UNRAVELLING THE CAUSES OF PROCRASTINATION AMONG UNDERGRADUATES: A STUDY OF THE FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES AT SABARAGAMUWA UNIVERSITY OF SRI LANKA

Abstract

1. Introduction Procrastination, the act of delaying tasks, is a pervasive issue affecting individuals across various domains, including higher education. Despite its global prevalence, the factors underlying academic procrastination among undergraduates remain underexplored, particularly within specific contexts. This study seeks to bridge the contextual gap by investigating the reasons behind academic procrastination behavior among undergraduates at the Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka (SUSL). By identifying these contributing factors, the research aims to offer valuable insights to academia, administration and student community while contributing to the broader academic literature. 2. Research Methodology This study adopted an inductive approach and qualitative research methodology under the interpretivism research philosophy. A preliminary study was conducted to identify undergraduates with higher levels of procrastination behavior. Following this, in-depth interviews were carried out with eleven selected undergraduates from the Faculty of Management Studies at Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka by following purposive sampling. The data were then analyzed using thematic analysis to uncover key patterns and themes related to procrastination behavior. 3. Findings and Discussion The study revealed three key themes contributing to procrastination behavior among undergraduates at FMS, SUSL as interpersonal, personal, and university-related distractions. 4. Conclusion and Implications This study addresses existing knowledge and contextual gaps in understanding the reasons of academic procrastination behavior among undergraduates. The findings provide practical insights for undergraduates, academia and administration at FMS, SUSL, offering guidance for academic decision-making, curricular designing and mentor support to reduce procrastination tendencies and improve student performance