Browsing by Author "Jinadasa, M."

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Asian Information Philosophy for E- Learning; Case of Open and Distance Education in Sri Lanka
(Department of Library and Information Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Jinadasa, M.
A difference that makes a difference is defined as Information by Gregory Bateson (1972). Information Philosophy is a modern discipline of thecritical investigation of the conceptual nature and basic principles of information, including its dynamics, utilization and sciences andthe elaboration and application of information-theoretic and computational methodologies to philosophical problems ( Floridi,2003) merging of both Philosophy and Information Sciences. Information philosophy has been developed as a result of the amalgamation of Artificial Intelligence, Computer Sciences, Neurosciences, Cognitive Sciences, Mathematics, Physics and Philosophy. Cybernetics is one of the interesting contributions made by Norbert Wiener, Alan Turing, William Ross Ashby, Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver in the mid 20th century, when they had to explore the telecommunication and information channels for American Bell Company. Luciano Floridi in 1990 termed this as Philosophy of Information. Despite of the fact the e- learning, which is introduced for third world countries (in recent higher education modification policies) as an effective mode of education, it is highly found in the western philosophy that provides a plat form of non-local remote culture and behavior of human. However, this study tries to explore the contents and capacities of Asian information philosophy, so that application of e- learning could be possible with sustainable and productive implementation that avoids the differences and limitation on non-grounded philosophy for local clients. Assuming that if there is a proper understanding on the Asian information theory, that discusses the existing cognitive and neuro-linguistic apparatuses, it could be possible to manage the existing issues emerging in the phase of initiating E- learning in the open and distance education system for Sri Lanka. For this study it is used first a conceptual and analytical exposition on what is Asian Infroamtion Philosophy and How it is content on our traditions and philosophies, and second, to search for necessary avenues for implementing e-leaning on the proposed audiences, it uses on-going and well as received responses and existing applications of the case of Open and Distance Education program of the University of Kelaniya.
Celebrity Endorsement and Consumer Buying Intention With Relation to the Television Advertisement for Perfumes
(David Publishing, 2017) Priyankara, R.; Weerasiri, S.; Dissanayaka, R.; Jinadasa, M.
This present paper explores the celebrities appearing on television advertisements. The purpose is to identify the influence of celebrity endorsement on consumer buying intention in Sri Lanka. Television Advertising is one of the marketing communication tools used to receive the attention of the customer and build their loyalty to perfume brands. Celebrity advertisement is an important and frequently used marketing tool to directly influence the consumers’ purchase intentions. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of celebrity endorsement on customer purchasing intention for perfume brands. The survey method was used as the research method. Questionnaire was utilized in gathering information from the respondents in Colombo and Gampaha in Sri Lanka. Cluster sampling was used to select a sample size of 100 and collected data were analyzed descriptively using the SPSS 20.0 version. Correlation analysis was conducted to establish the nature of the relationship between the celebrity endorsers and consumer purchasing intention. Results showed significant relationship between the celebrity endorsement (likability, credibility, personality, attractiveness, and expertise) and consumer purchasing intention, so that all five hypotheses were accepted by this exploration.
Deprivation of Dharmapala thought in Local History of National Freedom and the Dominance of Western Ideology and the Problem of Local Thinking
(Department of Mass Communication, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Jinadasa, M.
National freedom struggle from Britain in the early 20th century has been much concentrated by the works of urban elite class, who were comprised by both communist labor leaders and the people who educated at the British Ox-bridge tradition. However, the contribution of Anagarika Dharmapala on the Freedom Struggle has been underestimated by the contemporary political and social discourses. Resurrection of Sinhala Buddhist Nationalism is the most popular and much focus concern of Anagarika Dharmapala. This has not limited only towards the Sinhala Buddhist Nationalism but also it has earlier influence for the construction of freedom struggle before the scattered opinion among local people. However, widely accepted notion on the freedom achievement drew from the western educated and urban labor leaders, has established in the spheres of political science and Mass communication studies. In Conclusion, Dharmapala has immensely contributed for making a pre-conditional concrete social thought and national political environment for national freedom in Sri Lanka. However, dominant social and political thought were establishing from the British colonialism and urban elite class from the very beginning of mid-19th century. As a result, contribution of Dharmapala was neglected by the colonial educators at the mid-20th century simultaneously with the construction of British ruling and educating system in the national policy planning. This was mostly due to the facts that British educated local people, who were represented in the parliament and the negligence of the contribution of Dharmapala by ill-treating and misconceptioning on narrow ethnic and cultural perspectives by the local people.
Developing Sri Lankan International Relations through International Communication: Use of Soft Power Resources
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Jinadasa, M.
Sri Lankan Buddhist Cultural thinking and humane thoughts result in the productive process of developing international relations. This study focused on the application of soft power resources in the development of international relations in Sri Lanka. Resources of culture, values of political ideals and policies were used in the preparation of communication programmes, which is based on the perspective of Buddhist religion and its philosophy. Despite the fact that hard power requires experience with the traditional system of international relations of coercion and payments, soft power assumes the significant relevance and attraction of the Sri Lankan cultural resources. Soft power also retains the ability to manipulate the agenda of political choices in developing Sri Lankan identity and political image in the modern political and economic social milieu. Qualitative methods were utilized for the gathering and analysis of data. Semi-structured interviews and textual analysis were used to identify the substance and salience of the Buddhist cultural and local value resources. Additionally, professionals who have much experience in the use of communication in developing international relations were interviewed to consider the existing tools and strategies in this field and the importance of Buddhist cultural resources were discovered and described using textual analysis and discourse analysis. Finally, this study argues that the use of Buddhist cultural resources and thought systems ensure the attraction and efficacy in the preparation of communication programmes and content for the development of international relations and building of foreign policy. The concept of four noble humane qualities in Buddhism which are Maithree, Karuna ,Muditha and Upekka remain especially important in communication competency and rationale in developing effective messages and programmes of international relations. Additionally, the local cultural heritage and their values can be utilised in the planning and implementation of foreign policy in both Western and non- western countries. This study argues by asserting that both post-colonial thinking of local government and post-imperial interference of western dominant nations could be mediated through international relations to a middle path that rejects the extremism in the political and economic systems.
Developmental Impact of the Use of Social Media in Sri Lanka
(Centre for Chinese Studies, Department of Modern Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Jinadasa, M.
The Difference of concepts of the societies of Pre-Media and Post-Media: Absence of a moral and ethical justice in Sexuality in online media society
(Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Jinadasa, M.
With the invention of mass media in the 18th century in the face of the Industrial Revolution, press media was a catalyst in providing a platform for many socially marginal groups and those with limited access to means of conducting social dialogues in conventional, non-democratic, capitalistic societies. The media oriented culture formed many post-media concepts and phenomena, such as freedom, media freedom, rule of law, democracy, liberty as well as liberty in sexual behaviors. Pre-media concepts like aesthetics, classics, philosophy, morals, and ethics were inadequate in understanding the occurrences and sensations of post-media society. This phenomenon is highly significant in contemporary online media culture. This study investigates the use of Google and Facebook in Sri Lanka with special reference to the rapidly expanding behavioral changes of sexuality shown in these online media channels. Despite the fact that Sri Lanka, which has long been a Buddhist religious society which claims to be highly moral and ethical in social inter-relations, online media has provided an easy outlet for enjoying a variety of sexual behaviors. Subsequently, online service providers such as Google, Yahoo, Facebook, and other forms of social media have been a place for a sexual freedom that provides more same-sex opportunities among interested groups. Further, communication connectivity and the information contribution of online service providers has provided avenues for a large amount of material content for pornographic and many audio-visual sexual texts. This study was conducted using qualitative methods of textual analysis, observation and in-depth interviews during a period of twelve months from June 2014 up to June 2015. Twenty textual analyses were conducted using selected sites of pornography in Google and Yahoo. Another twenty textual analyses were conducted using fake Facebook addresses to observe how others respond to close sexual communications. In addition, twenty in-depth interviews were conducted using Facebook users aged 18 to 24. Finally, this study assumes that though Buddhist religious societies have long been respected as morally and ethically reputed well-cultured societies, when they are given opportunities for interpersonal relations in the OSP channels, their hidden sexual interests are well-communicated without limitations or restrictions. However, conventional pre-media concepts of ethical and moral behaviors are insufficient to understand or explain these new behaviors or trends, which have emerged as a result of this new media culture. Thus, pre- media concepts of ethics and morals do not make pragmatic sense in the real world practice of the online media society. The role of the online service providers has been shaped by the identification of this natural social anthropology of highly religious cultures. In other words, these new media platforms are instrumental in exposing many inclinations of human behavior of sexual interest, thus, challenging the maintenance of conventional morals and ethics in the new media world.
Elephant: A Sacred and Colorful Element in the Classical Kandyan Dance in Sri Lanka
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Jinadasa, M.
The elephant has been so well narrated in the Pali and Sanskrit classical literature, that even in Sinhala classical literature (Amawathura and Saddharmalankaraya) the elephant has been elegantly described in poetry. This has extended into the spheres of stylistic local traditional dance form, including the Kandyan dance tradition in Sri Lanka (Sederaman, 1960). In the Kandyan kingdom, with the amalgamation of South Indian music, a special aesthetic platform in the kingdom called Kavikara Maduwa, a well-made place for classical artists, has been in the traditional custodian of the Kandyan social system (Peris, 1964). In this Kavikara Maduma, there were many poetic creations referring to birds, animals and some of the sacred tools and places including the sacred tooth relic temple in Kandy. In this, there were fascinating types of poems called Wannam (Warnam). There are eighteen Wannam, which later on were used for dance and performance in the Kandyan classical dance tradition. The elephant has been colorfully narrated in one of the Wannams which is called Gajaga Wannama. However, in the second decade of early 20th century Gajaga Wannama was elaborated on by different schools of traditional dance and aesthetics. A variety of musical and dance performances with mellifluous singing and soothing complex forms of dance and choreographies are evident in the Gajaga Wannama which are explored in this textual analysis. The primary objective of this study is to reveal the musicology and aesthetic beauty of the Gajaga Wannama from a communicative perspective.
Extinction of Sinhala Buddhist, a religious or a political issue?
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Jinadasa, M.
This paper discusses the problem of extinction of Sinhala Buddhist in Sri Lanka in the perspective of social anthropology and cultural communication. A strongly held conviction is that such decay occurs in the Sinhala Buddhist as a result of the problem of popular Buddhism and the serious influence of political power and its effect on each and every sector of social and cultural development in the social system of modern democratic governance in the application of alienated western social governance system of modern democracy. This has been impractical and unproductive in the application of lonely developed historical and civilized cultures except from western recently developed modern consumerist societies. This study was conducted in the north-eastern province focusing on ancient religious places in Girihaduseya, Welgamviharaya, Seruwila and Somawathiya. Fundamentally, this study employs qualitative methodology, with participatory observation, non-participatory observation and in depth interviews. In addition, the present scenario of governance in the western democratic model in the local political system was also investigated in this study as a content analysis. Ten case studies of religious issues and another ten cases of political issues were also subject to content analysis. The time frame was from 1994 to 2015. In conclusion, this study assumes that the decrease of the population and the malfunction of the Buddhist religious practices in the governance of modern democracy in each and every institution were significantly affected by the inhumane, pseudo-religious and political practices that has engulfed both religious and political institutions. Meanwhile, the rapid expansion of Muslim and other ethnic groups were catalysts in the internal crisis of the Sinhala Buddhist society, as well as the application of western democratic development and a political governance project without a proper outlook in the absorption of the local political system. Finally this study suggests that the modern Buddhist and political practices should be transformed according to the early teachings of local historical and ancient cultural background. Modernity is the fact that emerges from the ancient and historical underpinnings albeit the most popular widely discussed western dominant perspective of modern social and religious thought.
How Young Men Establish Their Same-Sexual Relationships through Digital Contexts, Mutual Understanding and Emerging Networks of Digital Intimacy
(International Postgraduate Research Conference 2019, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2019) Jinadasa, M.; Priyankara, R.
This paper reviews three divisions as mutual understanding, digital media contexts, and emerging networks of digital intimacies. First, mutual understanding involves with explaining how young men establish similar understanding between each other through interactive communication via Facebook in order to establish their same sexual relationships. Second, Digital media contexts involves with reviewing digital media’s potentials and spaces, on which rural young men create mutual understanding. Third, emerging networks of digital intimacies involves with clarifying how rural young men network themselves for their same sexual relations through Facebook as a safe and convenient space for their intimacies. On this qualitative literature review, key concepts such as mutual understanding, digital contexts and emerging networks of digital intimacy are explored to argue how rural young men create a network of digital intimacy on their same sexual relationships. Mutual understanding as a key public relation concept, is used to understand how young men establish their same sexual relationships through a process of inter-personal communication via Facebook. Digital media’s potentiality through ‘network society’ and ‘participatory culture’ are explored in order to understand how Facebook helps to create mutual understanding. Accordingly, this paper defines mutual understanding based on how young men individually interconnect through Facebook in order to identity “who they are” for their same sexual relationships. This is not similar to how relationships are managed between organisation and its stakeholders in terms of the corporate benefit. In short, this thesis argues how mutual understanding is constructed through young men’s individual understanding on a process of interaction via Facebook. As a result, it is argued how these virtual communities create a network of digital intimacy
Influence of Advertising Creativity on the Relationship between Celebrity Personality and Brand Personality
(Solid State Technology, 2020) Jinadasa, M.; Perera, R.P.; Dissanayake, D.M.R.; Weerakoon, R.
Advertising acts as strong promotional mix element in marketing influencing brand communication activities to result favorable consumer responses. However, empirical and practice related arguments still question on the effectiveness of advertising in the cluttered media environment whereas creativity still plays a significant role avoiding such challenges. The effectiveness of creative advertising that results favorable brand evaluations has been claimed in empirical studies as a research direction. Additionally, practice related issues are reported claiming to examine the effectiveness of celebrity endorsed communication campaigns on brand related responses. Likewise, this study investigates how creative adverting could influence on brand personality as a form of brand evaluation whilst celebrity personality traits were also studied to determine the mediating effect within. It distributed 230 questionnaireswithinthe Western province of Sri Lanka followed by convenient sampling method and finallyanalysis was done based on 204 questionnaires properly filled. It employed StructuralEquation Model (SEM) by using AMOS-21 statistic package to do the hypotheses testing after Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) is executed. Data analysis process followed the essentials for the dataset for normality and sample adequacy before employing the factor analysis for CFA.
Prevalence of latex allergy among healthcare workers
(Versita co-published with Springer, 2010) Amarasekera, M.; Rathnamalala, N.; Samaraweera, S.; Jinadasa, M.
OBJECTIVES: The use of latex gloves has increased by several folds in the recent past due to concerns about blood-borne infections. Data from Asian countries with regard to latex allergy is scarce. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of latex allergy among healthcare workers in a tertiary hospital in Sri Lanka. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among different categories of employees in the hospital. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data related to latex allergy. RESULTS: A total of 524 employees was recruited and 62% responded to the questionnaire. Among them 49.2% wore gloves for more than 1 hour a day. Symptoms suggestive of latex allergy were reported by 53 (16.3%) subjects. A considerable proportion (11.4%) of workers had been suffering from latex allergy for more than 5 years. Nurses accounted for the highest prevalence for any job category, while the unit with the highest rate was the surgical ward. Duration in the service (OR = 1.006, P = 0.048) and wearing gloves for more than one hour a day (OR = 3.292, P = 0.004) were significant risk factors for latex allergy, but not atopy or family history of atopy. Seven employees noticed that they developed food allergy after assuming duties as healthcare personnel. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of latex allergy is high among healthcare workers in this study population. Environmental factors rather than genetic predisposition play the major role in the development of this condition.
Psychology of the Cultural Public Relations in Sri Lanka; Case of the Tsunami in 12/24/2004
(Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Jinadasa, M.
Sri Lankan Culture has been fundamentally formed by the Asian religious and cultural foundation.. Yet, Sri Lanka has been colonialized by three European countries in last three hundred and forty three years of period, hospitality, cooperativeness and participatory involvement at the face of others misery and pathetic situations are highly embedded in the culture of Sri Lanka despite its multi- religious and multi-cultural differences (Peris, 1962; Obesekara, 1993Blundal, 1995). This study used the methods of participatory observations, in-depth interviews and textual and discourse analyses reference to the case of Tsunami 12/24/2004. In addition, real world experiences in the remote rural and urban societies were also used for the descriptive analysis of this study. Data were comparatively and descriptively analyzed. The social organization of the Sri Lanka is largely distinguished by many locally constructed features of agriculture and Buddhist religious practices along with the origin and development of Sri Lankan society. Endowment is the noblest and life-long contribution to the survival of human society which has been significantly reflected by the use of vernacular language in their inter-personal communications and cultural exchange in their life. Providing shelter, foods, water for others, when they are so depressed by calamities and disasters are some of the key elements of the Sri Lankan national culture. Living with the harmony with different ethnics and identities is the overwhelmingly galvanized concept of the local people. This ethnic and cultural harmony has been disturbed by the colonial attitudes of some of the middle class generation, However, when they had to face a national calamity, they save others.
Relocating Dharmapala thought in postmodern society
(Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Department of Mass Communication, University of Kelaniya, 2016) Jinadasa, M.
Dharmapala thought had been instrumental in the Buddhist revolution in the late colonial period in early 20th century. However, use of Dharmapala thought in solving contemporary ethnic issue related to post-colonial Sri Lanka remains isolated in the perspective of ethnic and religious extremism. This paper studies the allocations and limitations of Dharmapala thought in the context of modern post-liberal political and economic policy. Using a critical appraisal, which, form a central part of the systematic review process, this study reviews the validity and generalizability of the Dharmapala thought, while comparatively analyze it with the postmodern thought of Deconstruction originated by Jacques Derrida. As Buddhist thought was instrumental in forming the Dharmapala thesis , this study assumes the use of essence of Buddhist thought to relocate the Dharmapala thought provide a more platform for a multicultural nationality for a more diverse soft power in establishing a Sri Lankan Nationality in 21st Century.
Review On Advertising Creativity, Brand Personality And Celebrity Personality
(Journal of Critical Reviews, 2020) Jinadasa, M.; Perera, R.P.; Dissanayake, D.M.R.; Weerakoon, R.
Advertising is one of the vastly applied marketing communication tools in the world and creativity plays a significant role within resulting positive consumer evaluations. Meanwhile, celebrities are used in advertisements across the world reporting a tremendous rate of use in all types of media. Some argued that the effectiveness of celebrities is still questionable whilst many studies admire what it does for brand building strategies. There are theories and models explaining what makes celebrities effective for favorable brand evaluations. Meanwhile, studies signify brand personality as one of the facets of brand evaluations resulted by marketing communications. Empirical studies are found claiming further research works to examining the effectiveness of celebrities in developing perceived band personality. Arguments are found stating celebrity character and brand personality congruence is a viral combination whilst empirical thoughts suggest to further examine such relationships with reference to different cultures and product scopes. Accordingly, this paper reviews the literatures about how creativity is used in the advertising with special reference to the brand personality and the celebrity endorser‟s personality. Therefore, this paper produces an empirical discussion on creativity, advertising, brand personality and celebrity personality as the main components and conceptual relationships are reviewed accordingly. Paper followed a comprehensive literature review to discuss the empirical thoughts on main concepts. It made an attempt to prove the relationships amongst the main variables namely creativity of advertising, brand personality and celebrity personality whilst discussion was made to relate evidences in different countries and product scopes. Finally, paper concludes the significance of source-based factors and management-based factors to be considered when applying celebrity characters to result brand evaluations including brand personality.
Why do people tend to break the law in a system of democratic governance? In search of a public relations law and ethics in Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Jinadasa, M.
When it comes to the golden age of public relations in the early mid-twentieth century in Europe, public relations consultants and institutions needed to incorporate a system of ethics to protect the human standards from the extreme use of sensational and personal matters in the media and communication. A system of media law referring to the discipline of public relations was later developed when ethics were insufficient to regulate the public relations campaign not damaging the existing social and cultural policy of the society. However, when it comes to the modern society of democratic governance, it is challenging to protect and conduct law and ethics leading to the professional standards of the practices of public relations in most capitalistic societies. Hence, the objective of this study is to explore the problems encountered in the violation of public relations law and ethics in the Sri Lankan context of democratic capitalism. This research was conducted using qualitative methods of case studies, participatory observations and textual and discourse analyses. Ten commercial advertisements produced in the Sri Lankan local media were critically analyzed using textual analysis and participatory observations leading to selected ten case studies on the advertisements. In-depth interviews were also utilized to explore these cases. Two years, from January 2013 to January 2015 was the time-frame. Data were critically and descriptively analyzed. Based on the research, this study makes the following conclusions. Protecting and conducting law and ethics in mostly a consumerist society in the capital economy could be relatively difficult, when the difference between marketing and public relations could not be properly identified. This has been mostly due to the lack of two aspects. One is the absence of a proper teaching and learning system that makes the difference between the use of marketing and the use of public relations, while public relations has also been taught at the marketing courses. And also the second aspect is insufficiency of the media literacy in the media society where there is a rapid expansion in the channels of media in Sri Lanka. Moreover, objectives of media owners are also shaped by the limited purposes of marketing and financial benefits, so that the violation of law is challengeable, when it is difficult to conduct the basic ethics in broadcasting advertisements in the local channels. Moreover, violation of law has been justified by the morals and dignity of the local politicians, in the use of media at the period of elections and their political dialogues. In a more micro level analysis, violation of ethics is the fact that affects the emergence of the insecurity of the law in the modern consumer society of the democratic capitalism. However, this study assumes the necessity of a productive teaching and learning system of morals and ethics that deeply emphasizes the relevance and significance of the conscience so that anyone can respond to others, when he/she able to account him/her.