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Faculty of Business and Communication Studies
Office: EB 2030
Phone: 403.440.8644
Email: utennakoon@mtroyal.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/uthpala-stennakoon
Degrees
PhD - Human Resources and Organizational Dynamics -University of Calgary, Canada
MBA - Management of Technology - University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
BSc (Honors) - Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering - University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Uthpala Senarathne Tennakoon is an Associate Professor of Human Resources Management at the Bissett School of Business, Mount Royal University, Calgary, Canada. She holds a Ph.D. in Human Resources and Organizational Dynamics from the University of Calgary and an MBA in Management of Technology. Her academic background is multidisciplinary, spanning Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering and Management Accounting. She draws on this diverse expertise and extensive industry experience to inform her research, teaching, mentoring, advising, and community engagement.
Dr. Senarathne Tennakoon’s research centers on the intersections of work and life interactions, with an emphasis on technology use. Her current work investigates mindful technology use, the impact of digital technologies on individuals and organizations, and various dimensions of work-life balance. She also conducts research on teaching and learning, with projects focusing on innovative assessment tools and effective AI integration into the classroom to enhance student engagement and learning. These research projects have been supported by several competitive grants.
She has published widely in peer-reviewed, high-impact journals and has presented her work at numerous international academic conferences. In addition to her scholarly contributions, Dr. Senarathne Tennakoon serves as an Associate Editor for the South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management.
TEACHING AREAS
Introduction to Human Resources
Organizational Behaviour
RESEARCH AND SCHOLARLY WORK
Senarathne Tennakoon, K L Uthpala. 2021. "Empowerment or enslavement: The impact of technology‐driven work intrusions on work–life balance." Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences 38 (4): 414-429. https://doi.org/10.1002/cjas.1610
Senarathne Tennakoon, K L Uthpala. 2020. "Ideal organizations for the new ideal workers: Exploring the role of life-friendly work practices." In The New Ideal Worker: Organizations Between Work-Life Balance, Gender and Leadership, edited by Mireia Ias Heras Maestro, Nuria Chinchilla and Marc Grau Grau, In Contributions to Management Science Switzerland, 73-91. Switzerland: Springer.
Senarathne Tennakoon, K L Uthpala. 2018. "Crossing the Work/Life Boundary with ICT: Moderating Effect of ICT Perception on the Relationship between Cross-Domain ICT Use and Work/Life Conflict." South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management 5 (2): 194-215. https://doi.org/10.1177/2322093718788712
Senarathne Tennakoon, K L Uthpala, Giovani J. C. da Silveira, and Daphne G. Taras. 2013. "Drivers of context-specific ICT use across work and nonwork domains: A boundary theory perspective." Information and Organization 23 (2): 107-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infoandorg.2013.03.002
Senarathne Tennakoon, K L Uthpala, and Daphne G. Taras. 2012. "The relationship between cell phone use and sense of security: A two-nation study." Security Journal 25 (4): 291–308. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/sj.2011.28
Selected Peer-Reviewed Academic Conference Presentations
Senarathne Tennakoon, K. L. U. (2025, August 7-9). AI in the classroom: Examining the impact on the learning environment [Conference presentation]. American Psychological Association APA 2025 Convention, Denver, Colorado, USA
Senarathne Tennakoon, K. L. U. (2025, July 25–29). Boosting student learning and engagement with intentional AI use in the classroom [Conference presentation]. 85th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM), Copenhagen, Denmark. (Awarded Best Symposium Proposal at the AOM 2025 Teaching and Learning Conference)
Senarathne Tennakoon, K. L. U. (2025, May 30–June 1). Togetherness in the digital age: A new framework for mindful ICT use [Conference presentation]. Canadian Society for Digital Humanities, Congress 2025, Toronto, Canada.
Stawnychko, L., Senarathne Tennakoon, U., Miller, J. (2025, January 23-25). Leadership Succession at Business Schools [Conference presentation]. 21st International Conference on Environment, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability, Florida, USA.
Senarathne Tennakoon, K. L. U. (2024, November 7–9). Use of AI tools in the classroom to enhance student learning & engagement: An exploratory study [Conference presentation]. 2024 Symposium for SoTL, Banff, AB.
Senarathne Tennakoon, K. L. U., & Symbalisty, G. (2023, August 4–8). Work, family and volunteering: Managing demands and resources across the triple domains [Conference presentation]. Academy of Management (AOM) Conference, Boston, MA.
Senarathne Tennakoon, K. L. U. (2023, June 3–5). Work hours and work-life balance: Is there a sweet spot for the number of work hours? [Conference presentation]. Administrative Sciences Association of Canada (ASAC), Toronto, ON.
Senarathne Tennakoon, K. L. U. (2022, August 4–9). Pop-quiz with a twist: Boosting student learning and engagement with enhanced two-stage quizzes [Conference presentation]. Academy of Management Conference, Seattle, WA.
Senarathne Tennakoon, K. L. U., & Symbalisty, G. (2022, June 4–8). Motivations for volunteering, and managing the demands across work, family, and community involvement: Perspectives from young adults [Conference presentation]. Administrative Sciences Association of Canada (ASAC) 2022, Halifax, NS.
Senarathne Tennakoon, K. L. U., & Tennakoon, R. (2021, March). Creating harmony across work, family and community: Exploration from an immigrants' perspective [Conference presentation]. Work-Family Researchers Network (WFRN) Conference (Virtual).
Senarathne Tennakoon, K. L. U. (2020, May). Value proposition for life-friendly work practices from employer and employee perspectives [Conference presentation]. Work-Family Researchers Network (WFRN) Virtual Conference.
Senarathne Tennakoon, K. L. U. (2019, November 7–9). Assessing the benefits of two-stage in-class quizzes in business courses [Conference presentation]. Symposium on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Banff, AB.
Senarathne Tennakoon, K. L. U. (2019, May 29–June 1). Work ICT use beyond worktime: Can it lead to downward spiraling effects on work-life balance? [Conference presentation]. 19th EAWOP Congress, Turin, Italy.
Senarathne Tennakoon, K. L. U. (2018, June 21–24). Balancing work and life: Is there an optimal number for hours of work? [Conference presentation]. Work-Family Researchers Network (WFRN) Conference, Washington, DC.