Mr.

D. T. Ratnayake

Orchid ID 0000-0001-5854-4957

Senior Lecturer Grade I

Department of Marketing Management

dilan@sjp.ac.lk

BIO

Dilan Rathnayake is a senior lecturer attached to the Department of Marketing Management. He is an associate fellow of the higher education academy, UK. He holds a bachelor's degree in Marketing from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, an MBA from the Postgraduate Institute of Management and a Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methodology in Business and Management from the University of Strathclyde, UK.

Dilan has a strong research focus on consumer culture, consumer identity, and social media. His broader research interests extend to consumer ethics and tourism, exploring how evolving digital landscapes shape consumer behaviour. While his earlier research employed quantitative techniques, including structural equation modelling (SEM), he is now keen on leveraging qualitative and novel analytical methods. His current work incorporates narratives, digital ethnography, sentiment analysis, and social network analysis, offering deeper insights into consumer behaviour in digital spaces.

Passionate about bridging theory with real-world applications, Dilan continuously explore emerging methodologies to enhance consumer research in today’s dynamic marketing environment.

TEACHING INTERESTS

  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Research Methodology
  • Product and Brand Management
  • Consumer Psychology in the Digital Era
  • Applied Consumer Analytics
  • AI in Marketing

RESEARCH INTERESTS

  • Digital Consumer culture
  • Consumer identity in digital spaces
  • Consumers and social media affordances
  • Social networks and social media influencers
  • Applications of digital methods
  • Sentiment analysis and network analysis

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methodology for Business & Management, University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom (2021)
  • Master of Business Administration, Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka (2015)
  • B.Sc. Marketing Management (Special), University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka (2011)

AWARDS & HONOURS

  • Australia Awards Fellowship
    Awarded by Department Foriegn Affairs and Trade, Australia (Hosted by the Monash University)
  • Best Research Paper Award (Track: Marketing Strategies in Platform Society)
    Awarded by International Conference on Business Management 2025, University of Sri Jayewardenepura

PUBLICATIONS

Journal Article

Investigating perceptions of Sri Lanka’s Tourism Image via Travel Blog Narratives: A Netnographic Examination

2025-08-22 Sri Lanka Journal of Social Sciences

Conference Paper

Networked Celebrification on Instagram: The Role of Follower-Generated Content in the Cultural Production of Instagram Mega-Influencer Brands

2025 21st International Conference on Business Management (ICBM 2025)

Rathnayake, DT

Conference Paper

Exploring Sri Lankas Tourist Image Perceptions through Travel Blog Narratives: A Netnographic Study

2024 20th International Conference on Business Management (ICBM 2025)

Chandralal, KPL; Jayawickrama, WDC; Wickramasooriya, LHT de S; Rathnayake, DT ; Chathuranga, BTK

Journal Article

Assembling tribes on instagram: analysis of a mega-influencer follower-generated hashtag network

2022 Advances in Consumer Research

Rathnayake, Dilan and Tonner, Andrea and Eckler, Petya

Conference Paper

Social media influencers as human brands: insights from an analysis of a mega-influencer follower-generated hashtag network on Instagram

2022 Academy of Marketing Conference: The Fabric of Life

Rathnayake, DT; Tonner, A; Eckler, P

Journal Article

Gen Y consumers brand loyalty: a brand romance perspective

2021 Marketing Intelligence & Planning

Rathnayake, Dilan Tharindu

Journal Article

Religious Orientation and Alcohol Purchase Intention: an Empirical Investigation of Sri Lankan Male Consumers

2020 Vidyodaya Journal of Management

Chathuranga, BTK and Rathnayake, DT

Journal Article

Impact of fashion involvement and hedonic consumption on impulse buying tendency of Sri Lankan apparel consumers: the moderating effect of age and gender

2020 NSBM Journal of Management

Colombage, VK and Rathnayake, DT

Journal Article

What have they heard? Pre-visit Image of Sri Lanka as a Tourist Destination.

2019 South Asian Journal of Management

Siriwardana, Sajith and Chaminda, JW and Rathnayake, Dilan T

Journal Article

Religiosity and Consumer Ethical Beliefs

2017 Sri Lankan Journal of Management

Rathnayake, DT and Jayakody, JASK and Jayawardana, AKL

Journal Article

Factors affecting consumer conformity behavior in virtual communities; with special reference to generation “Y” in Sri Lanka

2017 SEUSL Journal of Marketing

Piumali, PLWGSD and Rathnayake, DT

Conference Paper

Social media usage of Sri Lankan consumers: compulsive consumption perspective

2017 15th Annual Academic Sessions OUSL

Rathnayake, Tharindu Hasantha and Rathnayake, Dilan Tharindu

Conference Paper

Facebook usage of Sri Lankan consumers: An addictive consumption perspective of social media

2017 3rd Works-In-Progress Conference “IPScholars Asia 2017”

Rathnayake, TH; Rathnayake, DT

Administrative Assignments

Chairman - Web and Social Media Committee, Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce

2024.01.23 - Up to now

Oversee the coordination of FMSC website development/administration and FMSC social media presence, ensuring alignment with the IT Management Policy of the university.

Co-editor in Chief - Asian Journal of Marketing Management

2023.11.08 - Up to now

Overseeing the peer-review process, upholding academic integrity, collaborating on content selection, advising on journal strategy, promoting the journal, encouraging scholarly contributions, and ensuring timely communication and publication.

MEDIA APPEARANCES

Television

Balancing income and expenses for a better personal life - Siyatha TV

2025.01.03 https://youtu.be/tGCyNOPmlTo?si=fnFRT99ts0l1C4y0

This live discussion explores practical strategies for balancing income and expenses in everyday life.