Gulnar K. Saparova

For transition economies seeking economic diversification and macroeconomic stability, optimizing the allocation of tourism investments between hospitality infrastructure and cultural assets remains a critical challenge. The primary purpose of this study is to determine how these different components of capital affect the gross value added of the national tourism sector. The significance of the results was tested using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag bounds approach over the period from 2003 to 2023. An error correction specification was used to examine short-run adjustment, while FM-OLS served as a supplementary estimator of the long-run coefficients. HC3 robust standard errors were applied after heteroskedasticity was detected. The findings provide qualified evidence of a long-run level relationship. Investment in accommodation and food services has a positive and statistically significant association with tourism gross value added. Investment in arts, entertainment, and recreation does not exhibit a statistically significant direct association in the final specifications. This result does not imply that cultural and recreational assets lack tourism value, as their contribution may operate through destination attractiveness, authenticity, visitor experience, and other indirect channels. The results emphasize the importance of coordinated tourism planning and stakeholder partnerships across the hospitality and cultural sectors. Given the limited sample size, these findings and their policy implications should be interpreted with caution.

This article presents a comprehensive assessment of the economic efficiency of implementing innovative technologies in the agricultural sector, based on a systematic analysis of international practices and the development of an adaptive model for the Republic of Kazakhstan. The study focuses on agricultural enterprises in seven countries with varying levels of innovation—namely, the United States, the Netherlands, Israel, Germany, China, India, and Brazil—during the period from 2018 to 2024. A comparative analysis revealed substantial disparities in innovation adoption rates: 75–85% in developed countries, 30–50% in developing economies, and less than 5% in Kazakhstan. A strong positive correlation was established between the level of innovation activity and key economic performance indicators, including labor productivity, return on investment (ROI), and export competitiveness. For instance, ROI in the Netherlands reaches 300%, whereas in Kazakhstan it remains at only 80%. The study identifies essential institutional, technological, and organizational determinants for successful innovation adoption, such as the effective integration of science, business, and government; the presence of innovation infrastructure; availability of qualified human capital; access to financing mechanisms; and export-oriented strategies. A diagnostic analysis of Kazakhstan’s agricultural sector reveals significant institutional and infrastructural constraints, including inefficient allocation of state support (with a predominance of direct subsidies), weak science–industry cooperation, and limited access to advanced agro-technologies. In response to these challenges, a five-component innovation development model is proposed, comprising institutional, technological, financial, educational, and infrastructural modules. The model outlines a phased implementation mechanism with measurable indicators of progress and emphasizes the importance of fostering public–private partnerships. Forecasts for the model’s implementation by 2033 indicate the potential to increase the share of innovation-active enterprises to 40%, boost labor productivity by 150–200%, reduce production costs by 20–30%, and double or triple agricultural exports. The study contributes to the literature on agricultural economics by offering a systematic framework for innovation-driven development in emerging agricultural economies.

The relevance of the research is determined by the role of transport logistics as a key element of economic development and digital transformation. The purpose of the study is to study the impact of digitalization on the efficiency of transport logistics, identify key factors determining the economic effectiveness of logistics operations, and justify the need to integrate digital solutions into the traffic management system. The research methodology is based on the correlation and regression analysis of statistical data on the profitability of transport services, the volume of traffic and external factors. The results of the study allowed us to determine how digitalization contributes to the development of transport logistics and which technologies have the greatest impact on its effectiveness. The research is interdisciplinary, combining economic and mathematical modeling, logistics and digital technologies, and has practical significance for shaping strategies for the development of transport logistics in the context of digital transformation.

The development of entrepreneurship in Kazakhstan's agriculture is one of the key tasks for ensuring food security and economic stability in the country. Between 2020 and 2023, the republic’s agrarian sector demonstrated mixed trends influenced by internal and external factors. The goal is to analyze the current state of entrepreneurial activity in the agrarian sphere and identify the main problems. Methods – the statistical method was used to examine the dynamics of gross output, investment levels, the number of agricultural enterprises, and the scale and nature of structural imbalances, forming the basis for further conclusions. The systems method revealed interconnections between financing volumes, digital transformation, state support, and regional infrastructure, allowing the agro-industrial complex to be interpreted as a system of interdependent elements. The comparative method was used to compare regional data and contrast national indicators with international benchmarks in digital farming and access to capital. Results – problematic areas were identified, including a low level of digitalization, covering only 12% of agricultural land, and limited financial accessibility. Conclusions – small and medium-sized enterprises face restricted financial resources. The share of small and medium agribusiness is 14.8%, which hinders its integration into total production volume. Global market shifts, price fluctuations, and geopolitical factors negatively impact Kazakhstan’s export potential — for example, grain exports declined by 12.6% in 2024. Growth in entrepreneurial activity enables agricultural entities to improve tools, increase crop yields through the adoption of innovative developments, and strengthen their economic and financial positions. The above allows us to conclude that increasing the resources of small and medium-sized enterprises is only possible through joint efforts of entrepreneurs and the state, supported by large businesses.

The article examines the issues and prospects of agricultural enterprises within agricultural clusters. It analyzes key aspects of agricultural cluster functioning, including the integration of producers, processors, and distribution structures, as well as the impact of innovative technologies on production efficiency. The article emphasizes that the successful implementation of the agricultural cluster model requires a comprehensive approach, involving synergy between producers, processors, retail networks, and government structures. A key part of the research is the calculation of profitability and efficiency ratios. The profitability ratio remains high, confirming stable net profit generation. The cost profitability ratio increased from 225.6% to 261.5%, reflecting more efficient resource use, cost reduction, and profit growth. The profit growth ratio showed a 9.97% increase in net profit after joining the agricultural cluster, and the cost reduction ratio reached 5.11%, linked to joint purchasing and other innovations. These results demonstrate that participation in an agricultural cluster reduces risks, increases efficiency, and stabilizes profitability growth. The article also discusses barriers faced by agricultural enterprises, such as financial resource shortages, logistics challenges, and the lack of qualified personnel. Attention is given to the opportunities offered by the agricultural cluster approach, including access to new markets, improved cooperation, and the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. The conclusions highlight the need for favorable conditions to develop agricultural clusters, which would increase the competitiveness of domestic agriculture and ensure food security. The article employs methods such as comparative analysis, synthesis, and SWOT analysis.

This article discusses the issues of cluster policy formation in the Republic of Kazakhstan on the basis of studying the experience of leading countries. The research aim is to find new effective tools and institutions for the development of the cluster structuring of the agro-industrial complex economy of Kazakhstan. Cluster policy in the field of supporting regional clusters starts with the identification of already existing clusters in the region, because by viewing the regional economy through the prism of various local industries and innovative enterprises, regional authorities can identify measures of effective impact and support for their clusters. This research examines the possibilities of using clusters and cluster policy as one of the most important components of the policy for the development and support of small and medium-sized enterprises in Kazakhstan’s agro-industrial complex. The research methodology includes qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods, comparative analysis, and mathematical processing (the Pearson correlation coefficient), as well as the modeling of possible development scenarios. The obtained results show that there are significant opportunities for a wider involvement of small and medium-sized enterprises in the formation of cluster structures of the agro-industrial sector through joint efforts by the government and regional centers in the conditions of innovative development of the country’s economy.

The employment of rural population in rural regions is the object of close attention from the state. The goal is to identify trends in the structure of the sphere of labor relations in the context of the transition to a post-industrial society and technological modernization of the economy. To conduct the research, general scientific and special methods were used: abstraction, analysis, synthesis and logical cognition. The results—employment and unemployment—are closely related socio-economic categories that characterize labor market policy. Its comparative assessment of urban and rural residents for 2022 is given. The activities of small-scale commodity structures located in rural areas on a regional basis are analyzed. Conclusions - priority directions of agricultural policy have been identified. The negative impact of problems that hinder the growth of labor potential is shown. Modern agricultural labor does not receive proper positive development due to the dissatisfaction of rural workers with their activities, the low level of mechanization of agricultural production sectors, and the material disinterest of workers. Ways of assistance in employment are proposed: development of small forms of entrepreneurship, including expansion and increase in the profitability of personal subsidiary plots and peasant farms; training and retraining of young rural workers and specialists as the main factor determining the growth of their professional mobility and competitiveness. It is necessary to create conditions under which agricultural enterprises and farmers would have the opportunity to work profitably, update fixed assets and equipment, master innovative resource-saving technologies, increase and modernize jobs in the social sector, infrastructure (transportation, storage, marketing of products), housing and communal services, rural construction.

The goal is to reveal main directions for increasing the efficiency of labor potential of rural areas of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the context of digitalization of the economy, to identify criteria and analyze factors of its growth. Methods – comparative analysis and scientific abstraction, allowing to determine the importance of rural labor resources in production of public goods and increasing reproduction. Results – there is no general indicator that determines the activity of the personnel and conditions for its formation. According to the authors, the prerequisites for this are ecological-geographical, socio-economic, technological development and digital transformation. The priority areas of demographic policy and mechanisms for increasing employment and profitability of rural workers are given. The structure of the agricultural labor market is considered: the level of innovative activity of enterprises in the context of regions; the number of farmers users of the Internet system in different countries. Conclusions – information and communication systems in the economy have reduced the gap in the quality of education between rural and urban schools by more than 30%, and digital entrepreneurship also involves the creation of new enterprises characterized by: the use of digital technologies to improve business operations, the invention of digital business models, interacting with customers and stakeholders through digital platforms. Taking into account the real situation, it is necessary to find opportunities for optimizing the activities of the able-bodied part of the population of the Kazakhstani village, while it is important to analyze the economic and technological needs of economic entities in agricultural sector. Also, the authors focus on some practical problems that the researcher and manager face when assessing the labor potential of rural areas.

Transition of the economic development traditional model to the green economy is a modern necessity that determines development sustainability not only for individual national economies, but also for the entire planet. Therefore, the promotion of the green economy in Kazakhstan is the main and only true way of development. The purpose of this article is to study the relationship between introduction of digitalization in enterprises and the production development of the agro-industrial complex (AIC) of Kazakhstan in the context of green economy based on the current state analysis of an agro-industrial complex in the country and a forecast for its development. To assess the relationship between indicators of green growth and the introduction of new digital technologies, an inquiry was made of data on the development of innovations in technologies related to the environment. With the help of green growth indicators, directly according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for 2014–2018, Kazakhstan Bureau of Statistics and foresight studies forecast calculations made in this work. In addition, a mathematical model of the indicator “Gross agricultural output of Kazakhstan” was developed using regression analysis in the context of crop and livestock production in Kazakhstan for the period from 2014–2020, and forecast calculations of this indicator until 2025 are given. Thus, the methodology of this study is based on a comparative, statistical, mathematical and foresight analysis of international and state data on the development of the agro-industrial complex, digitalization and energy consumption (including renewable energy) in Kazakhstan. The results of the study showed that despite the consistently low rates of development of eco-technologies and the renewable energy sources usage in Kazakhstan, a high growth in agricultural GDP is predicted over the studied period. Based on the research results of target indicators of state programs, as well as the study of the agro-industrial complex problems and the possible effect on the introduction of digitalization, the active development of digitalization in all sectors of the agro-industrial complex can lead to «green» growth.

The goal – is to show the current situation in the development of poultry farming as the most dynamic branch of the agro-industrial complex in Kazakhstan, to outline the prospects for production of products that can be produced in large quantities in the shortest period of time, regardless of the season. Methods – verbal, graphic, mathematical, iteration. Results – it is noted that many regions of the republic have favorable conditions for expanding the poultry sector, and the products of poultry farms make up the majority of the population's diet. The article presents illustrative materials that analyze the indicators of egg and meat production as the main areas of livestock production and dietary products with a high protein content. Poultry farms can incubate eggs to increase production. In addition, the poultry subcomplex specializes in production of not only meat and edible eggs, but also by-products: feathers, down, organic fertilizers for plants (droppings). Conclusions – problems of the functioning of poultry industry, which is characterized by a big contribution to agricultural economy, are mentioned. Proposals on the efficient use of labor resources and production means, ensuring the stability of cash flow throughout the year, high productivity and profitability, and quick payback of investments have been developed. The stable development of poultry farming will provide a number of indisputable advantages in the future: a new level of small and medium-sized businesses, the emergence of additional jobs, the provision of domestic high-quality products, and decrease in the share of imports. Purposeful work aimed to improve the fodder base, introduction of resource-saving energy-intensive technologies are essetial.