Galiya Dauliyeva

This paper aims to analyze various indicators to explain the impact of inequality and income on economic growth at the regional level of Kazakhstan. The data collected from the Bureau of National Statistics from 1995 to 2020 examined the impact of country, interregional, and market inequality indices and real income/wage on the GRP of different regions. Applying the methods such as analysis of unique statistical data covering 16 regions of Kazakhstan and log-linear multivariate regression analysis, which was carried out using the STATA software package, evidence was provided on the influence of interregional, country inequality, and income on economic growth. The analysis showed the differential impact of inequality and income. It was found at the first stage that the gap between interregional inequality and country inequality is insignificant. It was identified at the second stage that in models with real incomes, an increase in income has a negative impact on the development of the economy of Kazakhstan. All the models obtained are consistent and have (although not very high) significant explanatory power and confirm the relationship between inequality and economic growth. The findings can help policymakers, regionalists, economists, and governmental bodies understand the importance of income inequality and which areas can contribute to the formation of effective regional policy.

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 digitalization of the economy has become one of the modern concepts in many countries and added urgency for governments to embark on a new path for effective digital and data governance. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of public administration of the digital economy in Kazakhstan, focusing on the policies, regulations, and strategies implemented by the government to support the development of this sector. The paper also explores the challenges faced by the government and the private sector in implementing these policies and regulations, including issues related to infrastructure, human capital, and the regulatory environment. It uses interdisciplinary, analytical, and systemic approaches, as well as desk research, analysis of materials of international organizations, and analysis of legal documents of the Republic of Kazakhstan and data from expert surveys. Thus, the results indicate the main scientific categories of the digital economy. Modern trends in the development of the digital economy in the world and the Republic of Kazakhstan have been identified. The results also show key performance indicators of public administration, assess the effectiveness of public administration of the digital economy in Kazakhstan, and offer directions for improving the efficiency of public administration of the digital economy. The study concludes by offering recommendations for policymakers to enhance the effectiveness of public administration of the digital economy in Kazakhstan.

Type of the article: Research article

Abstract
In transition economies, banking sector integrity is a critical prerequisite for economic resilience against exogenous shocks. This study evaluates the direct and indirect transmission channels through which public digital governance and systemic crisis shocks relate to banking stability and financial inclusion across 22 transition economies. Utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM) and path analysis based on annual panel data from 2003 to 2024 – supplemented by latent factor analysis, Dumitrescu-Hurlin causality tests, and post-estimation Wald tests – we analyze structural macro-level associations. Empirical results show that the static factor association between digital governance and banking stability is positive but marginally significant (β = 4.102, p = 0.079). In short-run dynamic first-difference specifications, no statistically significant immediate responsiveness is observed (β = 0.027, p = 0.516). Concurrently, improved banking stability significantly co-moves with financial inclusion (β = 0.042, p = 0.008), driven primarily by non-performing loan suppression (λ = −3.684, p = 0.018) and corruption control (λ = 0.034, p = 0.006). Systemic crisis shocks persistently depress both banking stability (β = −0.130, p = 0.009) and citizen financial engagement (β = −0.027, p < 0.001). Post-estimation Wald tests confirm cross-regional slope homogeneity (χ2(1) = 0.48, p = 0.487 for governance-to-stability; χ2(1) = 0.03, p = 0.855 for stability-to-inclusion). Contrary to conventional assumptions, public digital governance does not act as an immediate countercyclical shock absorber, highlighting the necessity of pairing digital reforms with long-term structural policies.

Acknowledgments
Oleksii Zakharkin’s contribution to this article was prepared as part of a research project funded by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, titled “GovTech for Ukraine: A Digital, Secure, Transparent, and Equitable State in Times of War and Post-War Reconstruction” (registration number: 0126U000544).