A framework for leading change in the UAE public sector
International Journal of Organizational Analysis
ISSN: 1934-8835
Article publication date: 13 July 2015
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to guide managers on business process reengineering (BPR) and automation projects in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) public sector context.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper relies on a literature review and synthesis in the areas of leadership, BPR, change management, user resistance and power to propose a change management framework.
Findings
The paper argues for attention to be paid to the power relationships among various stakeholders. Stakeholder impact analysis is recommended to understand how change will impact stakeholders and shift power balances. It proposes that leadership and communication are essential for implementing change, especially given the particular cultural conditions of the UAE. Moreover, change should be a continuous process supported by communication.
Research limitations/implications
As power and authority are very important elements of the UAE culture, future research should further examine the role of power in implementing organizational change in the UAE context.
Practical implications
This paper proposes a ten-step change management framework that adopts the latest thinking on change management to the UAE context.
Originality/value
Although change management is a well-established field, the body of knowledge that concentrates on the UAE organizational context is scant. This paper translates the latest thinking on change management to the UAE context (characterized by sensitivity to power issues and stakeholder impact) and proposes a practical framework for leading change in the UAE public sector context.
Keywords
Citation
Bin Taher, N.A., Krotov, V. and Silva, L. (2015), "A framework for leading change in the UAE public sector", International Journal of Organizational Analysis, Vol. 23 No. 3, pp. 348-363. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-10-2014-0809
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited