Zaira Satpayeva

Progress of agriculture is becoming increasingly reliant on the successful application of technology. However, many developing countries depend on technology transfer from other countries to be utilized in large and complex projects in agriculture. This study intends to identify strategic directions for successful technology transfer in developing countries’ agriculture with Kazakhstan as a case study. A SWOT analysis was conducted using Internal Factor Evaluation, External Factor Evaluation, Strategic Position and Action Evaluation, and Quantitative Strategic Planning matrices as analytical methods, based on primary data from interviews and secondary data from reports. With a weight of 52%, opportunities prevail in external factors, with emerging good geographical position, land area latitude, and participation in economic integrations as the most significant ones. On the other hand, internal factors such as emerging low skills in agricultural innovation, insufficient resources in agriculture, old technologies and worn-out equipment, and lack of mechanisms for effective adaptation of foreign technologies to local conditions are indicated as weaknesses, with the percentage of 82%. This study includes twenty-six strategies that were specially designed for technology transfer, and nine of them are considered the most relevant in overcoming internal weaknesses by exploiting external opportunities. Promoting agriculture in an innovative direction, expanding the resource base necessary for technology transfer, and increasing sources of funding for the transfer of technology and the R&D expenditures in agriculture make a top 3 of these strategies. These results will be of interest for policymakers in decision-making on technology transfer in agriculture.

This study aims to assess the relationship between R&D and economic growth in terms of their ability to understand R&D management. In the paper, the algorithm of actions was used, which allows ensuring interconnection, sequence of work, validity of the choice of the methods used, and defining key factors over a long period. The following methods of the empirical study were used: analysis of the provision of level development; regional analysis of the data; correlation analysis. Based on correlation analysis the impact of economic growth on R&D was investigated, which is expressed by such variables as the number of organizations engaged in R&D, internal expenditures in R&D, expenditures for technological innovations, number of employees in R&D. The data were obtained from the World Bank, the Eurasian Economic Union, and the statistical yearbook of Kazakhstan for 2009–2019. The results obtained show that all determinants correlate not only with the GDP but with each other as well. According to the findings, viewing the GDP level, there is a positive and negative correlation link between such two factors as ‘the number of research organizations’ and ‘R&D technological innovations’. These coefficients of correlation between GDP and independent factors selected for the analysis are significant, i.e. they can significantly affect the value of the GDP. The obtained results are useful in formulating the R&D development management strategy.

Acknowledgments
This study has been funded by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan (grant IRN AP08052800 “Intellectual potential of the regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan: assessment and development prospects”).

Excessive differentiation of socio-economic development of regions leads to the collapse of a single socio-economic space and the emergence of socio-economic inequality. This study assessed socio-economic inequality in Kazakhstan and its impact on regional development management. It analyzed interregional disproportion of socio-economic development of regions through the index approach using statistical data from the Bureau of National Statistics for 2011–2019. A comprehensive study of the socio-economic development of Kazakhstan and its regional differences employed the proposed index of social and economic development. It was revealed that Kazakhstan has a high level of interregional differentiation of socio-economic development, which indicates the existing socio-economic inequality, requiring the development of new and improvement of existing mechanisms to create an inclusive economy. There are significant gaps in socio-economic development between Kazakhstani regions. According to the proposed index, Kazakhstan is at the above-average level (42, B). From 2011 to 2019, the index was practically at the same level (39-42). The average social and economic development was shown by Almaty (61.1, B++), Nur-Sultan (59.9, B+), Karaganda (53.1, B+), and East Kazakhstan (51.0, B+). Low social and economic development was shown by Akmola (29.8, C+) and North Kazakhstan (22.4, C+). The difference in the socio-economic development of the regions is directly interconnected with the regional economic and social policy. According to the results, to implement state policy in inclusive development and overcome socio-economic inequality, respective measures should promote economic integration, including the mechanisms of regional, industrial, and research policy, comprising all levels of state regulation.

Acknowledgments
This study is supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan within the project “The science impact on Kazakhstan’s socio-economic development: methodology, assessment models and development scenarios” (IRN AP08052745).

Women’s participation and the nature of assistance in the provision of social policies, especially in healthcare related to socially significant diseases, is becoming more prominent. The aim of this study is to develop proposals for streamlining the palliative care system in Kazakhstan based on the analysis of the influence of women volunteers on the process of public administration. The paper interviewed two groups of respondents: volunteers and workers (medical institutions and charity organizations employees). Atlas.ti software was used to analyze and construct specific feedback on the data received. The coding results revealed that women volunteers act as an intermediary between the state administration and the palliative care system. In addition, it was determined that the prominent participants in developing the palliative care system are hospitals and charitable foundations. In general, the contribution of women volunteers to financial assistance, organization of training and master classes for doctors in the field of oncology, and provision of additional beds for patients and consultations was revealed. Further, the state’s main shortcomings in organizing palliative care were identified: poor regional budgeting system, weak legislative system, and inadequate financing of hospitals. The findings imply that women volunteers should be given a higher status and included in the public administration structure, especially for different representations of the needs of minorities.

Acknowledgments
This study is funded by the Science Committee of the Ministry of science and higher education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Grant “Priorities and mechanisms against rural women of Kazakhstan unequal access to the resources” No. AP14869297).

Digitalization contributed to the modernization of public administration, particularly e-government development. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of e-government in improving the efficiency of public administration in Kazakhstan. The research methods are comparative, economic-statistical, and qualitative content analysis. The sources of statistical data were the Bureau of National Statistics, the Committee of public services, the e-government portal, and reports of international organizations and national development institutions. The study determined that e-government is a modern paradigm of public administration that contributes to the efficiency of public administration; its development and efficiency are significantly influenced by financial, economic, technological, and legal factors. Kazakhstan has a high level of e-government development. The e-government development portal in Kazakhstan has contributed to improving public administration, especially during the pandemic. However, e-government requires further development, as its functioning has various issues (low degree of information relevance, insufficient portal filling, and low share of automated functions). At the same time, the readiness of public administration organizations for digital transformation is medium. The study proposes recommendations for Kazakhstan’s e-government development to improve public administration, mainly developing technological infrastructure and digital human capital. The results can contribute to the further e-government development in Kazakhstan and enrich the theoretical base in increasing the efficiency of public administration in the context of digital transformation.

Acknowledgments
This study is supported by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Grant “Priorities and mechanisms of inclusive regional development of Kazakhstan in the context of overcoming the economic recession,” IRN AP09259004).

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of Kazakhstan’s public policy during the pandemic related to healthcare, education, and the financial situation of the population by assessing the population’s quality of life (QoL). The study proceeded from the assumption that the effectiveness of state measures can be assessed through the manifestation of citizens’ reaction to the ongoing public policy, i.e., satisfaction with its results. The source base was the Bureau of National Statistics and the Adilet information and legal base covering 2020–2021. During the pandemic, the population’s satisfaction with their material provision, health, education, and living conditions decreased but not critically. The population’s QoL in Kazakhstan is satisfactory. Satisfaction among rural residents with their life (70.7%) and conditions (63.7%) is higher than among urban residents (56.1% and 49.8%, respectively). One-third of the population reported improved well-being and only 6.5% reported a deterioration. The high number of citizens satisfied with their QoL indicates the effectiveness of Kazakhstani public policy. It is the result not only of the implementation of temporary anti-crisis measures of government through program, organizational, and economic mechanisms during the pandemic but systematic work on modernization of the social, medical, and educational systems from 2019. The practical value of the study is the development of recommendations for the development of public policy in the field of improving QoL and the development of anti-crisis management in Kazakhstan.

Acknowledgments
This study is supported by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan (targeted funding program BR10965247 “Study of factors, features and dynamics of demographic processes, migration, urbanization in Kazakhstan, development of digital maps and forecasts”).