L &/ 
SI 
A FOCUS GROUP STUDY ON LOCAL LANGUAGE 
COMPUTING IN SMES' 
By 
M.W.L Perera 
LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY OF MORATUWA. SRI LAft)t# 
MORATUWA 
The Dissertation was submitted to the Department of Computer Science 
& Engineering of the University of Moratuwa in partial fulfillment of the 
requirement for the Degree of Master of Business Administration. 
Department of Computer Science & Engineering 
University of Moratuwa 
December 2006 
Univi of Moratuwa 
89452 TH 
89452 
DECLARATION 
"I certify that this thesis does not incorporate without acknowledgement any material 
previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any university to the best of my 
knowledge and belief it does not contain any material previously published, written or 
orally communicated by another person or myself except where due reference is made 
in the text. I also hereby give consent for my dissertation, if accepted, to be made 
available for photocopying and for interlibrary loans, and for the title and summary to 
be made available to outside organizations" 
Signature of the Candidate Date 
To the best of my knowledge, the above particulars are correct. 
Supervisor 
ABSTRACT 
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are regarded as a powerful tool 
for gaining competitive advantage in any industry. Even though our population has 
high literacy level, many Sri Lankans are not fully-fledged computer users. Therefore 
the advantages of using these technologies are limited to a privileged few. Although 
most ICT related products and services are based on English language, the majority of 
the society who would benefit from these technologies is not English conversant. 
This is a principal reason behind the digital divide in society where some social 
groups lack access to ICT. One social group that does not use computers and internet 
are individuals and organizations that can afford them but lack English language 
knowledge and also lack awareness of available local language ICTs. 
The objective of this research is to find out whether the ICT penetration level in the 
country may be increased using local language ICT. 
As the first part of the research we conducted a survey of the current state of Sinhala 
language computer applications in Sri Lanka. We have identified the major local 
language application vendors, and their products. We also obtained the views of the 
vendors on the issues facing the industry. 
In the second part of the research, we surveyed the use of local language computing 
by a number of small and medium-scale industries (SMEs) outside Colombo in 
several sectors. We also obtained their views on the obstacles to the greater use of 
LLC. 
We then analyzed whether the lack of local language computing products is an 
obstacle to the greater use of ICTs in this country. 
Based on these surveys, we conducted a SWOT analysis and derived 
recommendations for strategies to be taken to improve local language computing in 
the country. 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 
The following research dissertation was completed with the help of the people known 
and unknown to me. I would like to extend my heart-felt gratitude to each and every 
one of them. Most importantly, I would like to express a special appreciation to the 
following individuals and companies. First of all to my project supervisor Dr. Gihan 
Dias, for the guidance and support extended to me during the research project. I would 
like to thanks Ms.Vishaka Nanayakkara, The Head of CSE and Dr. Chathura de Silva 
the Course co-ordinator MBA in IT and all the faculty members of the Department of 
Computer Science and Management of Technology at the University of Moratuwa and 
all my colleagues for participating in the mock survey and giving me valuable advice 
and feedback on the research. Gathering information relating to Local Language 
Computing and SME sectors is concerned, I wish to express my sincere gratitude 
towards the companies and individuals for giving the valuable information and 
suggestions during the research survey, specially to Mr. Rohan at Science Land (Pvt) 
Ltd., Mr. Harsha Wijerwardene of UCSC, Mr. Fayaz and Ms. Aruni Goonatilake at 
ICTA and all the members of Sinhala Unicode Google group. Most of the information 
was extracted from the Internet, and I am thankful for those individuals who are 
willing to share information and ideas through the World Wide Web. 
I would like to thank all my colleagues at DMS Software Technologies (Pvt) Ltd, 
including my managers Mr. Lahiru Karunaratne and Mr. Kumar Abeysundere for the 
support given to me during my two years of MBA studies, by releasing me from my 
duties whenever I requested for. A special thank to my friends Geethika and Anu 
Bambarawanage for helping me in proof reading the research report. 
Finally I would like to express my heart-felt gratitude to Mrs. Srima Dissanayake, The 
Chairperson and the Board of Directors of the Gamini Dissanayake Foundation for 
giving me an opportunity to step into the world of Information Technology. Last but 
not least I would like to mention my parents, who were encouraging and supporting 
me, during the period of research study as well as during the postgraduate studies for 
nearly two years. 
iv 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
DECLARATION I I 
ABSTRACT I l l 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IV 
TABLE OF CONTENTS V 
^ LIST OF FIGURES V I I I 
LIST OF TABLES IX 
ABBREVIATIONS X 
1. INTRODUCTION 1 
1.1. BACKGROUND 1 
1.1.1. Digital Divide 3 
1.1.2. Digital Divide in Sri Lankan Context 4 
1.2. RESEARCH TOPIC 5 
1.2.1. I terat ion-0 5 
~ 1.2.2. Iteration-1 6 
1.2.3. I terat ion-2 6 
1.2.4. Final Research Topic 7 
1.3. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 7 
1.4. RESEARCH PURPOSE & SIGNIFICANCE 8 
1.5. RESEARCH SCOPE 8 
2. L ITERATURE REVIEW 9 
2.1. INTRODUCTION 9 
2.2. INTERNATIONALIZATION (11 8N) 9 
2.3. LOCALIZATION (L18N) 10 
2.3.1. Local Language computing (LLC) 10 
2.3.2. Why Local Language COMPUTING? 10 
2.3.3. Local Language Computing in Other countries 10 
2.3.4. Local Language Computing in Sri Lanka 12 
2.3.5. Sinhala/Tamil Languages 13 
2.3.6. Unicode 14 
2 . 4 . SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SME) 1 5 
2.4.1 . ICT penetration level of Sri Lankan SME's 16 
3. FRAMEWORK 18 
3 . 1 . INTRODUCTION 1 8 
3 . 2 . CONCEPTUAL M O D E L 1 8 
3 . 3 . DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS AND VARIABLES 2 0 
. 3 .3 .1 . Will ingness of ICT Usage 20 
3.3.2. ICT Literacy 20 
3.3.3. English Knowledge 21 
3.3.4. Social/ Economical Factors 21 
3.3.5. Necessity 21 
3.3.6. Awareness among the Public on LLC 22 
3.3.7. Availability o f Local Language supported ICT 22 
3 . 4 . QUESTIONNAIRE 2 2 
3.4 .1 . Relationship of Questionnaire questions to the Objectives 23 
3 . 5 . OPERATIONALIZATION O F CONCEPTS A N D VARIABLES 2 6 
3 . 6 . SAMPLE SELECTION 2 7 
£ 3 . 7 . RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 2 8 
3 . 8 . LIMITATIONS 2 9 
3 . 9 . Sou RCE OF D A T A 2 9 
4 . SURVEY RESULTS 30 
4 . 1 . INTRODUCTION 3 0 
4 . 2 . PRIMARY RESULTS 3 1 
4 . 3 . SME SECTOR QUESTIONNAIRE 3 6 
4 . 4 . SECONDARY RESULTS 4 1 
& 4 . 5 . EAVLUATING THE OBJECTIVES 4 2 
4 . 6 . SUMMARY 4 3 
5. DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS 4 4 
5 . 1 . INTRODUCTION 4 4 
5 . 2 . ACHEVING THE OBJECTIVES 4 5 
5.2.1. Analyze the current status o f local language supported ICT product and service providers/vendors in the 
market (products, vendors, Service Providers etc.) 45 
5.2.2. S W O T analysis for the current local language supported software and identify the future trend in the 
market for those product 46 
5.2.3. Analyze the obstacles in the industry preventing the penetration o f ICT and finding ways to over come 
those obstacles 48 
5.2.4. Find out ways to increase the ICT penetration level in the market using current local language supported 
software. (Propose a mechanism) 50 
6. CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS & FUTURE RESEARCH.... 55 
6 . 1 . INTRODUCTION 5 5 
6 . 2 . FUTURE RESEARCH 5 9 
7. REFERENCES 61 
8. ANNEXTURE 64 
8 . 1 . A N N E X T U R E I: 6 4 
QUESTIONS FOR THE LOCAL LANGUAGE SUPPORTED SOFTWARE 6 4 
8 .2 . A N N E X T U R E I I : 6 5 
QUESTIONS FOR THE SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ( S M E ) - SINHALA VERSION 
6 5 
8 . 3 . A N N E X T U R E I I I : 6 5 
QUESTIONS FOR THE SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ( S M E ) 6 5 
vii 
LIST OF FIGURES 
Figure 1: Computer literacy of household population 1 
Figure 2: Percentage of households with computers by province 2 
Figure 3: Awareness of household members about internet 3 
Figure 4: UNICODE Sinhala Character Chart 15 
Figure 5: ICT usage related factors 19 
Figure 6 : Relationship among the Factors affecting & Willingness of ICT Usage... 19 
Figure 7: Conceptual model 20 
Figure 8: Key steps in the research process 29 
Figure 9: Participants Customer base analysis 32 
Figure 10: Market of the Sample group selected 37 
Figure 11: Participants Customer base analysis 46 
viii 
LIST OF TABLES 
Table 1: Key Indicator of Telecommunication 5 
Table 2: Small and Medium Enterprise headcount and turnover limit 16 
Table 3: Operationalization of Concepts and Variables 27 
Table 4: Survey questionnaire results summary 30 
Table 5: Answers for the customer base 32 
Table 6: Answers for type of business 34 
Table 7: Answers for market they serve 37 
Table 8: Answers for Number of employees and computers 37 
Table 9: Answers for Internet usage 38 
Table 10: Answers for Internet usage draw back/difficulties in using IT 38 
Table 11: Answers for average number of people using computers 39 
Table 12: Answers for reason for not use computers 39 
Table 13: Answers for awareness of LLC 39 
Table 14: Answers for usage of LLC 40 
Table 15: Answers for benefit of LLC 40 
Table 16: Number of Employees vs. Number of Computers 42 
Table 17: Summary of Participant s 43 
Table 18: SWOT Analysis 47 
t Table 19: Major Issues in SWOT 50 
Table 20: Players and LLC product/services 51 
ix 
ABBREVIATIONS 
CANLIT Committee on Adaptation of National Languages in IT 
CINTEC Computer and Information Technology Council 
EU European Union 
FOSS Free and Opens Source Software 
I18N Internationalization 
ICT Information and Communication Technology 
ICTA Information and Communication Technology Agency 
L18N Localization 
LLC Local Language Computing 
MSN Microsoft Network 
NARESA Natural Resources, Energy and Science Authority 
OS Operating System 
PDA Personal Digital Assistant 
POS Point of Sale 
SME Small and Medium Enterprises 
SWOT Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats 
UCSC University of Colombo School of Computing 
WTO World Trade Organization 
X