IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jpubli/v10y2022i4p37-d932873.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Research Environment in a Developing Economy: Reforms, Patterns, and Challenges in Kazakhstan

Author

Listed:
  • Diana Amirbekova

    (Business School, Kazakh-British Technical University, Almaty 050000, Kazakhstan)

  • Timur Narbaev

    (Business School, Kazakh-British Technical University, Almaty 050000, Kazakhstan)

  • Meruyert Kussaiyn

    (Business School, Kazakh-British Technical University, Almaty 050000, Kazakhstan)

Abstract

Kazakhstan has implemented numerous policy reforms to improve its research environment since 1991, experiencing both positive changes and critical challenges. In this study, we conduct a comprehensive investigation of the country’s research environment. Our materials include statistical data, science policy reports, bibliometric data from Scopus, and interview responses. Using descriptive statistics and regression analysis, we analyze the country’s publication capacity, key characteristics, and science funding by the government. We critically review significant policy reforms and conduct interviews with subject matter experts. Our findings suggest there has been an increasing number of publications and growth in citations since joining the Bologna process in 2010, and that there is a high positive correlation between the volume of science funding and publication output, development levels across fields of science, and focus from science on commercialization of science. The challenges relate to publishing in international journals, government financing and commercialization, researcher capacity, scientific areas, and international collaboration. Our contributions to scholarly communication and science policy are two-fold. First, we present the relationship between several factors/policies and the research environment. Second, we reveal the main challenges Kazakhstan and its academic community have experienced which can be considered by stakeholders, including the government, academic institutions, researchers, and other developing countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Diana Amirbekova & Timur Narbaev & Meruyert Kussaiyn, 2022. "The Research Environment in a Developing Economy: Reforms, Patterns, and Challenges in Kazakhstan," Publications, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-19, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jpubli:v:10:y:2022:i:4:p:37-:d:932873
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6775/10/4/37/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6775/10/4/37/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Omwoyo Bosire Onyancha, 2020. "A meta-analysis study of the relationship between research and economic development in selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 123(2), pages 655-675, May.
    2. Gricelda Herrera-Franco & Néstor Montalván-Burbano & Carlos Mora-Frank & Lady Bravo-Montero, 2021. "Scientific Research in Ecuador: A Bibliometric Analysis," Publications, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-34, December.
    3. Qinghua Xia & Qinwei Cao & Manqing Tan, 2020. "Basic research intensity and diversified performance: the moderating role of government support intensity," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 125(1), pages 577-605, October.
    4. Rinat Zhanbayev & Saule Sagintayeva & Abildina Ainur & Anton Nazarov, 2020. "The Use of the Foresight Methods in Developing an Algorithm for Conducting Qualitative Examination of the Research Activities Results on the Example of the Republic of Kazakhstan," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-19, November.
    5. Timur Narbaev & Diana Amirbekova, 2021. "Research Productivity in Emerging Economies: Empirical Evidence from Kazakhstan," Publications, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-19, November.
    6. Lixian Wang & Xi Chen & Anming Bao & Xiaoyun Zhang & Miao Wu & Yun Hao & Jingjing He, 2015. "A bibliometric analysis of research on Central Asia during 1990–2014," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 105(2), pages 1223-1237, November.
    7. Katarina Rojko & Brankica Bratić & Borut Lužar, 2020. "The Bologna reform’s impacts on the scientific publication performance of Ph.D. graduates—the case of Slovenia," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(1), pages 329-356, July.
    8. Yanwen Wang & Song Hong & Yifei Wang & Xi Gong & Chao He & Zhendong Lu & F. Benjamin Zhan, 2019. "What is the difference in global research on Central Asia before and after the collapse of the USSR: a bibliometric analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 119(2), pages 909-930, May.
    9. Anna A. Avanesova & Tatyana A. Shamliyan, 2018. "Comparative trends in research performance of the Russian universities," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 116(3), pages 2019-2052, September.
    10. Maia Chankseliani & Andrey Lovakov & Vladimir Pislyakov, 2021. "A big picture: bibliometric study of academic publications from post-Soviet countries," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(10), pages 8701-8730, October.
    11. Мarina V. Vasiljeva & Gennady V. Osipov & Vadim V. Ponkratov & Vitali Ju. Ivlev & Marina I. Ivleva & Svetlana G. Karepova & Zhanna R. Gardanova & Olesya V. Dudnik, 2021. "Factors to Improve Publication Productivity in Russian Universities," Publications, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-22, May.
    12. A. Basu & P. Foland & G. Holdridge & R. D. Shelton, 2018. "China’s rising leadership in science and technology: quantitative and qualitative indicators," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 117(1), pages 249-269, October.
    13. Przemysław Korytkowski & Emanuel Kulczycki, 2019. "Examining how country-level science policy shapes publication patterns: the case of Poland," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 119(3), pages 1519-1543, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Timur Narbaev & Diana Amirbekova, 2021. "Research Productivity in Emerging Economies: Empirical Evidence from Kazakhstan," Publications, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-19, November.
    2. Berdymyrat Ovezmyradov, 2023. "Applying quantified indicators in Central Asian science: can metrics improve the regional research performance?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(1), pages 177-206, January.
    3. Patricio Álvarez-Munoz & Marco Faytong-Haro & Dennis Alfredo Peralta Gamboa & Angelo Marcos Aviles Valenzuela & Fernando Pacheco-Olea, 2024. "Evaluating Policy Efficacy in Higher Education: A Synthetic Control Analysis of Ecuador’s Higher Education Law on Research Productivity," Publications, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-13, September.
    4. Iryna Kalenyuk & Liudmyla Tsymbal, 2021. "Assessment of the intellectual component in economic development," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(6), pages 4793-4816, June.
    5. Cai, Yuzhuo, 2023. "Towards a new model of EU-China innovation cooperation: Bridging missing links between international university collaboration and international industry collaboration," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    6. Yalcin, Haydar & Daim, Tugrul & Moughari, Mahdieh Mokhtari & Mermoud, Alain, 2024. "Supercomputers and quantum computing on the axis of cyber security," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    7. Elena Veretennik & Maria Yudkevich, 2023. "Inconsistent quality signals: evidence from the regional journals," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(6), pages 3675-3701, June.
    8. Martin Grančay & Tomáš Dudáš & Ladislav Mura, 2022. "Revealed comparative advantages in academic publishing of “old” and “new” European Union Member States 1998–2018," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(3), pages 1247-1271, March.
    9. Korytkowski, Przemyslaw & Kulczycki, Emanuel, 2021. "The gap between Plan S requirements and grantees’ publication practices," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 15(2).
    10. Chaocheng He & Jiang Wu & Qingpeng Zhang, 2021. "Characterizing research leadership on geographically weighted collaboration network," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(5), pages 4005-4037, May.
    11. Frode Eika Sandnes, 2021. "A bibliometric study of human–computer interaction research activity in the Nordic-Baltic Eight countries," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(6), pages 4733-4767, June.
    12. Cao, Qinwei & Qiu, Shunli & Huang, Jian, 2022. "Contradiction and mechanism analysis of science and technology input-output: Evidence from key universities in China," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    13. Oldac, Yusuf Ikbal & Yang, Lili, 2023. "Regionalisation and agency in science space: A historical bibliometric analysis of ASEAN science," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    14. Sandip Solanki & Seema Singh & Meeta Joshi, 2023. "A Bibliometric Analysis of the International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy: 2013-2022," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(5), pages 260-270, September.
    15. Andreea Mironescu & Alina Moroșanu & Anca-Diana Bibiri, 2023. "The regional dynamics of multilingual publishing in web of science: A statistical analysis of central and eastern european journals and researchers in linguistics," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(2), pages 1133-1162, February.
    16. Fan Zheng & Hua Zhu & Haobo Hou, 2021. "Insights into the development of electrokinetic remediation technology: A bibliometric analysis," Soil and Water Research, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 16(4), pages 250-255.
    17. Giovanni Abramo & Ciriaco Andrea D’Angelo & Myroslava Hladchenko, 2023. "Assessing the effects of publication requirements for professorship on research performance and publishing behaviour of Ukrainian academics," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(8), pages 4589-4609, August.
    18. Andrew Kirby, 2023. "Exploratory Bibliometrics: Using VOSviewer as a Preliminary Research Tool," Publications, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, February.
    19. Mehmet Pinar, 2023. "Do research performances of universities and disciplines in England converge or diverge? An assessment of the progress between research excellence frameworks in 2014 and 2021," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(10), pages 5731-5766, October.
    20. Xiaoyu Cai & Tao Han, 2020. "Analysis of the division of labor in China’s high-quality life sciences research," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 125(2), pages 1077-1094, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jpubli:v:10:y:2022:i:4:p:37-:d:932873. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.