Competition name: Competition for grant funding of young scientists under the «Zhas Galym» project for 2025-2027.

Project Manager: Assel M. Sadenova – Master of Social Sciences, Senior Lecturer at the Business School of the D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University, Doctoral student at the Toraigyrov University in the specialty «Economics».

 

Identifiers:

Project Research Team

Full name Project position Identifiers (Scopus Author ID, Researcher ID, ORCID, if any) and links to related profiles
1. Saltanat N. Suyeubaeva

Scientific consultant, Executor

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0290-6290,
Scopus Author ID: 57160209000,
Researcher ID Web of Science ААЕ-8954-2020.

Project abstract

In today's rapidly changing digital environment, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) must adapt to evolving economic and technological conditions, a challenge especially pressing for developing nations like Kazakhstan. Studies indicate that successfully integrating digital technologies not only boosts productivity and competitiveness but also opens new economic avenues in both domestic and international markets. Kazakhstan, facing rapid technological advancements and shifts in the global economy, needs to adopt scientifically driven strategies for managing the digital transformation and innovative development of its SMEs, while taking into account the country’s unique socio-economic context.

Despite the potential offered by digital technologies, SMEs in Kazakhstan face obstacles such as limited financial resources, insufficient government support, and a shortage of skilled workers. These factors hinder digital adaptation and reduce the innovative capacity of enterprises. This project seeks to address the problem of low innovation activity among SMEs by creating a system that assesses their innovation potential while considering specific cultural and institutional barriers.

The research employs a detailed methodology, including empirical analytics and SME surveys, to pinpoint the primary challenges to digital adoption. Unlike global studies that often focus on corporate globalization, this initiative will address the specific needs and issues of Kazakhstani SMEs, such as the lack of human and financial resources.

Targets: The project aims to develop a system for assessing SMEs' innovation potential in the context of digital business adaptation and to provide practical recommendations for boosting innovation, addressing key factors and barriers identified through empirical analysis to enhance SMEs' competitiveness and growth.

Expected and achieved results of the project:

Year

The results obtained from the research.
Publications (with links to them) and patents; information for potential users

2025

A systematic base of existing theoretical models is identified regarding the digital adaptation of business processes and its impact on innovation processes in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as the main aspects of the impact of digital adaptation on the innovative growth of enterprises.

2026

Primary data will be collected through a survey and secondary data to analyze the level of digital maturity and innovation potential of Kazakhstani SMEs. 1 (one) article will be published in a scientific publication indexed in the Arts and Humanities Citation Index or Social Science Citation Index in the Web of Science database or with a CiteScore of at least 35 (thirty-five) percentile in the Scopus database. A doctoral dissertation will be defended to obtain the PhD degree.

2027

Cultural and institutional barriers are considered as the main factors influencing the interconnections between modeling, taking into account innovative activity. 1 (one) article will be published in a scientific publication indexed in the Arts and Humanities Citation Index or Social Science Citation Index in the Web of Science database or with a CiteScore of at least 35 (thirty-five) percentile in the Scopus database. 1 (one) copyright will be registered for the developed methodologies and analytical models, which will allow protecting the intellectual results of the project.

Infographics

Date of last changes:
03.06.2025