The SLIM Research Bureau (SRB), the research arm of SLIM, recently launched the first issue of the second volume of the South Asian Journal of Marketing (SAJM) together with the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka and Emerald Publishing, UK. The recently launched SRB is committed to supporting students, marketers, SMEs and entrepreneurs to be at the forefront of decision-making and planning, as a trusted and reliable source. Furthermore, this initiative focuses on the enhancement of innovation, education and learning to strengthen the marketing community, academia and industry on the journey towards a knowledge-based economy.

The South Asian Journal of Marketing is the first-ever Emerald Journal established in Sri Lanka in association with Emerald Publishing, UK. As the Founding Editor/ Co-Editors-in-Chief, Professor Jayantha N. Dewasiri stated, “This issue is dedicated to the late Professor Uditha Liyanage, an invaluable contributor to the development and elevation of the marketing fraternity in South Asia, who tackled diverse subjects that are faced across the global marketing industry”.

Professor Uditha Liyanage was an Honorary Fellow Member of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM), a past member of the Board of Study at SLIM, a Chartered Marketer and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). He also served as the Director and Professor at the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM), University of Sri Jayewardenepura. This issue is dedicated in his memory with extreme regard and aims at honouring his dedication to the marketing arena.

Commenting on the launch of the first issue of Volume Two, SLIM President Ms. Thilanka Abeywardena stated, “To navigate challenges of the post-pandemic economy, it is crucial to acknowledge the importance of nurturing knowledge-based industries, businesses and a society at large. SLIM Research Bureau was launched as part of the ‘Future-Ready Sri Lanka’ national initiative spearheaded by SLIM, with the aim of encouraging marketers, entrepreneurs, students and business leaders to support their commercial and non-commercial/ academic research needs. This publication is another important step towards achieving this objective. We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the SLIM Governing Council, Managing Partner (Faculty of Management Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka) and Publishing Partner (Emerald Publishing) for their continued collaboration to make this effort a great success. As the National Body for Marketing in Sri Lanka, SLIM strives to educate and inspire marketers across South Asia, especially in Sri Lanka.”

SLIM, as the national body for marketing, launched ‘Re-Start Sri Lanka’ in 2020, a national campaign that focused on energising the general public to gradually get accustomed and eventually thrive in an environment where new norms were dictated by the pandemic. Phase one of Re-Start Sri Lanka was a campaign about the resilience of Lankans, and SLIM motivated individuals to find new opportunities to succeed. Phase two of ‘Re-Start Sri Lanka’ is a national campaign called ‘Future Ready Sri Lanka’, which focuses on building the knowledge economy of the country.

As the managing partner, Professor Athula Gnanapala (Dean, Faculty of Management Studies) stated, “We are excited to be partnered with the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing and Emerald Publishing to establish the first-ever Emerald journal based in Sri Lanka. As academic institutions, our primary responsibility is to establish and maintain recognized journals in Sri Lanka in order to open up new avenues for future generations of research. We are happy to release this issue in September, when we are celebrating our 25^th anniversary of the faculty.” Inclusive of five original research contributions across marketing domains and countries, this issue is a testament to the diversity of contributions made by scholars from across the world who were welcomed to submit their research contributions.

The first of these original research contributions was by Salim Moussa on ‘Contamination by citations: references to predatory journals in the peer-reviewed marketing literature’. The objective of this contribution is to spread awareness on citation contamination while aiming to investigate the extent of citation contamination in the peer-reviewed marketing literature.

With the accelerated transition onto digital platforms and increased interest in online shopping, the second contribution, ‘Trust and product as moderators in online shopping behaviour: evidence from India’ authored by Felicita Davis, Manoj Britto Francis Gnanasekar, and Satyanarayana Parayitam, is of particular significance. This study examines the antecedents of user behaviour in online shopping and customer satisfaction, to provide new insights into the importance of gaining trust in influencing consumer behaviour.

The third research contribution is by Rekha Dahiya, Dimpy Sachar on ‘Discriminant analysis application to understand the usage of digital channels while buying a car.’ The study reveals that buyers of cars are making ample usage of digital channels wherein websites are the most used digital channels and smartphones are the most used digital devices used by car buyers.

The penultimate contribution, ‘Users' attitude and intention to use mobile financial services in Bangladesh: an empirical study is by Md. Tanvir Alam Himel, Shahrin Ashraf, Tauhid Ahmed Bappy, Md. Tanaz Abir, Md. Khaled Morshed, and Md. Nazmul Hossain. In this study, the authors investigate customers' attitudes and intentions to adopt mobile financial services (MFS) and explore determinants and consequences of attitude toward using MFS.

The final research contribution included in this issue is on ‘Impacts of Binge-Watching on Netflix during the COVID-19 pandemic’ by Kazi Turin Rahman, Md. Zahir Uddin Arif. This study investigates motivational factors, media consumption, and negative attributes associated with binge-watching on Netflix during the COVID-19 outbreak. This research concerns the well-being of people from all age groups and is an incredible insight into the current landscape.

The Co-Editors-in-Chief, Professor Sudhir Rana, and Professor Muhammad Kashif stated, “We are thankful to authors, reviewers and publishing counterparts for their continued collaboration to make this issue exciting and apt to the aims and scope of the South Asian Journal of Marketing (SAJM).

The South Asian Journal of Marketing (SAJM) features an open-access format, which ensures enhanced visibility and global exposure. The first issue of the Volume One can be easily accessed through www.slim.lk/www.srb.lk or ;https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/journal/sajm. Feel free to share your feedback and suggestions with any of the co-editors: Professor Jayantha N. Dewasiri, Professor Sudhir Rana, Professor Muhammad Kashif.