ABSTRACT
In an era of globalization, technological advancement, and rising citizens’ demand for efficient and effective public service delivery, the need for public administration reform cannot be overemphasized. Following global trends, the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) began a tumultuous reform journey in the 1990s, which has continued to date. This chapter focuses on the dynamics of public administration reform. To this end, it explores the contextual factors, the trends, and the results of reforms undertaken in the UAE. The findings indicate that contextual economic, political, and socio-cultural variables as well as globalization and technology propelled the UAE government to initiate public administration reform programs. Over the past three decades, the government successfully implemented a range of selected reforms. Authentic international comparative data show numerous tangible outcomes, albeit ongoing challenges, for these reform programs.
