Public Sector Reforms in the United Arab Emirates: Antecedents, Directions and Challenges

This article provides an exploratory analysis of the experiences of public sector reforms (PSRs) in the United Arab Emitates (UAE), an oil-rich country in the middle east. It aims to: (a) identify the factors that have... [ view full abstract ]

This article provides an exploratory analysis of the experiences of public sector reforms (PSRs) in the United Arab Emitates (UAE), an oil-rich country in the middle east. It aims to: (a) identify the factors that have enabled the UAE federal government to undertake reform initiatives; (b) analyze the directions of reforms; (c) identify and explain the critical factors  in  determining the outcomes of reforms; and (d) highlight the challenges in sustaining the reform process. The findings reveal that in the whole process of PSR, political leadership has played a critical role. In spite of a fundamentally different political system, the outcomes of reforms have been quite impressive negating many orthodox interpretations about the preconditions of success.   

Keywords: Public sector reform; Neo-liberalism, New public management; United Arab Emirates; Developmental neo-patrimonial state.