The moderating role of leadership vision and strategic planning on the relationship between digital diplomacy and Emirati soft power practices

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is rapidly emerging as a regional leader in digital transformation. However, despite significant investments in digital infrastructure, the influence of digital diplomacy on national culture, political values, and foreign policy within the UAE context has not been thoroughly examined. This study aims to examine the impact of digital diplomacy on three key dependent variables: culture, political values, and foreign policy. To address inconsistencies observed in the relationships between digital diplomacy and these outcomes, the study incorporates two moderating variables: leadership vision and strategic planning. Specifically, the moderating role of leadership vision and strategic planning is assessed in the context of the relationships between digital diplomacy and each dependent variable. Data were collected from a sample of 306 employees across the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, foreign embassies, specialized organizations, and affiliated academic institutions. The dataset was initially subjected to descriptive analysis, tests for missing data, and assessments of normality. Upon confirmation of normality, the measurement instrument was evaluated for reliability and validity through item loadings, Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, and average variance extracted. Discriminant validity was also assessed to ensure the robustness of the constructs. Following these diagnostic tests, the structural model was analysed using SMART PLS to perform structural equation modelling. The findings indicate that digital diplomacy exerts a significant influence on culture, political values, and foreign policy of the country. Moreover, both leadership vision and strategic planning were found to significantly moderate the relationships between digital diplomacy and the dependent variables. The study concludes by offering recommendations for future researchers and policymakers toenhance the practice and study of digital diplomacy