Date of Award

2025

Degree Name

Doctor of Business Administration

First Supervisor

Dr David Wong

Second Supervisor

Professor Werner Soontiens

Abstract

The Australian organic agriculture industry is thriving, with 9.9% of its agricultural land certified organic and production concentrated in fruit, vegetables, meat, and dairy, collectively valued at over AUD 2 billion. At the same time, South Asia, including Sri Lanka, is experiencing significant growth in organic agriculture markets. In 1994, Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) was discovered among Sri Lankan paddy farmers. Research in 2012 linked it to hard water, pesticides, and heavy metals, triggering a pesticide ban and the ‘A Pesticides Free Nation’ program. This study analyses consumer buying behaviour for organic food in Sri Lanka, focusing on health-related issues, imported Australian organic food, differences between rural and urban consumers, and government efforts to promote organic food production and consumption. The extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) analyses consumer behaviour regarding organic food, highlighting its predictive value over the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA).The study extends the Theory of Planned Behaviour by incorporating organic knowledge, consumer trust, and context‑specific moderators such as certification, promotional programs, safety risk, and country‑of‑origin effects, thereby capturing behavioural influences that the Theory of Reasoned Action and the original TPB do not explain.

The study examines the effects of attitude, social norms, perceived behavioural control, and organic knowledge on buying behaviour for both domestic and imported Australian organic food. It considers moderating effects of promotions, certification, and country of origin. Using mixed research methodology, Colombo (urban) and Anuradhapura (rural) sampling, it leverages in-depth interviews and phenomenology to develop a conceptual framework. A cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire survey (800 responses) is conducted to estimate the model and capture rural-urban differentiation.

Using NVIVO 12® for qualitative data analysis, identified consumer trust as a key factor. Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modelling facilitated the quantitative analysis. The emphasis of the study rests on the insights generated through the mixed‑method approach, in which the qualitative phase confirms the adoptability of the research model and identifies new dimensions of consumer behaviour in Sri Lanka, including the central role of consumer trust. The quantitative phase subsequently estimates the model within the current Sri Lankan context, and the resulting insights provide a deeper understanding of the behavioural drivers shaping organic food demand in the country.

Results show that attitude, social norms, and behavioural control influence domestic buying behaviour, moderated by promotions and certification. Likewise social norms, organic knowledge, and consumer trust affect imported buying behaviour, moderated by country of origin and certification. Significant rural-urban differences were found whilst highlighting the importance of health awareness, social norms, and consumer trust, yet emphasizing Australia’s identity of supplying high-quality organic products to Sri Lanka.

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