Document is current

Article History

Received: 21 December 2024

Accepted: 2 September 2025

First Online: 6 October 2025

Competing interests

: The authors declare no competing interests.

: This study received formal ethical clearance from the SLIIT Ethics Review Board of the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) and the SLIIT Business School. The ethical permission, with reference number PVC/RI/MBA/2024/06, was granted on February 23, 2024. The permission addressed every aspect of the study, including recruiting participants, conducting interviews and surveys, and collecting, archiving, and analyzing data. Qualitative interviews and structured feedback surveys were administered as part of the authorized research procedure in order to collect participant experiences and perspectives. Prior to participating in the feedback survey, all participants received an information sheet explaining the purpose, procedure, and voluntary nature of the study. Written informed consent was obtained from each participant between April and June 2024. Participants were informed that their participation was voluntary, that they could withdraw at any point without any consequence, and that there were no incentives provided. The online interviews were carried out in a non-intrusive, confidential, and respectful manner. Secure online platforms were used for all interviews, based on participant accessibility and preference. Interviewers received instruction regarding ethical research practices, including how to preserve integrity, obtain informed consent, and ensure participant privacy. All identifying information, including names, was removed from the transcripts to ensure anonymity and confidentiality. The consent process and storage of signed forms were properly documented and securely stored. All procedures involving human participants were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the institution and the 1964 Helsinki Declaration, including its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Participation was entirely voluntary, and confidentiality was rigorously maintained throughout the study.

: Everyone who participated in the survey and semi-structured interview was thoroughly informed about the research, including the objective of the study, the steps involved in the survey, and the online interview process. participation’s voluntary nature, their freedom to decline or withdraw at any time without repercussions, and the confidentiality safeguards in place. It further announced that no payments or incentives would be provided. Each individual in this study gave written consent prior to the feedback survey, and an audio-recorded verbal consent was conducted at an online interviewing platform. The consent process was documented. Consent covered participation in the study, consent to audio recording of interviews, and consent for the analysis and publication of anonymised data for scholarly research. Additionally, participants were made aware that all data would be anonymised after transcription and that no personally identifying information would be published. In addition to no participant reporting any difficulty or distress during or after their participation, there were no withdrawals from the study. Institutional ethical guidelines pertaining to the preservation of participants in research were completely adhered to by the study.