PhD in Business Management postgraduate alumni

Dr Dehiwalage Anne Sharmini Perera names responsibility towards community and sustainability among her most valuable learning experiences in the course of her research programme at Management and Science University (MSU).

A native of Sri Lanka, she had come to MSU’s Graduate School of Management (GSM) with a Master’s degree earned from Edith Cowan University in Australia during a ten-year career at Dialog Axiata – Sri Lanka’s largest mobile telecommunications company. She graduated from Management and Science University (MSU) in 2014 with a Doctor of Philosophy (Management/Business) degree and a specialization in Tourism Management.

“After the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka, the tourism industry started to grow. I wanted to move into tourism by starting my own business in the field while I continue on as a Corporate Trainer and a Management Consultant with my corporate experience. I searched for an institution that could support me to gain broader knowledge of tourism and hospitality, and found MSU.”

World Top 28 in Hospitality and Leisure Management

Sri Lanka's Sigiriya or Sinhagiri (Lion Rock in Sinhalese) which shares its etymology with Sinhapura – the Sanskrit name of Singapore or Lion City – is an ancient fortress that has been declared a UNESCO heritage site. The research conducted by the-then doctoral candidate centred on heritage tourism; with a conceptual model identifying the link between tourist motivation, satisfaction, and loyalty.

“My areas of interest were tourism development, human resource management, and organizational behavior. One of the main findings from my research on Sigiriya was that apart from its magnificent structural engineering, the 'nature' experience was the most significant element that makes visitors value the heritage site. As it is a treasured icon of Sri Lanka tourism and history, Sigiriya's sustainability is of utmost importance; managing its visitor capacity and ensuring protection of the surrounding natural wild habitat, while enhancing services for the ultimate visitor experience."

Today, while managing her tourism business, she juggles her corporate-trainer career with management coaching, mentoring, and lecturing. Dr Dehiwalage Anne Sharmini Perera heads the Faculty of Business Studies at the Sri Lanka Technological Campus (SLTC) and is also a visiting lecturer to the Tourism Study Programmes at the University of Colombo Department of Economics.

“A favourite part other than the knowledge and research ability gained at MSU was the opportunity to be involved in the University’s community engagements. It developed the humanistic skills you need to be responsible towards society and sustainability. What I would like to achieve next for immense career satisfaction is to support the development of social entrepreneurship while managing my work-life balance,” she smiles.