As a result of economic globalization, new geopolitical power relations, technological progress, and a severe financial crisis, international public organizations are under strong pressure to transform themselves into efficient and effective organizations. This paper presents the case of UNCTAD, and analyzes the dynamics of change created by the transformation of the organization's environment. More precisely, this paper studies the interfaces between UNCTAD and its organizational and ideological environment. It discusses the impact, on UNCTAD, of the different aspects of globalization along with the new forms of governance and the emergence of new actors on the development scene, especially actors from the private sector. Finally, it assesses UNCTAD's transformation against a model we have developed pertaining to the transformation of public sector organizations more generally.
