Involvement of ambassadors in commercial diplomacy. An empirical study to identify the role of ambassadors in commercial diplomacy, and the results of their involvement in commercial dipplomacy

Because of a shift in economic power, a globalizing world and changing business practices, commercial diplomacy becomes more and more important for the support of businesses that do business abroad. The present study contributes to commercial diplomacy literature with the unexplored area of the role of ambassadors in commercial diplomacy. It investigates the involvement of ambassadors in commercial diplomacy, to what extent this involvement can explain the performance of the economic department of their embassy, and trade figures between the home and host country. A research model is designed to explore the different areas in commercial diplomacy, and determinants in commercial diplomacy success. The areas in commercial diplomacy found by Naray (2008) will be used to conceptualize a model to measure the involvement of ambassadors in commercial diplomacy. According to existing literature, business knowledge and experience positively contributes to commercial diplomacy success of commercial diplomats. In this research we investigate if this is also a determinant in the role of the ambassador and the outcomes of his ‘’efforts’’. The growth of trade figures between the Netherlands and the host country are used, to search for relationships between the involvement, background, experience, and trade.