Anna Kuulmann
Title: Digital Symphony: Assessing the Synergy of Digital Development and Nation Branding on a Country's Global Standing
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Anu Masso
Opponent: Prof. Dr. Vasileios Kostakis
Defense: 3 June 2024
Abstract: As small states strive for more power and differentiation within a dense global marketplace, digital capabilities emerge as crucial determinants of their reputational capital and economic strength to compete beyond the size of territory and defense forces. In the case of Estonia, which has gained recognition as one of the most digital societies in the world, the nation's brand, aligned with the nation's digital development, has amplified the positive effects on the country's global standing. This research investigates the interplay of digital development and brand strategy and its significance in shaping a country's competitiveness, international reputation, and soft power. In the modern techno-economic paradigm, where innovation and digital transformation are integral to national competitiveness, this study examines the implications and significance of a country's digital strategy and strategic nation branding efforts alignment to map out and measure such interplay's contribution to the nation's global standing. The author seeks to understand the Estonian phenomenon and, in cooperation with other field experts, explore a Big Data and AI model as a real-time measurement tool to assess and evaluate the synergies of the e-Estonia branding and digital development of Estonia as a digital society. The research contributes to the fields of nation brand management, international relations, public diplomacy, and digital development strategy to provide policymakers and industry leaders, particularly in small states, with insights to inform their decisions, optimize efforts regarding nation branding and digital development, and justify investments in both digital development and nation branding initiatives.
Keywords: Estonia, nation brand, nation brand management, digital development, e-Estonia, competitiveness, soft power, synergy, Big Data, AI
