Gulsara Junusbekova

The Listening State concept adopted in Kazakhstan aims to increase public trust in government institutions by incorporating citizen input into the policymaking process. However, empirical evidence suggests a substantial gap between declared principles and practical implementation. This study aims to examine the institutional factors that hinder the effective implementation of the Listening State concept within the framework of public administration based on an analysis of local-level public opinion. In 2024, a sociological survey involving 550 voluntary participants was conducted in the city of Turkestan, Kazakhstan, using a questionnaire based on the key principles of the concept. Analysis revealed that 73% of respondents are interested in political matters, but only 45% actively participate in decision-making due to limited awareness of governmental activities. Significant correlations emerged between consensus orientation and accountability (r = 0.65, p < 0.05) and also between rule of law and transparency (r = 0.66, p < 0.05). However, an insignificant link was found between participation in decision-making and political events (r = 0.02, p > 0.05). Linear regression showed that demographic variables have limited influence on principles. Salary impacts consensus orientation (0.18), gender affects accountability (0.20) and transparency (0.22), occupation influences the rule of law (0.16), while gender and education only slightly influence familiarity with civil society (0.10). The study highlights the need for targeted awareness-raising, simplification of civic engagement, and improvement of institutional accountability and transparency to bridge the implementation gap. The evidence recommends a targeted approach to strengthen the Listening State concept through coordinated efforts by responsible institutions.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
The current direction of state development is its focus on citizens (G2C). This transition is accompanied by digitalization, which enables the provision of services to citizens to reach a whole new level through e-government. The aim of this study is to identify the factors in the socio-economic and political environments that influence the formation of e-government across countries. Based on panel data (UN, World Bank, World Intellectual Property Organization, International Monetary Fund) for 48 countries for 2014–2024, regression and dynamic analyses were performed. It has been established that the main factors influencing the e-government index are the human development index (1.29–1.78), the ease of doing business index (–0.00069), the global innovation index (–0.0038), and gross domestic product per capita (4.47e-06). For developed countries, human development (1.9) and innovation (0.0081) are significant, while for developing countries, economic prosperity (1.62) and the business environment (1.61e-05) are significant. Dynamic models confirm the lag effect of the e-government rating (0.43), which indicates the stability of institutional factors. It has been found that the development of e-government is determined by the impact of the innovation economy, human capital, and the openness of state institutions, which form the cumulative effect of the digital transformation of governance.