a simple way. The book mainly targeted the SMEs and households due to the lack of guidance and technical know-how available in these sectors. By focusing specifically on areas such as identifying energy, managing energy resources, planning and developing strategies in saving energy and discussing wider social implications of energy, this book attempts to cover a detailed spectrum of energy related aspects. This book was written by the fourth year students of the Department of Accounting, Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura as a part of their Knowledge Seeking and Learning to Learn (KSLL) Skill Development Program. They visited various organizations for observations and conducted many formal and informal interviews in gathering data. Also, they were benefited largely by the available rich literature on the subject, but with a different focus. The book is launched at the Forum on Sustainability Management Accounting-2014, an event organized by the Department of Accounting, Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura to bring together academia and industry for a greener environment and a fairer society. It is expected that this book will be an eye-opener for the accountants to showcase their responsiveness to the contemporary issues affecting the entire world.
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Our lifestyle has become so advanced (or rather sophisticated) and it is quite impossible to think of living without mobile phones, computers, laptops, televisions, refrigerators, washing machines or even CFL bulbs. These Electrical and... more
Our lifestyle has become so advanced (or rather sophisticated) and it is quite impossible to think of living without mobile phones, computers, laptops, televisions, refrigerators, washing machines or even CFL bulbs. These Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) become a waste item called “e-waste” or “WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipments)” once they come to the end of the life. E-waste has now become a global challenge in both developed and developing countries. The sheer quantity of e-waste speaks volumes of its potential future risk, if it is not managed properly. For example, according to the UNU (2014), the global generation of e-waste was 42 million metric tons (mt) in 2014. Out of this, 6 mt was related to Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This also means 6 kilograms of per capita e-waste generation per year. These figures are expected to grow year by year.
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Research Interests: Business and Agriculture
The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of environmental and sustainability management accounting (EMA) systems that can be adopted by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It presents a detailed description of how and... more
The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of environmental and sustainability management accounting (EMA) systems that can be adopted by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It presents a detailed description of how and why corporate sustainability performance is important for SMEs while placing EMA as a decision support tool to aid sustainability-related corporate strategies. Having discussed various EMA tools and techniques, the chapter also provides an integrative framework for EMA adoption which is based on the evolutionary stages of environmental management. This framework aims to guide SMEs to progress from compliance-orientation towards higher order sustainability outcomes. The chapter stresses the need for the SMEs to continuously take deliberate managerial actions with the support of EMA systems to reach the advanced stages of sustainability in an ever-changing business environment.
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The purpose of this paper is to analyse the cost structure of manufacturing companies in an emerging economy. The data was collected from 41 listed manufacturing companies in Sri Lanka mainly through a structured questionnaire and an... more
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the cost structure of manufacturing companies in an emerging economy. The data was collected from 41 listed manufacturing companies in Sri Lanka mainly through a structured questionnaire and an analysis of company records. In addition, to analysing the data descriptively, we used correlation and regression models. The findings suggest that despite the majority of costs being variable, there are great differences among the companies in the composition of costs. There is no relationship between the cost structure and the level of advanced manufacturing technology used, which suggests a low level of technologyrelated costs in the cost structure. Budgeting and cost control are the main reasons for classifying costs while there is inadequate use of information for strategizing pricing decisions. Differences were also observed in the classification of the manufacturing cost items in the respondent companies. Finally, all the findings confirm that ac...
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A b strac t Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to identify the development and implementation of Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) and environmental management at the level of a firm in the hotel sector in Sri Lanka.... more
A b strac t Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to identify the development and implementation of Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) and environmental management at the level of a firm in the hotel sector in Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach Case study method was used in the study. The primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews supported by observations of various facility centers (on-site assessment). Accounting records such as the Green Book, daily and monthly material and energy records, online resources and various other documents were content analyzed as sources of secondary data. Findings-The study observed that the hotel had reinvigorated some of its environmental management and EMA practices in an urgent, cost-saving bid when faced with a financial crisis. Having realized their cost-saving potential and strategic benefits, the management developed these selective practices over time into comprehensive practices that are integrated into the da...
To improve corporate sustainability practices, Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) has been increasingly adopted by corporations throughout the world. EMA is a decision support tool which facilitates the environmental management... more
To improve corporate sustainability practices, Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) has been increasingly adopted by corporations throughout the world. EMA is a decision support tool which facilitates the environmental management strategies of an organisation. Examples of EMA tools and techniques include; sustainable balanced scorecards, energy accounting and carbon management accounting. This paper reports on the findings of an exploratory study on the usefulness and implementation of EMA practices in Australia and Sri Lanka. By investigating the similarities and differences between actual EMA practices and their implementation in both a developed and developing country, this study finds insightful outcomes relating to EMA implementation and its drivers and barriers within companies in both countries.
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Concrete evidence-based impacts of sustainable innovation can spur investment, policy-level support and stakeholder commitment. However, measuring sustainable innovation remains at a rudimentary stage. In this chapter, Gunarathne... more
Concrete evidence-based impacts of sustainable innovation can spur investment, policy-level support and stakeholder commitment. However, measuring sustainable innovation remains at a rudimentary stage. In this chapter, Gunarathne discusses the approaches, challenges and possible means of measuring sustainable innovations and innovation performance. The challenges and issues rooted in the measurement of sustainability, innovations and traditional performance pose a number of challenges to sustainable innovation performance measurement. The discussion provided in this chapter has several implications for practitioners and researchers. It is pertinent for practitioners to understand that sustainable innovation measurement is a dynamic learning process that informs decision-making rather than an end in itself. For researchers, sustainable innovation measurement offers wide opportunities for developing and testing theory.
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Abstract Numerous studies in management education have focused on the need for soft skill development of students and the associated gaps in management education programmes. However, how universities undertake various strategies in an... more
Abstract Numerous studies in management education have focused on the need for soft skill development of students and the associated gaps in management education programmes. However, how universities undertake various strategies in an integrated approach to develop the soft skills of accounting students at the undergraduate level largely remains unexplored. Thus, this study aimed to explore how universities attempt to bridge the expectation–performance gap related to soft skills by focusing on an undergraduate accounting degree programme in Sri Lanka. By developing an analytical framework based on the existing expectation–performance gap and the model of constructive alignment, this study analysed data collected from multiple sources in the first academic accounting degree programme in Sri Lanka. It shows how the accounting degree programme has gradually taken measures covering a range of teaching and learning activities and assessment methods, leading to an integrated programme for the soft skill development of accounting undergraduates. This approach that focuses on both the soft and technical skills of accounting students has evolved from a gradual advancement of the efforts taken to address the various stakeholder demands as well as contextual, socio-economic, and institutional factors. The study also presents implications for accounting educators and policymakers.
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Abstract For developing countries, cleaner production plays a significant role in transitioning corporates, governments, and societies’ alignment with sustainable development goals. However, studies of cleaner production in developing... more
Abstract For developing countries, cleaner production plays a significant role in transitioning corporates, governments, and societies’ alignment with sustainable development goals. However, studies of cleaner production in developing countries provide a narrow view on scope, content, sectors and actors without describing the dynamic trajectory of their evolutionary process. A broader understanding of cleaner production diffusion is vital in not only contributing to the policy-level developments but also facilitating wider and strategic adoption by firms. Therefore, this study was conducted to provide an in-depth analysis of how and why cleaner production, as a managerial technology, is diffused in developing countries by focusing on the context of Sri Lanka. Using a case study approach, data was collected from multiple sources in the Sri Lankan cleaner production industry. The data were analyzed by considering the demand-pull and supply-push factors through the diffusion theory of innovation lenses. The findings indicate that Sri Lanka is witnessing hierarchical diffusion; cleaner production is being trickled down from highly polluting industries and export-oriented sectors to other peripheral sectors due to various factors, including efficient choices, forced selection, and fashion. The supply-side propagators have played a crucial role in popularizing and advocating for cleaner production to accelerate the diffusion process. While the proactive firms have elevated their practices to organization-wide sustainable development strategies, the reactive users practice cleaner production only as an isolated and ad-hoc exercise. This paper contributes as a general reference for policy-level developments and interventions for various stakeholder groups to promote cleaner production in developing countries.
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Abstract Despite the importance of circular economy-related corporate reporting, the way companies communicate their transition toward a circular economy through sustainability and integrated reporting has not yet been examined. This... more
Abstract Despite the importance of circular economy-related corporate reporting, the way companies communicate their transition toward a circular economy through sustainability and integrated reporting has not yet been examined. This paper, thus, aims to explore how and to what extent the circular economy notions appear to inform of the sustainability and integrated reporting practices of corporations in Sri Lanka. By analyzing the direct, explicit, and implicit keyword disclosures of the top twenty performers in sustainability and integrated reporting in the country, the study found low levels of disclosures of direct and explicit keywords pertaining to the circular economy principles at the firm level. It raises the question of whether there is sufficient awareness about the principles of a circular economy and the strategies and ways of integrating them into business operations in the corporate sector in Sri Lanka. However, a considerable level of implicit disclosures suggests the Sri Lankan companies’ strong interest to follow the environmental management principles to improve the organizational sustainability performance. Although the disclosed environmental management activities do not signal a direct embodiment of the circular economy principles, effective macro level support and direction have the potential of transforming firm-level interest to the faster transition to a circular economy from the current linear economic model. The study, therefore, recommends that policy makers create awareness, build capacity, develop infrastructure, enact and enforce laws, and support collaborations and aid practitioners improve corporate communication practices while developing business operations toward a circular economy without excluding them from the core activities.
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With the unprecedented growth in the world's population, the supply of food has already become a major global challenge. The world food crisis highlights a large quantity of food going waste or lost due to many unsustainable practices... more
With the unprecedented growth in the world's population, the supply of food has already become a major global challenge. The world food crisis highlights a large quantity of food going waste or lost due to many unsustainable practices in the food supply chain. This chapter provides a conceptual model to build a sustainable food supply chain while minimizing the food waste that occurs at different stages. By incorporating stakeholder management and other behavioral aspects while at the same time following a continuous improvement cycle, the model deviates from other techno-oriented or fragmented guidelines available on the subject. For the purpose of better understanding or providing practical applications, real-life case studies are also presented. Hence, the model provides useful guidelines for business organizations and other actors in the food supply chain to incorporate sustainability while minimizing environmental, social, and economic impacts of food losses/waste.
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Purpose This paper aims to examine the coverage of and trends in reporting content elements in the integrated reports of the Sri Lankan companies following the International Integrated Reporting Framework (IIRF).... more
Purpose This paper aims to examine the coverage of and trends in reporting content elements in the integrated reports of the Sri Lankan companies following the International Integrated Reporting Framework (IIRF). Design/methodology/approach Based on a comprehensive checklist developed on the content elements of the IIRF, 171 corporate integrated reports were content-analyzed over a period of three years. The results were theorized subsequently using the legitimacy theory. Findings The study identifies that the extent of and trend in the coverage of content elements of the IIRF have increased during the period under consideration despite some under-addressed areas. It indicates that Sri Lankan companies are making progress in the preparation of integrated reports in line with the IIRF, which provides evidence in support of both strategic and institutional perspectives of the legitimacy theory because of the proactive actions taken by managers to acquire legitimacy along with the othe...
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Purpose This paper aims to explore how the integrated thinking of a chief executive officer (CEO) impacts the management’s orchestration of the six capitals to create value in an organization. Design/methodology/approach Following a case... more
Purpose This paper aims to explore how the integrated thinking of a chief executive officer (CEO) impacts the management’s orchestration of the six capitals to create value in an organization. Design/methodology/approach Following a case study approach, data was gathered on two business organizations in Sri Lanka through interviews, focus group discussions and documentary analyzes. Thematic and cross-case analyzes were used in analyzing the data based on an analytical framework that was developed using systems and resource orchestration theories. Findings The study finds that the integrated thinking perspective of the CEO determines which capitals to embrace in the pursuit of value creation by an organization. A broader perspective on the integrated thinking of the CEO can lead to a sustainable perspective for value creation focusing on integrated corporate responsibility. On the contrary, a constrained perspective of integrated thinking can lead to a business case perspective for v...
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Abstract In managing energy, companies face numerous challenges arising as a result of the imperfections and inaccuracies of the information on the subject. This study examines the uses of energy information in corporate energy management... more
Abstract In managing energy, companies face numerous challenges arising as a result of the imperfections and inaccuracies of the information on the subject. This study examines the uses of energy information in corporate energy management strategies from an environmental strategy implementation perspective. Based on 18 commercial and industrial sector businesses in Sri Lanka, the study develops an analytical framework combining the use of information in three energy management strategies (i.e., efficiency, sufficiency, and consistency) in organizations at different levels of environmental strategy implementation (i.e., reactive, preventive and proactive strategies). The study has identified a wide range of energy information uses for organizational efficiency within all environmental strategies. However, the findings reveal limited, and ad hoc energy information uses for sufficiency and consistency strategies of the organizations that pursue reactive and preventive strategies. The lack of systematic energy information management systems points to the vast potential for organizations, particularly in the early stages of environmental strategy implementation, to achieve corporate energy sustainability. This study also highlights the practical implications of the key actors in energy management, such as government bodies and policymakers, practitioners in the corporate sector, and industry chambers.
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Eco‐control offers an integrated management approach to transitioning toward corporate sustainable development, such as sustainable agriculture management. Despite the need to consider organizational and managerial changes and development... more
Eco‐control offers an integrated management approach to transitioning toward corporate sustainable development, such as sustainable agriculture management. Despite the need to consider organizational and managerial changes and development in the field of sustainable agriculture, the use of integrated management controls has not yet been explored. This study identifies how the eco‐control procedures in sustainable agriculture management change when a commercial tea company transits to different stages of corporate sustainable development. It has developed an analytical framework, combining the sustainability management development perspective with the processual view of integrated eco‐control. Using a longitudinal case study approach, the data have been collected via in‐depth interviews, site visits, and document analyses, in respect of a commercial tea company in Sri Lanka. The findings show how the processual eco‐controls have changed as a result of internal and external challenges faced in the different sustainability management development stages of the transition to sustainable agriculture management. The findings emphasize the need for gaining a better understanding of the actions and decisions at the field (operational) and organizational level in promoting sustainable agriculture management practices in agribusiness firms.
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This study examines how governance mechanisms affect the quality of integrated reporting (IR), which is fast emerging both as a tool to help firms understand their value creation process and to communicate effectively with external... more
This study examines how governance mechanisms affect the quality of integrated reporting (IR), which is fast emerging both as a tool to help firms understand their value creation process and to communicate effectively with external stakeholders. This study first developed an index to assess the quality of integrated reports. Subsequently, 132 integrated reports of Sri Lankan public listed companies selected over a three-year period were content analysed. The hypotheses formulated on the relationship between corporate governance and the quality of IR based on the agency theory were analysed using multivariate linear regression and panel regression. The results show that there is limited support from the corporate governance system for providing quality information to stakeholders on the value creation process through IR, except for board size and the availability of a separate risk management committee. This is the result of the heavy emphasis of corporate governance requirements and...
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Abstract A low-carbon economy requires low-carbon consumption by the public. Despite the importance of consumers in low-carbon economies, so far, most studies have ignored low-carbon consumer behaviour in developing countries that are... more
Abstract A low-carbon economy requires low-carbon consumption by the public. Despite the importance of consumers in low-carbon economies, so far, most studies have ignored low-carbon consumer behaviour in developing countries that are vulnerable to climate change and its consequences. This indicates inattention to the socio-economic aspects of the general life style of the people in promoting sustainable consumption and accountability. This study examines the determinants of low-carbon consumption behaviour of consumers in climate-vulnerable developing countries by focusing on consumers in Sri Lanka. Combining the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Theory of Perceived Marketplace Influence (TPMI), the data collected from 440 Sri Lankan consumers was analysed using a structural equation model. The findings revealed the antecedent variables of TPB (i.e., attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control) and the additional variables (i.e. low-carbon-self-identity and implementation intention) that fully explains the carbon-conscious decision-making phenomenon in a developing country setting. The results confirm the appropriateness of the proposed model for predicting low-carbon consumer behaviour in climate-vulnerable developing countries such as Sri Lanka as it increases the predictive power of the TPB framework. Accordingly, policy level implications and strategies for promoting individual low-carbon consumption behaviour are proposed.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the operationalization of the outcome-based education (OBE) model in an accountancy study program in Sri Lanka and the impact of education frameworks on OBE. Design/methodology/approach This... more
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the operationalization of the outcome-based education (OBE) model in an accountancy study program in Sri Lanka and the impact of education frameworks on OBE. Design/methodology/approach This study follows the case study approach to the first academic accounting study program in a Sri Lankan public sector university. Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews and secondary data through a content analysis of various relevant documents. The data were analyzed thematically using the theory of constructive alignment. Findings In accounting, the most significant imperative for the OBE stems from normative pressures. Since the accounting education frameworks have closely followed the approach suggested in constructive alignment, the normative institutionalization of professional standards in accounting supports OBE in accounting education. The OBE approach with its diverse range of teaching and learning activities and asse...
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Purpose Despite the growing literature on integrated reporting (IR) adoption and the emphasis on integrated thinking capitals, prior research works only focused on the financial and non-financial reporting rather than the cornerstones of... more
Purpose Despite the growing literature on integrated reporting (IR) adoption and the emphasis on integrated thinking capitals, prior research works only focused on the financial and non-financial reporting rather than the cornerstones of IR. In order to fill this gap, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the value relevance of organizational capital (OC) after the mandatory adoption of IR in South Africa over the period 2006–2015. Design/methodology/approach The authors have used quantitative methods to test the hypotheses. The South African context is unique since the Johannesburg Stock Exchange is the first to mandate listed firms to adopt IR following King III report in March 2010. Findings The findings provide the first evidence, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, on the positive and significant impact of IR adoption on the value relevance of OC. Originality/value The authors contribute to IR literature by providing new insight on the value relevance of one capital fr...
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how corporate environmental management strategies at different environmental management maturity (EMM) stages are influenced by institutional forces in the service sector organizations of a... more
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how corporate environmental management strategies at different environmental management maturity (EMM) stages are influenced by institutional forces in the service sector organizations of a developing country. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a multiple case study approach in this study. Institutional isomorphic pressures (coercive, mimetic and normative) at different EMM stages were used as the analytical framework. Findings The study finds coercive pressures largely shape the corporate environmental management strategies at the reactive stage while mimetic pressures have the greatest influence on the internal integration stage. Combined mimetic and normative pressures influence the environmental strategies at the external integration stage. Further, it emphasizes the importance of various institutional pressures in propelling the organizations in the developing countries to benefit from higher levels of EMM. Originality/v...
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This study examines the effects of green or eco-friendly certificates and awards on consumers’ perceived value within the hotel industry, and the roles of consumers’ perceived value in predicting satisfaction, intention to revisit, and... more
This study examines the effects of green or eco-friendly certificates and awards on consumers’ perceived value within the hotel industry, and the roles of consumers’ perceived value in predicting satisfaction, intention to revisit, and intention to pay a green premium. The results of partial least squares structural equation modeling analysis from a sample of 250 guests in Sri Lankan hotels showed that our unified model includes a satisfactory level of prediction power to test the hypothesized relationships. Green certificates and green awards positively affect consumers’ perceived value within the hotel industry. The findings also supported the relationship between consumers’ perceived value and satisfaction, intention to revisit, and intention to pay a green premium. The empirical findings in the context of Sri Lanka provide another important insight which confirms the positive effects of green certification and green awards on consumers’ perceived value and behavioral intentions,...
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Purpose This paper aims to examine how and why integrated reporting (IR) as a managerial technology is diffused in Sri Lanka, an emerging South Asian (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) nation, from an expansion diffusion... more
Purpose This paper aims to examine how and why integrated reporting (IR) as a managerial technology is diffused in Sri Lanka, an emerging South Asian (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) nation, from an expansion diffusion perspective. Design/methodology/approach The study followed two analytical steps. First, the adopter groups of IR of the country’s stock exchange were identified based on their annual reports. Second, the key stakeholders (both internal and external) in the process of IR diffusion in the country were interviewed. Thereafter, a content analysis of these semi-structured interviews was carried out based on the demand-pull and supply-push sides of the diffusion theory of innovation. Findings The temporal trend of IR suggests that the country is currently in the diffusion stage with many first time adopters are likely to join the bandwagon of IR. In the primary stage, its early adoption has been driven by the efficient-choice perspective. However, in the ...