Title: Electronic commercial diplomacy: a research model and an empirical analysis of embassy websites

Authors: Huub Ruël; Tobias Gesink; Tanya Bondarouk

Addresses: Faculty of Business, Media and Law, Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, Campus 2-6, P.O. Box 10090, 8000 GB Zwolle, The Netherlands ' Faculty of Behavioral, Management and Social Sciences, University of Twente, Ravelijn Building, Room: RA 2117 – Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands ' Faculty of Behavioral, Management and Social Sciences, University of Twente, Ravelijn Building, Room: RA 2117 – Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands

Abstract: This article deals with the question to what extent governments adopted digital communication channels in their commercial diplomacy services? Commercial diplomatic services are offered by governments to companies and entrepreneurs who aspire to do business in another country. First, this article presents a research framework drawn from the literature, followed by the results of an empirical study. A structured website analysis was carried out of the embassy websites of the top ten countries in e-government. The findings show that electronic commercial diplomacy (e-CD) is still in an 'embryonic' stage. The countries in this study have developed strategies and goals for their online presence, but the interactive services are still limited. Furthermore, the findings suggest that implementation settings - strategy, goals - can explain the type of e-CD to a more significant extent than institutional settings.

Keywords: e-commercial diplomacy; electronic commercial diplomacy; e-CD; digital diplomacy; embassy websites; e-government; international business; economic diplomacy; website analysis; electronic government; diplomatic services.

DOI: 10.1504/IJDIPE.2015.073933

International Journal of Diplomacy and Economy, 2015 Vol.2 No.4, pp.299 - 329

Published online: 30 Dec 2015 *

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