Azimkhan Satybaldin

This study is aimed at evaluating the correlation between determinants of non-cash payments (ATMs, number of bank branches, and number of mobile phone users) and various economic indicators (broad money, inflation, consumer prices) as well as further studying which of the factors and to what extent influence each other in different periods. Non-cash payments are provided by ATMs. The sample considers panel data on nine developing countries. The data for calculation were taken from The World Bank, for Kazakhstan – from the Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The data collected during the study were analyzed using the SPSS software. Spearman’s correlation analysis was used. The results obtained in the empirical study briefly showed that the alternative hypothesis is confirmed for the period 2004–2009 (that the existing relationships are significant), at the same time, the null hypothesis was confirmed in terms of the level of significance for the period 2019–2020. Accordingly, this study showed that modern developments differ from those provided earlier and financial technology transformation is still in the process. The results of this study also indicated the need for further studies of non-traditional measures of financial development, which can lead to sustainable economic growth in the post-crisis period.

Acknowledgments
The study was carried out within the framework of program targeted IRN OR11465433 funding by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Development of the concept and mechanisms of balanced territorial development of the economy and society of Kazakhstan”.

The ways of education development are changing, which is largely determined by the introduction of digital technologies and the desire to improve the efficiency of management of educational processes at universities. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the challenges and opportunities in universities related to the use of digital technologies (social media tools, digital online platforms, digital learning platforms) in higher education institutions in Kazakhstan. A sample included respondents (N = 69) from 16 educational institutions in Kazakhstan that combined teaching (conducting training courses or working with students) and administrative management (management or planning of the educational process). The data were obtained using an offline questionnaire and processed using SWOT methodology. Representatives from 16 public and private universities responded to the questionnaire: the rector (2%) and two vice-rectors (3%), deans of faculties (23%), directors, and heads of various departments of universities (71%) were interviewed (managers are engaged in teaching). As a result, six thematic outcomes demonstrated the opportunities for technology application in education: enhancing management quality, motivation, access to electronic resources and materials, transparency and objectivity in grading, the possibility of implementing distance learning, and simplification of routine tasks. It is also noteworthy to mention five thematic outcomes as challenges, which encompassed issues with security, technical errors, reduced communication, dependency, and complexities in grading.

Acknowledgments
The study was carried out within the framework of grant funding by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Modernization of the system of distribution relations and reduction of income inequality of the population of the Republic of Kazakhstan” BR21882165.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
Income inequality remains a key socio-economic challenge in Kazakhstan, where persistent disparities reflect institutional weaknesses, structural imbalances, and limited effectiveness of redistribution mechanisms. This study aims to assess the influence of institutional quality, economic structure, and social policy on income inequality in Kazakhstan. The analysis is based on annual national and international statistical data for 2001–2023, covering indicators of governance quality, investment activity, labor market dynamics, and social protection. Methodologically, the study uses Spearman’s rank correlation analysis to identify statistically significant associations between the Gini coefficient and selected explanatory variables, without assuming linear relationships. The robustness of results is verified through significance testing at multiple confidence levels. The findings indicate that stricter rule of law and lower corruption are associated with reduced inequality (Spearman’s ρ ≈ –0.44 to –0.50, p < 0.05), while a higher share of state-owned enterprises correlates with greater disparities (ρ ≈ +0.47, p < 0.05). Investment per capita and household expenditures exert a moderate equalizing effect (each ρ ≈ –0.47, p < 0.05), whereas growth in real incomes and an expanding manufacturing sector are linked to wider gaps. Manufacturing share shows a strong positive association with inequality (ρ ≈ +0.80, p < 0.001), and overall income growth correlates positively as well (ρ ≈ +0.72, p < 0.001). Social transfers and pensions operate primarily as reactive measures, smoothing short-term fluctuations rather than achieving sustained redistribution. The findings provide guidance for public policy aimed at reducing income inequality and indicate that the strongest equalizing effects are associated with improvements in the rule of law, reductions in corruption, and higher investment activity, while growth in real household incomes and existing social transfers are largely reactive and do not ensure sustained redistribution.

Acknowledgment
This paper was prepared within the framework of the scientific and technical program IRN BR28713593 “Sustainable development of Kazakhstan’s economy in the context of new challenges: foresight, strategies and scenarios of modernization, institutions.”