STATE POLICY AND INNOVATION-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT IN KAZAKHSTAN: CONSTRAINTS AND PROSPECTS

Purpose: This study examines how government policy shapes innovation-driven development in Kazakhstan, with a focus on systemic constraints in a transition economy.

Design/methodology/approach: The paper combines descriptive statistics, cross-country comparative analysis (OECD benchmarks), and a system-based framework of the national innovation system (NIS). A conceptual model is complemented by a parsimonious analytical specification linking innovation outcomes to R&D intensity, institutional quality, and science–industry linkages.

Findings: Kazakhstan demonstrates a persistent gap relative to OECD economies across input (R&D expenditure, human capital), throughput (university–industry collaboration), and output indicators (patents, high-technology exports). The findings suggest that low R&D intensity, weak commercialization mechanisms, and limited private-sector engagement jointly constrain innovation performance.

Originality/value: The study integrates a multi-level (macro–meso–micro) analytical perspective with a compact specification tailored to a resource-based transition economy. It contributes by identifying systemic coordination failures within the national innovation system.

Practical implications: The results highlight the need to strengthen R&D investment, improve technology transfer mechanisms, and enhance university–industry collaboration to support sustainable innovation-driven growth.

The results are robust across multiple comparative indicators.