Dubai vs Abu Dhabi: Two Models of Gulf Development
A comparative institutional analysis of Dubai and Abu Dhabi's divergent development models, examining how resource endowments shaped distinct governance philosophies. Assesses the complementarities and tensions within the UAE's dual-engine federation.
GCC Competition for Capital: How the UAE Maintains Its Edge
An institutional analysis of intensifying competition among Gulf Cooperation Council states for foreign investment, corporate headquarters, and skilled talent. Evaluates the UAE's competitive position against Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and Qatar's post-World Cup ambitions.
Mind the Gap: Where UAE Vision Targets Meet Implementation Reality
An institutional analysis of the recurring gap between the UAE's ambitious national vision targets and measurable implementation outcomes. Examines the structural incentives that produce optimistic planning and the institutional mechanisms that either close or widen the execution gap.
The UAE Climate Paradox: Oil Producer, COP28 Host, and Green Energy Investor
An institutional analysis of the UAE's contradictory positioning as a major hydrocarbon producer, host of COP28, and significant investor in renewable energy. Examines whether the UAE's climate strategy is genuine transformation or strategic hedging.
The UAE's China-West Balancing Act: Strategic Calculus and Risk Assessment
An institutional analysis of the UAE's increasingly complex geopolitical positioning between Western allies and China, examining trade dependencies, technology partnerships, and strategic hedging. Assesses the sustainability of multi-alignment in an era of great power competition.
The UAE's Post-Oil Transition: Structural Challenges and Strategic Realities
An institutional analysis of the UAE's economic diversification away from hydrocarbon revenues, examining structural dependencies and the gap between ambition and execution. Evaluates the fiscal, labor market, and industrial policy dimensions of the transition.
UAE Corporate Tax Impact Analysis: First Year Assessment and Business Adaptation
Analysis of the UAE corporate tax regime's first-year impact on business structures, revenue collection, free zone strategies, and the broader economic diversification agenda.
UAE Digital Governance: Smart Government, Surveillance, and the Trust Question
An institutional analysis of the UAE's dual identity as a global leader in digital government services and a state with expansive surveillance capabilities. Examines the tension between efficiency-driven digitization and civil liberties concerns that shapes the UAE's technology governance model.
UAE Expatriate Dependency: The Demographic Challenge Behind the Vision
An institutional examination of the UAE's deep structural dependence on expatriate labor and talent, analyzing how demographic composition shapes economic resilience. Explores the policy tensions between openness, nationalization, and long-term social cohesion.
UAE Global Competitiveness: How the Emirates Maintains Its Edge
Analysis of the UAE's consistently high global competitiveness rankings, the institutional factors driving performance, and risks to sustained competitive advantage.
UAE Real Estate Cycles: Boom, Correction, and Structural Reform
An institutional analysis of the UAE's real estate market dynamics, examining recurring boom-bust patterns and the regulatory reforms designed to moderate volatility. Assesses whether structural changes have fundamentally altered the cycle or merely extended it.
UAE Sovereign Wealth Strategy: From Capital Preservation to Industrial Policy
An institutional analysis of the evolution of UAE sovereign wealth funds from passive capital preservation vehicles to active instruments of industrial policy and geopolitical influence. Evaluates governance, performance, and the strategic risks of expanded mandates.