Inability to explore the full potential of available resources is evident in majority of
organisations in developing countries. The reasons for this low productivity are industry
specific and dependent on factors unique to the socio economic conditions of the country.
The main purpose of this study was to explore the underlying causes for the low
productivity in Sri Lankan manufacturing sector. The study analysed quantitative data from
a questionnaire survey carried out in selected medium and large scale manufacturing
organisations. The structured questionnaire survey was conducted to assess the extent to
which identified factors contributed to low productivity in the organisations. Respondents
were chosen based on years of employment (>1 year) in the organization and whether they
are directly dealing with the activities of the production process. Out of 30 respondents,
60% agreed that, ineffective resource utilization, poor information flow and nonproductive/unnecessary
activities as the main factors that contribute to low productivity.
Focusing on an organised workplace, systematic production processes, standardised quality
assurance practices and production methods will greatly help Sri Lankan manufacturing
organizations to be more productive