Browsing by Author "Athauda, A.M.T.P."

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    Assessment of Adoption of Fair Trade Quality Standard in the Corporate Tea Sector in Sri Lanka
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2010) Senarath, S.M.S.; Athauda, A.M.T.P.
    In addition to conventional tea production which contributes mainly to the standard industrial tea sector, the percentage of value addition has to be gradually increased to maintain higher end market at profitable levels. It is important that value addition is coupled with other strong consumer requirements and expectations such as environment protection and bio diversity maintenance of eco systems towards combating global warming, offering social responsibility to the workers and beneficial health to consumers, convenience and sensory satisfaction. Obtaining Fairtrade quality standard appeared to be a strategic tool used in value addition of tea industry to compete in the international tea market from which Sri Lanka earns foreign exchange as a main source of export income. This study examines the factors affecting adoption of Fairtrade Quality Standard (FQS) in the Sri Lankan corporate tea sector. The identification of the constraints for obtaining Fairtrade certificate is also targeted by the study. A questionnaire based study was carried out to collect data from 35 randomly selected tea estates in up country. Multiple Linear Regression was used to identify the factors affecting the adoption of Fairtrade quality standard. Descriptive statistical method was also used to identify constraints in obtaining Fairtrade certificate and adoptability of each standards of Fairtrade. Results of Binary Logistic Regression reveal that adopting of Fairtrade quality standard in the corporate tea sector is significantly determined by attitude, working experience of the estate manager, revenue of the estate and number of employees in the estate. The most important constraints perceived by the corporate sector tea estates were low market share in global market, lack of finance and unawareness of the workers about Fairtrade. Some of the standards like no child labour, non-discrimination, environmental friendly farming practices and safe working conditions can be observed in most of the estates. Key words: Adoption, Fairtrade, Quality Standard, Value Addition
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    Use of Personality for Managing Conflicts to Increase the Productivity in Sri Lankan food Processing Sector
    (Uva Wellassa University of Srilanka, 2011) Patalee, M.A.B.; Athauda, A.M.T.P.
    Note: See the PDF Version Organizational conflict is considered as legitimate, inevitable, and even a positive indicator of effective organization management (Rahim, 2002). Organizational conflict occurs when members engage in activities that are incompatible with those of colleagues within their network, members of other collectives, or unaffiliated individuals who utilize the services or products of the organization (Roloff, 1987). Conflict management is the practice of identifying and handling conflict in a sensible, fair and efficient manner (Ma, 2003). It is now recognized that conflict within certain limits is essential to productivity. Conflict management involves designing effective macro-level strategies to minimize the dysfunction of conflict and enhancing the constructive functions of conflict in order to enhance learning and effectiveness in an organization (Rahim, 2002). The most accepted model for conflict management has been designed by Thomas in 1976 (Ma, 2003). He identifies five different conflict handling styles based on two dimensions. They are Assertiveness and Cooperativeness (Figure 1). High Accommodating Collaborating Cooperativeness Compromising (Concern for others) oi(ling Competing Low Low High Assertiveness (Concern for self) Figurel: two dimensional models of Conflict Handling Styles Conflict styles refer to specific behavioral patterns that one prefers to employ when addressing conflict situations (Ma, 2003). Early studies supported a relationship between personality dimensions and the five styles of handling interpersonal conflict, while others have reported weak relationships between personality and styles of conflict handling (Ma and Kao, 2008). When considered the Sri Lankan food processing sector, it can be categorized into a large number of sub sectors including fresh fruit and vegetables, poultry/meat, processed meat and fish, dairy products, biscuit and confectionary, bakery and flour Based products, non-alcoholic beverages, and coconut products etc. Total contribution of the sector to GDP is 8.4billion (Anon, 2010). There are approximately 100,000people are employed in agro-industrial and food processing industries (Sellahewa, 2009) and it is accounted 24.2% of the total workforce offering immense employment opportunities emphasizes the importance of food processing sector to the economy of the country. However, the presence of conflicts result in high labour turnover, job dissatisfaction and declined productivity in the food processing sector as in any other sector. According to the statistics of department of labour, fifteen strikes were recorded including food processing sector in 2010 (Anon, 2010).The objective of this study was to find out how the productivity of food processing sector can be increased by revealing the relationship between personality and individuals, preferred conflict managing styles.