Training Investments, Professional Competency, and Talent Development Effectiveness: Evidence from Cross-border E-commerce Digital Marketing between China and Uzbekistan

Abstract

The rapid expansion of cross-border e-commerce under the Belt and Road Initiative has exposed a critical gap in the systematic development of digital marketing talent between China and Uzbekistan, particularly regarding the alignment of educational curricula, enterprise training, and government policy support. Grounded in Human Capital Theory, this study examines how University Curriculum Alignment (UCA), Enterprise-Based Practical Training Intensity (EBPTI), and Government Talent Policy Support (GTPS) influence Digital Marketing Professional Competency (DMPC) and Cross-border E-commerce Talent Development Effectiveness (CETDE). A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 400 respondents, including final-year students, recent graduates, and junior employees from universities and enterprises in Guangdong Province, China, and partner institutions in Uzbekistan. Data were analyzed using Smart-PLS 4.0 through structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test both direct and mediating relationships. Results indicate that UCA significantly enhances DMPC (H1: β = −0.505, t = 6.037, p < 0.001) and CETDE (H5: β = 0.363, t = 4.901, p < 0.001), while GTPS positively influences DMPC (H3: β = −0.311, t = 4.230, p < 0.001) and CETDE (H7: β = 0.174, t = 3.259, p = 0.001). DMPC partially mediates the effects of UCA (H8: β = 0.155, t = 3.250, p = 0.001) and GTPS (H10: β = 0.096, t = 3.144, p = 0.002) on CETDE, whereas EBPTI exhibits non-significant direct and indirect effects, highlighting its context-dependent impact. These findings demonstrate that formal educational alignment and institutional policy support are the primary drivers of competency formation and effective talent development in cross-border digital marketing, while enterprise-based training requires stronger integration. The study contributes to both theory and practice by extending Human Capital Theory to cross-border e-commerce contexts and providing evidence-based insights for curriculum design, policy formulation, and collaborative training strategies to strengthen digital talent pipelines along the Belt and Road corridor.