Bahrain has roots deep in the past, going back some 5,000 years. It was a vital link between civilisations, such as the Phoenicians, the Levant and Mesopotamia. The 'modern' era of Bahrain began in 1783, following the island's conquest by Ahmed al-Fateh. It has been ruled by the al-Khalifa family since 1961. Bahrain was declared independent from the United Kingdom in August 1971, and issued its first constitution in 1973.

This book offers an understanding of the current state of public management in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, highlighting the region's institutional and human capital constraints. Drawing on case studies from GCC states and beyond, the book provides a policy-oriented analysis of these challenges and a set of recommendations on how to address them. Public Management Reform in the Gulf Cooperation Council and Beyond utilizes several theoretical frameworks to explore three themes: first, how the quality of government and efficiency of its bureaucratic machinery can offer a business-friendly environment for the private sector; second, how public-private partnerships can foster stronger collaboration and exchange of knowledge and expertise between the public and private sectors; and finally, how the existing human capital constraints may be addressed through the effective implementation of talent management, knowledge management, and training programs. A comparative approach is taken throughout the book, contrasting the performance of GCC states with other Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries or the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries in key governance, public sector performance, and business competitiveness indicators to identify what the GCC states need to do to enhance the quality of government and the capacity to deliver services more efficiently. This book will appeal to academics, practitioners, policymakers and private sector consultants, as well as those interested more broadly in the Middle East and the Gulf region.

The fourth in this series, the Contemporary Archive of the Islamic World (CAIW), draws on the resources of Cambridge-based World of Information. The discovery of substantial oil and gas deposits, changed Qatar and its people beyond recognition.

The post-Arab Spring collapse of decades-old regimes inaugurated a decade of re-shaping for the geopolitical order in the Middle East and North Africa region. A multipolar disorder ensued, solidified by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Amid general bewilderment, the small monarchies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) spent the decade between 2011 and 2022 trying to re-shape regional equilibria as protagonists. This book applies an original theoretical framework to unpack the threat perceptions and strategic calculus driving the behaviour of these new impactful regional players. Six chapters look at the six GCC monarchies individually. The author challenges commonly held narratives and goes beyond attention-grabbing headlines and thus provides reading keys to the past, present and future of policy-making in the Gulf monarchies, middle powers destined to play an oversized role in the new multipolar world.

This book takes a forward-looking approach by bringing in research and contributions that facilitate in mapping the impact of AI and big data on businesses, the nature of work along with providing practical solutions for preparing the work, workplace, and the workforce of the future. Organizations globally have been experiencing immense transformation due to the reinvention and redefining of the business models due to the dynamic nature of the business environment. Looking at an organizational context, undeniably, the definition of ‘work’ and ‘organizations’ is genuinely changing. Artificial intelligence, big data, automation, and robotics are a few of those keywords that are seemingly entering the workplace and reshaping the way work is being done. Moreover, the transition that is being addressed herein not only focuses upon aspects that are operative within an organization like the organizational culture, team building, networking, recruitments, and so on but also aims to address the external aspects like supply chain management, value chain analysis, investment management, etc. Broadly, every single step that is now taken is intensely experiencing this impact upon its functioning. This book serves as a guide not just to the academia but also to the industry to adopt suitable strategies that offer insights into global best practices as well as the innovations in the domain.

This year's report takes the 30th anniversary of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development as an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come in achieving sexual and reproductive health and rights for all. While the report celebrates the significant gains made, it also considers who has been left out of that progress, arguing that a more equitable future for all requires a renewed commitment to empowering those furthest behind.