The Role of Social Media Influencers in Electric Vehicle Adoption in the UAE

Despite growing infrastructure and strong governmental support, electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains low. While economic and technical factors have been widely explored, the impact of social, behavioural, and perceptual influences, especially those imposed by soci...

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محفوظ في:
التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
المؤلف الرئيسي: MOURAD, AHMED MOHAMED AHMED (author)
منشور في: 2025
الموضوعات:
الوصول للمادة أونلاين:https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/3349
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author MOURAD, AHMED MOHAMED AHMED
author_facet MOURAD, AHMED MOHAMED AHMED
author_role author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Dr Sa’Ed Salhieh
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv MOURAD, AHMED MOHAMED AHMED
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025-09-10T08:12:31Z
2025-05
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 22001134
https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/3349
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv en
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv electric vehicle adoption
social media influencers
trust transfer theory
source credibility
PLS-SEM
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv The Role of Social Media Influencers in Electric Vehicle Adoption in the UAE
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Dissertation
description Despite growing infrastructure and strong governmental support, electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains low. While economic and technical factors have been widely explored, the impact of social, behavioural, and perceptual influences, especially those imposed by social media influencers, remain inadequately addressed. This study investigates how influencers, trust in influencers, and perceived source credibility affect the consumer intention to adopt EVs in the UAE. A conceptual model was developed and tested based on Social Learning Theory (SLT), Trust Transfer Theory (TTT), and Source Credibility Theory (SCT) utilising Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. Data were collected via an online survey of 205 UAE residents. The findings indicate that social media influencers exert a direct positive influence on the intention to adopt electric vehicles (β = 0.244, p < 0.01), with confidence in influencers serving as a major mediator of this relationship (β = 0.401, p < 0.001). However, source credibility does not significantly moderate the effect of trust on the adoption intention (β = 0.029, p = 0.634). The model exhibited moderate predictive accuracy (R² = 0.506, Q² = 0.419) and robust internal reliability. This research enhances understanding of social influence on sustainable consumption both theoretically and practically, providing evidence-based recommendations for marketing strategies and public policies to promote EV adoption in the UAE.
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publisher.none.fl_str_mv The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
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spelling The Role of Social Media Influencers in Electric Vehicle Adoption in the UAEMOURAD, AHMED MOHAMED AHMEDelectric vehicle adoptionsocial media influencerstrust transfer theorysource credibilityPLS-SEMDespite growing infrastructure and strong governmental support, electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains low. While economic and technical factors have been widely explored, the impact of social, behavioural, and perceptual influences, especially those imposed by social media influencers, remain inadequately addressed. This study investigates how influencers, trust in influencers, and perceived source credibility affect the consumer intention to adopt EVs in the UAE. A conceptual model was developed and tested based on Social Learning Theory (SLT), Trust Transfer Theory (TTT), and Source Credibility Theory (SCT) utilising Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. Data were collected via an online survey of 205 UAE residents. The findings indicate that social media influencers exert a direct positive influence on the intention to adopt electric vehicles (β = 0.244, p < 0.01), with confidence in influencers serving as a major mediator of this relationship (β = 0.401, p < 0.001). However, source credibility does not significantly moderate the effect of trust on the adoption intention (β = 0.029, p = 0.634). The model exhibited moderate predictive accuracy (R² = 0.506, Q² = 0.419) and robust internal reliability. This research enhances understanding of social influence on sustainable consumption both theoretically and practically, providing evidence-based recommendations for marketing strategies and public policies to promote EV adoption in the UAE.The British University in Dubai (BUiD)Dr Sa’Ed Salhieh2025-09-10T08:12:31Z2025-05Dissertationapplication/pdf22001134https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/3349enoai:bspace.buid.ac.ae:1234/33492025-09-10T08:13:05Z
spellingShingle The Role of Social Media Influencers in Electric Vehicle Adoption in the UAE
MOURAD, AHMED MOHAMED AHMED
electric vehicle adoption
social media influencers
trust transfer theory
source credibility
PLS-SEM
title The Role of Social Media Influencers in Electric Vehicle Adoption in the UAE
title_full The Role of Social Media Influencers in Electric Vehicle Adoption in the UAE
title_fullStr The Role of Social Media Influencers in Electric Vehicle Adoption in the UAE
title_full_unstemmed The Role of Social Media Influencers in Electric Vehicle Adoption in the UAE
title_short The Role of Social Media Influencers in Electric Vehicle Adoption in the UAE
title_sort The Role of Social Media Influencers in Electric Vehicle Adoption in the UAE
topic electric vehicle adoption
social media influencers
trust transfer theory
source credibility
PLS-SEM
url https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/3349