Impacts of culture to the post disaster reconstruction projects in Sri Lanka : research methodological perspective

Abstract

Post Disaster Reconstruction (PDR) is a very important, complex and highly demanding process, including well-planned set of activities done by well experienced construction professionals. One of the main challenges that affects the success of PDR projects is not managing the cultural aspects of the community. Lack of consideration for community culture end up with cultural incompatible solutions that lead to failure of PDR projects. Sri Lanka has a unique culture with a vast cultural diversity, therefore a detailed study on the impact of culture on PDR projects needs to be carried out to identify the reasons for the failures. Since the community cultural impact on the PDR projects in Sri Lankan context is different from other countries, this study should be carried out by following a proper research methodology that has the capability of addressing the research problem in detail. Accordingly, this paper highlights the aspects which have been covered when designing a feasible research methodology for the study under consideration. Choice of methodology mainly depends on the research topic and the specific research question. Methodological perspectives of managing cultural expectations of PDR projects in Sri Lanka are composed of research philosophies, research strategy, research design, and research techniques. This paper demonstrates how these methodological components are achieved by using the case study research strategy. The importance of case study design in gaining the maximum outcome from the study has also been discussed. Furthermore, the paper reveals the experience of the researcher in addressing the challenges faced during the study.