9th Student Research Conference in Marketing (SRCM) - 2025
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Item The Influence of Sustainability Messaging on Consumer Willingness to Pay a Premium for Eco-Friendly Sports Footwear with the Moderating Role of Environmental Concern in Sri Lanka(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Dilanka, M. A.; Mirando, U. J.The footwear industry is shifting towards sustainability due to increasing consumer awareness of ecological issues, particularly in sports footwear. This trend has led to higher prices for sustainable products. In Sri Lanka, sustainability is still in its early stages. Sri Lanka's sports footwear industry is transitioning toward sustainability, but challenges remain. Consumers are unaware of the environmental impacts of their choices, and there is a discrepancy between attitude and behavior. Price sensitivity also exists among Sri Lankan consumers, with high prices for eco-friendly products due to higher production costs. The local industry's infrastructure and supply chain cannot be maintained for mass production of eco-friendly sports shoes, requiring high capital investments. The Sri Lanka Export Development Board Industry Capability Report emphasizes the need for modernization and capacity building to achieve international standards. The association between sustainability messaging and consumers' premium purchase of eco-friendly sports footwear has been investigated, but there is a deviation in empirical studies on the moderation effects of environmental concern in the Sri Lankan context. Previous studies have shown that if sustainability messaging is properly articulated, consumers are likely to show positive behavioral changes. However, the Sri Lankan market is under-investigated, and the studies on the role of environmental awareness and ethical consumption awareness are limited. Furthermore, studies on sustainable messaging and environmental issues are limited as well. Therefore, it is necessary to fill this available deviation to design effective marketing campaigns and facilitate sustainable consumption in the Sri Lankan sports-shoes market. Previous studies show that sustainability messaging and environmental concerns have a strong influence on consumer willingness to pay a premium. Customers are more likely to support eco-friendly items when they hear clear, reliable messaging, but brand trust, cost, and usefulness are all crucial. The impact in Sri Lanka is limited by low awareness and high expenses, highlighting the necessity of accessible pricing and smart messages. This study uses a quantitative methodological approach to investigate the impact of sustainability messaging on consumers' willingness to pay a premium for eco-sports footwear. Furthermore, a deductive approach is used, with a positive philosophy applied. A cross-sectional research strategy is employed, using a postal questionnaire to collect primary data on eco-friendly behavior, sustainability messaging, willingness to pay a premium, environmental concern, and demographics. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 408 persons in Sri Lanka who were chosen by convenient sampling. Descriptive statistics, reliability and validity testing, correlation analysis, and regression modelling were used in the study's data analysis, which was conducted using SPSS software. These are the major key findings of the study. Sustainability messaging positively influences consumers' willingness to pay a premium for eco-friendly sports footwear while moderating the effect of environmental concern. However, its moderation effect is not significantly strong. Consequently, this study explores the impact of sustainability messaging on consumer willingness to pay a premium for eco-friendly sports footwear in Sri Lanka. Despite global research, Sri Lanka has not yet adopted this approach due to unique cultural practices and economic factors. The research aims to understand how environmental sensitivity influences consumers' sensitivity to price and how businesses and policymakers can create effective environmental sustainability programs in this unique market environment. The study highlights the importance of sustainability messages in eco-friendly sports footwear, indicating that consumers are willing to pay more for green products. Firms can expand their scope by designing marketing campaigns aimed at the public, stressing the environmental and social impacts of the products. Focusing on recycled materials, carbon footprint reduction, vegan certifications, and cruelty-free certifications can reach a wider audience and exploit the positive relationship between sustainable messages and premium pricing. However, eco-speaking out should not increase the impact of sustainable messages. This research explores consumers' willingness to pay a premium for eco-friendly sports footwear in Sri Lanka. However, the findings may not apply to other eco-friendly products or customer attitudes. The quantitative approach of the study does not fully understand customer perceptions or emotions. Qualitative approaches like interviews or focus groups could provide more detailed insights. The sample size of 408 participants may not be sufficient to generalize the findings to the entire population of Sri Lanka. To have more credible results, a larger sample with diverse views and experiences could be used. Further studies should explore eco-friendly products beyond sports shoes, using qualitative techniques such as interviews or focus groups to understand consumer beliefs and attitudes. A broader sample of Sri Lankans from different regions, cultures, and income brackets could also be considered. The extent to which geography and culture influence sustainable consumption is also a concern. Unifying qualitative and quantitative approaches could enhance the understanding of consumer behavior and attitudes towards eco-friendly products.Item The Impact of YouTube UGC Ssource redibility on Gadget Purchase Intentions among Gen Z in Sri Lanka: The Mediating Role of Attitudes toward UGC(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Jayatilaka, C. A.; Mirando, U. J.In an era defined by digital consumerism, YouTube emerged as a transformative platform for User-Generated Content (UGC), significantly influencing consumer purchase intentions. This study investigates the impact of YouTube UGC source credibility measured through trustworthiness, expertise, and attractiveness—on gadget purchase intentions among Sri Lankan Generation Z, with a specific emphasis on the mediating role of attitudes toward UGC. While previous studies highlight the global significance of UGC, there is limited studies addressing its influence on consumer behavior in Sri Lanka, especially within the gadget industry and among Gen Z consumers. The study adopts a quantitative approach, collecting data through an online survey from 416 participants aged 18–27 who engage with gadget-related YouTube content. A structured questionnaire was employed to measure perceptions of source credibility, attitudes toward UGC, and purchase intentions. Regression analysis was utilized to test the hypotheses, ensuring a robust examination of the proposed relationships. Findings show that source credibility has a significant positive effect on gadget purchase intentions. Trustworthiness was identified as the most influential dimension, followed by expertise and attractiveness. Additionally, attitudes toward UGC were found to play a key mediating role, strengthening the relationship between source credibility and purchase intentions. These results validate the Stimulus-Organism- Response (SOR) framework by demonstrating how credible stimuli (UGC) influence internal states (attitudes), driving behavioral responses (purchase intentions). The research contributes to both theory and practice. It extends the source credibility model and the SOR framework in the context of an emerging market and offers valuable insights for marketers and content creators. The findings highlight the importance of partnering with trustworthy and knowledgeable YouTube creators to build consumer trust and enhance engagement. For marketers, this study underscores the need to design authentic and relatable UGC campaigns to leverage the full potential of YouTube as a marketing platform. Future research could consider longitudinal designs and explore additional mediators, such as trust and perceived usefulness, to enrich the understanding of UGC’s role in influencing consumer behavior. While the study offers valuable insights, it acknowledges certain limitations. Its focus on Generation Z limits the generalizability of findings to other demographic groups. Additionally, the reliance on cross-sectional data constrains the ability to capture longitudinal changes in consumer behavior. Moreover, the study focuses exclusively on the gadget industry, which may yield different results compared to other product categories.Item The Impact of Social Media Contents on Men's Purchasing Intention of Personal Care: Examining the Moderating Role of Social Media Usage with Special Reference to Gen Z In Western Province, Sri Lanka(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Hanwalla, H. S. L.; Mirando, U. J.The emergence of social media has impacted consumer behaviors, especially when it comes to the Gen Z male demographics in the personal care sector. Global context reveals this is particularly relevant for men's grooming within the contemporary Sri Lankan market. It only highlights the deviation in purchase behavior that exists among male consumers that social media marketing tools have not covered. Moreover, those who focus on Gen Z marketing have not explored how this generation interacts with different social media pages dedicated to personal care-oriented information. These include firm-created content, e-WOM, and UGC targeting this demographic. Consequently, this study focuses on this loophole that exists in the context of Asian developing nations such as Sri Lanka, as well as focusing on the male consumers' purchasing behavior. Therefore, this study examines the effect of Firm-created content, user-generated content (UGC), and electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) which are social media content elements on the purchasing intention of male Gen Z in the personal care industry. In addition, it examines the moderating effect of social media usage on behavior modifications, with particular interest in the intensity of engagement. This study contributes to the understanding of the unique purchasing patterns of male consumers who have a higher online engagement in Sri Lanka which is a developing economy. This study’s methodological approach is based on the positivist paradigm and a deductive approach is used to test the hypothesized relationships utilizing existing theories and models. Data collection was done by use of a structured questionnaire that was given to three hundred and eighty-five (385) respondents aged 18 to 26 years from the Western Province of Sri Lanka by the age cohort representation of Gen Z. The study employed convenience sampling as the main sampling method because it provides a fast and easy way of reaching many users who use social networks. This was especially relevant for the focus of the study which is on users of social networks, as it facilitated fast data collection among those who underwent the experience and exhibited the behavior. However, it is recognized that convenience sampling may affect the findings’ applicability to the larger population. It was established that there is a strong positive link between social media content and purchasing intentions of the young male cohorts within the Gen Z age bracket especially in terms of their social interactions. Then, engagement in positive purchasing behaviors is the need for authenticity, relatability, and consistency in content. Among all the types of content elements, UGC and e-WOM are regarded as the most influential and credible content as they elicit emotions better than content that has been created by firms. Social media usage has been registered to act as a moderator to this relationship and indeed push the effects of content on purchasing intention to a whole new level. Content that is liked, shared, and commented on by the target audience influences purchasing them in return pointing to the importance of active and engaging social media engagement. The study has both theoretical and practical implications. In terms of contributions, it adds scholarly attention to the role of social media consumption in linking content types and the purchasing intentions of customers. The findings make an important addition to social media marketing literature by highlighting the commercialization of the characteristics of Gen Z and their preferences for assimilating and engaging in the content. The study gives practical recommendations to personal care brands in Sri Lanka and other developing markets. To capture the attention of Gen Z males and females, marketers need to focus on embedding authenticity, trust, and strong emotion within the content through Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Engagement can be enhanced through interactive tools such as influencers, consumer campaigns, and exciting short videos. Last but not least, this study highlights the power of social media content in shaping Gen Z males' buying intention toward personal care products. Tackling an important issue in existing literature and providing practical recommendations, the study provides appropriate assistance for marketers who seek means to adapt to the challenges of rapidly changing digital space while effectively engaging the young audience. While the study delineated some important findings, it did possess scope for further studies. Respondents in the study relied on self-reported data, which could cause bias due to social desirability and recall errors. Furthermore, the analysis was restricted to a certain demographic group and geographic area, in this case, Gen Z male cohorts in Western Province, Sri Lanka, thereby limiting the extent to which the findings could be applied to other groups and areas. To deal with those limitations, future research can expand or even validate the findings through cross-cultural comparisons, longitudinal designs, and inclusion of behavioral data.Item The Impact of Sensory Marketing on Consumer Buying Decision: Examining the Mediating Effect of Brand Trust with Special Reference to the Fast-Food Industry in Western Province, Sri Lanka(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Wickramanayaka, J. P. M. T.; Mirando, U. J.Sensory marketing, an innovative approach to consumer engagement, has gained considerable attention in global markets but remains underexplored in Sri Lanka's fast-food industry. This study elaborates on the impact of sensory marketing on consumer buying decisions, examining the mediating effect of brand trust. Addressing an available performance deviation in aligning sensory branding practices with the preferences of Sri Lankan consumers, the research offers empirical insights into how brand trust bridges the relationship between sensory marketing and consumer purchasing behavior. With the growing importance of sensory elements in shaping consumer experiences, this study contributes to the sparse literature on sensory branding in the Sri Lankan context, especially within the fast-food sector. The multidimensional role of sensory stimuli (visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, and tactile) influences brand perception and trust. Additionally, prior studies emphasize the mediating potential of brand trust in consumer decision-making. Adopting a quantitative cross-sectional research design, this study aligns with the positivist research philosophy and deductive approach. The fast-food industry in Sri Lanka's Western Province was chosen due to its high consumer density and diversity of fast food. A sample size of 384 participants was derived using a convenience sampling technique, ensuring demographic representation across key age, income, and education categories. Data collection was facilitated through a structured questionnaire comprising three primary sections: sensory marketing dimensions, brand trust indicators, and consumer buying decision factors. The reliability and validity of the instrument were ensured through pretesting and pilot studies. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS software. Reliability was confirmed through Cronbach's alpha values exceeding 0.7, while sampling adequacy and data suitability were validated using the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test and Bartlett's test of sphericity. Skewness and kurtosis assessments demonstrated data normality, which signifies values between -2 and +2. Key analytical methods included correlation analysis to explore relationships among variables, regression analysis to test hypothesized impacts, Process V4.2 extension towards mediation effect, and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the mediating role of brand trust. Findings reveal that sensory marketing significantly influences consumer buying decisions, with strong positive associations observed across all sensory dimensions. Brand trust emerged as a pivotal mediator, strengthening the link between sensory marketing and consumer decision-making. Specifically, sensory stimuli not only enhance immediate purchase intentions but also contribute to long-term trust in fast-food brands. Visual and olfactory elements were identified as the most influential sensory factors, while auditory and tactile elements showed moderate impacts. Furthermore, brand trust positively correlated with consumer loyalty, emphasizing its critical role in shaping consumer buying decisions. From a managerial perspective, the study underscores the importance of integrating sensory branding strategies into marketing frameworks to build brand trust and drive consumer decisions. Practical recommendations include prioritizing culturally resonant sensory elements and leveraging consumer feedback to refine sensory branding practices. Empirically, this research fills a critical gap in sensory marketing literature, particularly in the context of emerging markets like Sri Lanka. However, limitations include the use of convenience sampling, which may restrict the generalizability of findings, and the cross-sectional design, which limits insights into temporal dynamics. Future research could adopt longitudinal designs to explore the evolving role of sensory marketing over time, examine additional mediating variables such as customer satisfaction, and extend the scope to other industries or geographic regions. Ultimately, this study advances both academic and practical understandings of sensory marketing, offering actionable strategies for fast-food businesses in Sri Lanka to enhance consumer engagement and foster brand loyalty through trust-driven sensory experiences.Item The Impact of Online Consumer Reviews on Hotel Booking Intentions in Colombo City Hotels in Sri Lanka: The Moderating Role of Price Sensitivity with Special Reference to Gen Z Customers(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Kaluarachchi Liyanage, D. S.; Mirando, U. J.A growing reliance on the internet as an information source when choosing tourism products raises the need for more understanding of electronic word of mouth. The development of the internet and technology has provided the public with an open space to share their thoughts without any impediments. Consumers often rely on evaluations such as online reviews shared by other consumers when purchasing. Online reviews have emerged as a crucial marketing tool that offers a distinct advantage over traditional methods by fostering trust among consumers. Subsequently, previous studies have advanced our understanding of how eWOM drives the continued development of digital communication in different sectors. However, the results remain inconclusive. This discrepancy highlights a critical aperture in converting reviewer engagement into actionable consumer behavior. Moreover, existing literature is context-specific, and their results could have limited applicability in the diverse and competitive tourism market of Colombo. However, with the rapid advancement of the tourism industry in Sri Lanka, it is important to investigate how these factors interact with the consumer behavior of Gen Z travelers in the local context to improve booking results. Therefore, this study explores the impact of online consumer reviews (OCRs) on hotel booking intentions in Colombo City hotels, specifically focusing on Generation Z consumers. Adding to this complexity is the moderating role of price sensitivity, a concept that significantly affects tourists’ choice of tourism products. Although price sensitivity has been examined in various settings, its interplay with online consumer reviews and hotel booking intentions within the tourism and hospitality industry in Sri Lanka remains underexplored. Furthermore, these apertures underline the need for a focused investigation to optimize the effectiveness of managing OCRs in fostering both reviewer engagement and booking results. Employing a positive paradigm and a deductive approach, the research utilizes non-probability convenience sampling to gather insights from 385 Gen Z participants across the country. Data collection was conducted through a structured questionnaire designed to capture the interplay between OCR dimensions, including review source, quality, volume, recency, and valence to determine their influence on booking decisions. Regression analysis was employed to test the hypotheses, ensuring a robust examination of the proposed relationships. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between OCR and hotel booking intention with review quality and recency emerging as the most influential factors. Price sensitivity moderates this relationship emphasizing the importance of tailored pricing strategies for Gen Z who are both tech-savvy and budget-conscious. These results underscore the need for Colombo City hotels to refine their digital marketing efforts, focusing on authentic reviews and competitive pricing to attract this demographic. Consequently, the implications of this research are both theoretical and practical. Theoretically, it advances the understanding of eWOM by elucidating the role of price sensitivity as a moderator between consumer reviews and hotel booking intentions. Practically, it provides actionable recommendations for marketers in the Sri Lankan tourism and hospitality sector. Marketing professionals in Colombo City hotels must improve their strategies to offer a better experience to this consumer segment by upgrading their online review strategies, working on price sensitivity, making good use of social media, using local cultural experiences, and reviewing management practices. Future research could expand the scope by incorporating longitudinal designs and exploring diverse experimental designs to ascertain cause and effect. Despite its contributions, the study is not without limitations. Colombo City hotels that target Generation Z consumers restrict the findings of research from being generalized to other demographic groups, geographical locations, and accommodation types. Furthermore, many previous studies relied on self-reported data, which itself may exert some social desirability biases, recall errors, etc.Item The Impact of Greenwashing on Green Purchase Intention with The Moderating Effect of Green Skepticism in the Organic Food Industry in Sri Lanka(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Cooray, M. A. R.; Mirando, U. J.Green marketing has grown rapidly in recent years, and businesses have used it to outperform their competitors. Greenwashing has become a critical factor in the organic food industry, especially in developing country markets such as Sri Lanka, where consumer trust plays a crucial role in green purchasing intention. While previous studies have been conducted in Western countries, this study in Sri Lanka is an attempt to partially fill the discrepancy. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of greenwashing on green purchase intention while investigating green skepticism as a moderating variable in the organic food industry in Sri Lanka. The researcher can extend the moderating effect of the factor of green skepticism among greenwashing and green purchase intention, which has been less used in previous studies. The researcher has developed a conceptual framework to examine the impact of greenwashing and green purchase intention in the Organic Food Industry in Sri Lanka. The variable green skepticism is also considered to examine the moderating effect of the above relationship. This study has adopted a positivism research philosophy, and the researcher has used a quantitative methodological approach to examine causal relationships between the variables. This was cross-sectional descriptive research based on an online survey method and data were collected using a structured questionnaire and a 5-point Likert scale-based measure of the dimensions of greenwashing, green purchase intention and green skepticism. The questionnaire includes seven dimensions of greenwashing, five dimensions of green purchase intention and four dimensions of green skepticism. The sample consisted of 384 Sri Lankan consumer respondents. The researcher has used the convenience sample technique under the non-probability sampling method. Two hypotheses were developed based on literature and hypotheses were tested using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) with Hayes process model and simple regression analysis. After in-depth analysis, the researcher obtained the findings explained below. The study indicates that greenwashing has a significant negative impact on green purchase intention and significantly impacted green skepticism between greenwashing and green purchase intention in the organic food industry in Sri Lanka. This study’s results reveal that greenwashing impacts green purchase intention. The study highlights useful data to assist practitioners in addressing these issues and emphasizes the significance of decreasing greenwashing for increasing green purchase intention. The findings offer recommendations for further study in countries that are developing as well as implications for businesses that seek to increase the consumption of organic foods and decrease green skepticism. The researcher has considered only the moderating effect of green skepticism, as there may be other variables that mediate or moderate the relationship between greenwashing and green purchase intention. Future researchers could explore the mediating and moderating impact of other factors overlooked in the current study, such as perceived risks, environmental concerns, and customer attitudes, information and knowledge that might affect the association between greenwashing and green purchase intention.Item The Impact of Green Marketing Strategies towards Consumer buying intention: The Mediating Effect of Perceived Value with Special Reference to Food and Beverage Industry in Sri Lanka(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Kumara, V. R. P. O.; Mirando, U. J.Over the last few decades, environmental sustainability has risen to the top of the agendas of both worldwide and local businesses, and it has been acknowledged as a significant factor in the development of their strategies. More business organizations are now adopting green marketing strategies for their business processes. Considering the findings of previous studies, the importance of key factors such as eco-labeling, eco-packaging, environmental ads, and environmentally friendly brand image was investigated to highlight the role that these elements play in fostering sustainable consumer behavior. Strong emphasis on the significance of consumer buying intentions as a significant factor in determining purchasing decisions. On the other hand, in the real world, there is a significant deviation between what is expected of the organization about the implementation of green marketing strategies such as green packaging, labelling, and other activities, and the value that the consumer experienced and perception to be connected with that particular product. Previous studies have demonstrated that green marketing strategies have a significant effect on the consumers' intentions to make purchases. While some studies investigated the influence that eco-labeling has on perceptions of sensory quality and desire to make a purchase. Others investigated the function that the green marketing mix has in influencing consumers' intentions to make a purchase. However, there is no attempt to place sufficient emphasis on perceived value as a mediator. Therefore, this study attempts to fill in the available variation gap that previously existed by exploring the impact that green marketing strategies have on purchase intentions, with perceived value serving as the mediator. This study focuses on social behavior, specifically purchasing information, using positivism as a philosophical approach. The deductive method is used to construct a hypothesis, and the study uses a questionnaire survey for data collection. The quantitative strategy allows for statistical analysis and identification of patterns and correlations between variables. The sample size is 403. The population is selected through non-probability and convenience sampling. To make statistical results, which are made available by SPSS. This study has explored green marketing strategies has significant impact on consumer buying intention, green marketing strategies has significant impact on perceived value, perceived value has significant impact on consumer buying intention, perceived value has significant impact as mediating role between green marketing strategies and consumer buying intention in food and beverage industry in Sri Lanka. Importantly, there are discrepancies in functional, emotional, and monetary value in the food and beverage industry in Sri Lanka, which makes it difficult for consumers to accept environmentally friendly marketing strategies. Consumers think that there are compromises in quality, that there is not enough emotional pleasure, and that there is a mismatch between the expenses and the advantages. To solve this issue, businesses should improve product quality through the implementation of green initiatives, make investments in research and development for environmentally friendly packaging, establish cross-functional teams for innovation, and carry out powerful marketing efforts to modify consumer preferences and increase sales intents. Additionally, it provides insights that are relevant to the industry on eco-labeling, eco-packaging, and environmentally friendly branding. Furthermore, previous studies have highlighted the impact that green marketing has on consumers' intentions to make purchases, but they have not focused on perceived value as a mediator. The purpose of this study is to fill this vacuum by investigating how perceived value, functional, emotional, and monetary factors act as a mediator in the interaction between green marketing techniques and consumer behavior in the food and beverage industry in Sri Lanka. The study used 403 responses but may not represent the entire population. A larger sample size could improve generalizability and provide stronger insights. The quantitative approach may not fully understand consumer motivations, perceptions, and emotions and may not cover diverse consumer beliefs across demographics or socioeconomic groups. The study's cross-sectional design may miss changing consumer attitudes and habits over time. Additionally, the concept of perceived value may be limited to functional or environmental value, and self-report bias may affect the accuracy of the findings. This research, which was conducted with the participation of 403 individuals, focuses on green marketing techniques, perceived value, and customer purchasing intentions in the food and beverage business. In a subsequent study, the sample size might be increased, a wider range of sectors could be investigated, other aspects of perceived value such as Epistemic value and social value could be implemented, qualitative research methods could be utilized, and longitudinal research designs could be adopted to learn more about consumer behavior.Item Investigating the Omnichannel Integration on Customer Value: The Moderating Effect of Technological Advancement in Retail Context in Sri Lanka(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Sandunika, S. A. L.; Mirando, U. J.Omnichannel integration is emerging as a key aspect for proving better value to customers in their retail shopping journey. The study has identified a specific issue as the research problem regarding the customer buying process. The researcher has studied how omni-channel integration impacts on customer value in a retail setting, with effects of technological advancements. Although an omnichannel strategy ensures seamless experiences in retailing, in a practical scenario, there are some difficulties that customer has to face in the omnichannel buying process. The customer is unable to get a seamless experience due to those inefficiencies in the omnichannel retailing process such as inconsistent inventory management and disparity of marketing and promotion activities. This has been identified as the practical gap in study. Consequently, researchers have explained that there is an empirical deviation regarding the moderating effect of technological advancement. Although technological advancement influences the relationship between channel integration and customer value, there is a lack of studies that prove that relationship. In addition to that, the researcher has provided an in-depth review of the literature by outlining and evaluating previous studies that have been done on the study’s variables. Based on that, an advanced explanation has been provided regarding omnichannel integration, customer value and the impact of technological advancements. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to explore the impact of omnichannel integration on customer value in the retail context. According to the methodology selection, the research design includes an explanation of research philosophy, approach, and strategy. The study uses a survey strategy, and a deductive approach based on positivism to investigate how omnichannel integration affects consumer value with the impact of technological advancement. Apart from that, a conceptual framework has been developed by showing the relationship between the study’s variables. According to this study, “Omnichannel integration” is the main independent variable, “Customer Value” is the dependent variable and “Technological Advancement” moderates the relationship between the two. The independent variable has four sub variables namely Integrated Promotion, Integrated Product & price, Integrated Information Access and Integrated order fulfilment. The researcher has built up hypotheses based on the relationships between independent variable, sub variables and dependent variable and moderating relationship as well. In addition to that, the study uses a cross-sectional time horizon in which data is collected at a specific moment to analyze the relationship among variables. The researcher has used a non-probability, convenience sampling method to gather data. The sample size was 384 in this study. Hence, a structured questionnaire with both open-ended and close-ended questions that were created using a 5-point Likert scale has been shared with 384 consumers in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, the survey design allows for quantitative analysis of the collected data to examine the research problem and hypotheses effectively. The data analysis of this study has done using IBM SPSS 27, starting with data cleaning and rejecting incomplete 05 responses. The variables were coded and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the demographic information of respondents. The data was cleaned through missing value analysis and outlier removal, followed by testing for normality, linearity, multicollinearity and homoscedasticity. Furthermore, using Cronbach’s alpha, reliability was assessed with an acceptable range of 0.6 to 0.8 indicating consistent measurement across variables. Every Cronbach's Alpha score shows that the data used in this investigation was reliable. The KMO test was used to assess each variable's validity independently. Every indicator under every variable type was found to produce a higher KMO value. There was a strong and positive correlation between the independent, moderating and dependent variables since all of the Pearson values were greater than 0.90. The hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analysis and all hypotheses were accepted through the analysis. Finally, study provides significant theoretical and practical implications regarding omnichannel integration and customer value in the retail sector in Sri Lanka. Theoretically, it extends existing theories by investigating how technology innovations such as mobile apps, real-time data and artificial intelligence act in influencing how customers perceive value across multichannel. Further, previous studies have explored the omni-channel concept and customer value separately and previous researchers have examined the concepts such as the impact of omnichannel integration on customer experience, opportunities and challengers of omnichannel businesses. On the other hand, researcher suggests that businesses should adapt technological advancements to enhance customer value through efficient shopping experiences under the practical implications. According to the researcher, this includes aligning consistence promotions across all channels, improving inventory management and ensuring a consistent customer experience. However, this study has limitations, including a small sample size and limited geographic coverage. Hence, future research can address the role of psychological factors such as trust and emotional engagement in customer value and how it varies across different demographic groups. Moreover, this study contributes to the expanding volume of research on omnichannel retailing and provides practitioners with practical advice on how to succeed in a market that is becoming more digitalized and competitive.Item Investigate the Impact of Brand Identification on Brand Evangelism with the Mediating Effect of Online Brand Community Engagement with Special Reference to the Retail Fashion Industry in Sri Lanka(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Wijesinghe, G. K. G. D.; Mirando, U. J.Digital marketing is crucial because it enables businesses to effectively reach and engage their target audience online, driving growth and measurable results in a cost-efficient manner. This study examines the mediating role of online brand community engagement in the relationship between brand identification and brand evangelism within the Sri Lankan retail fashion industry. Despite the increasing significance of online brand communities in enhancing consumer loyalty and emotional connections, significant performance deviation persists in their practical implementation within this industry. While previous studies have explored these dynamics separately, limited empirical focus exists on their interrelations, especially in localized contexts such as Sri Lanka. A review of existing literature reveals gaps in understanding the interplay between brand identification, online brand community engagement, and brand evangelism, particularly given the unique cultural and economic characteristics of Sri Lankan retail fashion industry. In light of these discrepancies, this study aims to fill them by analyzing how brand identification impacts on brand evangelism with the mediating effect of online brand community engagement. The research adopted a positive philosophy, utilizing a deductive approach to test predefined hypotheses. A structured quantitative methodology was employed, with data gathered via a cross-sectional survey of 390 participants, selected through convenience sampling. The questionnaire, developed using established measures and validated through pilot testing, focused on brand identification, online brand community engagement, and brand evangelism. Data was analyzed using SPSS software, employing multiple regression to examine relationships and mediation effects. This rigorous methodology ensures the validity and reliability of findings, contributing to a robust understanding of consumer behaviors within the studied context. Key findings indicate a significant positive relationship between brand identification and brand evangelism, mediated effectively by online brand community engagement. Consumers with strong brand identification demonstrate higher levels of brand evangelism when actively engaged in brand communities. The study underscores the role of emotional and cognitive dimensions in fostering brand loyalty and highlights how strategic community-building initiatives can amplify brand evangelism. These results emphasize the necessity of integrating digital platforms to leverage consumer-brand relationships effectively, ensuring a competitive edge in the Sri Lankan retail fashion industry. Managerially, the findings provide actionable insights for enhancing brand strategies in digital ecosystems. Companies are encouraged to focus on fostering engaging online brand communities to strengthen consumer-brand connections. Further, empirically, the study extends theoretical frameworks by integrating mediating variables in the relationship between brand identification and brand evangelism. However, limitations include the use of non-probability sampling and the restriction to the Sri Lankan context, potentially affecting generalizability. Moreover, research could explore longitudinal approaches, diverse cultural settings, and additional mediators to deepen the understanding of these dynamics.Item Impact of Tik Tok Influencers' Endorsements on Consumer Purchase Intention with an Emphasis on Local Restaurant Brands in Sri Lanka(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Atigala, D. D. D.; Mirando, U. J.Social media has a significant impact on how the modern world is built and influenced, affecting many aspects of human behavior, connection, and communication. Particularly among younger generations, TikTok is one of the most popular and active social networking sites. TikTok is an app that lets users follow and discover other people who share their interests, as well as share images and videos with their followers and also explore and follow other users with similar interests. TikTok had more than 1.5 billion monthly active users as of October 2023, making it the third most used social media platform after Facebook & YouTube. TikTok is not only a medium for personal expression and social networking but also a potent tool for marketing and advertising. TikTok is widely used by companies and brands to interact with their consumers, showcase their goods and services, and increase brand awareness and loyalty. In the realm of local restaurant brands within Sri Lanka, the impact of TikTok influencer endorsements on consumer purchase intention remains a relatively unexplored territory. This research aims to fill this gap in knowledge by investigating the influence of TikTok influencers on consumers' purchasing decisions within the Western province of Sri Lanka, specifically focusing on the context of local restaurant brands. By shedding light on this under-researched area, this study seeks to provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of influencer marketing strategies in the Sri Lankan Food market. Drawing upon quantitative research design, this study employed non-probability sampling and distributed a structured questionnaire via Google Forms and various social media platforms. The questionnaire incorporated 5-point Likert scales to capture respondents' perceptions regarding the impact of TikTok influencer endorsements on their purchase intention towards local restaurant brands. A robust dataset comprising 390 responses was collected from individuals aged 18 to 55 years and above. The Western province of Sri Lanka serves as the population of interest for this research. However, due to the limited existing research on the population, reliable information regarding its size remains unavailable. This study focuses on consumers residing in the Western province who actively use TikTok as a social media platform and exhibit a keen interest in local restaurant brands, forming a target demographic likely to be influenced by TikTok influencer endorsements. The results of this study revealed that factors such as likeability, expertise, and attractiveness associated with TikTok influencer endorsements have a positive and significant impact on consumers' purchase intention for local restaurant brands within the Sri Lankan market. However, interestingly, the credibility factor was found to have no significant impact on consumers' purchase intention. By addressing the dearth of research on the impact of TikTok influencer endorsements specifically within the Sri Lankan market of local restaurant brands, this study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of influencer marketing dynamics. The insights gained from this research will assist local restaurant brands in formulating effective marketing strategies to leverage the power of TikTok influencers, capitalizing on factors such as likeability, expertise, and attractiveness to enhance their competitiveness within the Sri Lankan market.