Showing papers by "KIMEP University published in 2021"

Influence of socio-psychological factors on consumers purchasing behavior in Kazakhstan

Abstract: The study deals with the socio-psychological factors influencing the purchasing behavior of Kazakhstani consumers related to domestic services, products and services and foreign products fr...

The Non-Linear Effects of Energy Efficiency Gains on the Incidence of Energy Poverty

Abstract: Energy poverty is defined as insufficient access to modern energy resources which are relatively cleaner than the traditionally utilized ones. In this regard, the incidence of energy poverty is particularly higher in the cases of the developing countries across the globe. Accordingly, the chronic energy poverty issues in the developing countries within Sub-Saharan Africa have become a major socioeconomic and environmental concern for the associated governments. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the effects of energy efficiency gains and shocks to other key macroeconomic factors on energy poverty in the context of selected Sub-Saharan African nations. In this study, we measure energy poverty in terms of the lack of access to clean cooking fuels and technologies for the population of the selected Sub-Saharan African countries. The overall findings from the common correlated effects panel regression analysis reveal that energy efficiency gains initially aggravate the energy poverty situation but improve it later on; consequently, a U-shaped relationship between energy efficiency and access to clean cooking fuels and technologies is evidenced. Besides, the predicted threshold levels of energy efficiency are observed to be higher than the average energy efficiency level of the Sub-Saharan African nations. Moreover, the results also portray that economic growth, carbon dioxide emissions, foreign direct investment inflows, and international trade are effective in reducing energy poverty. Conversely, financial development is witnessed to be ineffective in influencing the incidence of energy poverty in this region.

Can Social Networks Improve User Subjective Wellbeing?: Role of Passion and Personality Traits

Abstract: Based on the tenets of the uses and gratifications theory (UGT) of media, this study investigates the impact of information gratifications on the subjective wellbeing of social network users in a central Asian country. Data from 244 adolescents were collected using a convenience sampling method. The study reveals the effect of information gratifications on subjective wellbeing, though this influence appears to be moderated by user habits in terms of passion and obsession toward social network use. Furthermore, personality traits have a significant moderating influence on the relationship between information gratifications and subjective wellbeing. Using the empirical findings, this study offers recommendations to mitigate the negative effects of social networks on users' subjective wellbeing.

Explaining China's Lancang-Mekong cooperation as an institutional balancing strategy: dragon guarding the water

Abstract: This article examines the China-led Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) as an institutional balancing strategy against the external pressures from other existing mechanisms, such as the US-Mekong Partnership (UMP), the Mekong-River Commission (MRC), and the Mekong-Japan Cooperation (MJC). In contrast to another China-led multilateral initiative (i.e. the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank), the LMC has received significantly less attention by the media, scholars, and state actors, as the LMC is limited to five states in Southeast Asia that are often not viewed as major players in world politics. Because our main focus is examining the institutional competition that exists in the Mekong, we explain this competition in the region, with China’s LMC being our main focus. By drawing on the concept of institutional balancing, we explain both why China is doing this and the pattern of great powers that are engaged in institutional competition in the Mekong. The article’s findings indicate that China has yet to achieve its balancing objective, as most LMC members are not willing to exclusively side with China.

Publish or Perish? The Steep, Steep Path for Central Asia Journalism and Mass Communication Faculty:

Abstract: Journalism and mass communication faculty in Central Asian countries face increased institution and government pressure to produce research that appears in Scopus-indexed publications. This study i...

The Use of Big Data Analytics to Improve the Supply Chain Performance in Logistics Industry

Abstract: In recent years, big data analytics has received more attention from companies around the world. The explosive impact of big data analytics on globalized companies has brought new opportunities implementing big data-driven decisions that are sweeping many industries and business functions. Big data analytics has a lot of potential to improve supply chain performance in logistics industry. Big data analytics is frequently used in the logistics/supply chain management industry as an instrument to improve the performance of the system. As the supply chain performance depends on information on a high degree, big data analytics seems to be very useful in improving supply chain performance. However, many companies have not been able to apply to the same degree of the “big data analytics” techniques that could transform the way they manage their supply chains. This research demonstrated how companies can take control of the big data opportunity with a systematic approach. This study utilized survey questionnaires using Google Form to collect data from university students and people working in Klang Valley, Malaysia. It may be viewed that this result unlikely can be an appropriate representation of the whole population of Malaysia. It was concluded that several factors such as improved forecasting, supply chain system integration, human capital and risk and security governance have significant relationship towards supply chain performance in logistics industry. However, two other factors operational efficiency and partner transparency do not have significant relationship with supply chain performance. This research offers a bigger picture of how the use of big data analytics can improve the supply chain performance in logistics industry. Logistics industry could benefit from the results of this research by understanding the key success factors of big data analytics to improve supply chain performance in logistics industry.

Contestation and Collaboration for Water Resources: Comparing the Emerging Regional Water Governance of the Aral Sea, Irtysh River, and Mekong River:

Abstract: This paper enquires into how effectively “regional transboundary water governance” functions in resolving ecological problems associated with shared water resources. It compares three cases in Asia...

House Price Shock and Business Cycle: The French Case

Abstract: This study examined the relationship between house prices and the business cycle. Specifically, we examined the effect of house price and stock price in the French business cycle. After presenting the transmission channels from house price to the business cycle, we analyzed the cyclical properties of house prices and compared them with the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) cycle. The question arises: are fluctuations in economic activity more sensitive to a real estate price shock (property wealth effect) or a stock price shock (stock market wealth effect)? We collected the data over the 1980Q1-2015Q4 period and investigated the effects of house price and stock price shocks on French GDP by employing the Structural VAR model. We found the evidence that house price strongly affects the GDP cycle. Indeed, their response is significantly more important than the stock price, suggesting that the housing market might contribute to the persistent propagation of the shocks hitting the economic system. The study has important implications for both academia and policymakers and offers new insights into the French experience.

The impact of ethnocentrism and its antecedents on cultural heritage tourism along the Silk Road

Abstract: The Great Silk Road offers a high potential for the cultural and heritage tourism development as more travelers are interested in the past and culture of the others. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between patriotism, cultural openness, ethnocentrism and outcomes of tourism in the context of the Central Asia. The study uses a quantitative approach. A survey method was applied to collect data from 146 local residents living in the heritage tourism areas. The analysis included descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. The obtained results demonstrate that patriotism had a significant positive impact on ethnocentrism of local residents, while cultural openness had a negative impact on ethnocentrism. The ethnocentric attitudes of residents were significantly related to the positive and negative outcomes of tourism. Recommendations are provided for addressing problems related to cultural differences and regional cooperation for better understanding, tolerance, and social interactions between people living in the countries of Central Asia. This study contributes to the academic literature by integrating ethnocentrism and its antecedents with positive and negative outcomes of cultural tourism. It is of value to tourism practitioners and local policy makers in the Silk Road countries.

Spatial Distribution of the Rail Freight Demand in Turkey Prior to Railway Reform

Abstract: Starting in 2013, a reform process in the Turkish rail freight sector resulted in liberalisation in 2017. This paper assesses the state of the demand before the liberalisation using rail commodity flow data of 2011–2016 period. With the GIS-based analyses, the study discusses the demand characteristics for city-based and station-based production/attraction values to detect important load centres and corridors for rail freight demand. The results include major rail commodity flows and origins-destinations in terms of transported net weights and revenue earnings. The evaluation of the relationship between city-based rail freight demand and gross domestic product (GDP) values showed that the origins/destinations of significant rail freight are not necessarily the most industrialised cities, but those are either port or mineral ore producing ones. Furthermore, analysis of the international rail freight traffic, mainly on the European borders, showed a decreasing trend in recent years. The findings of the study are expected to help new entrants and incumbent companies, including domestic or international ones, to compete in the freight market and offer competitive and reliable service to existing rail customers. This will attract new customers and thus, will hopefully contribute to the modal shift to rail from other modes of transport.

Succession Planning in Family-Owned Business Evidence From an Emerging Economy

Abstract: Family-owned businesses (FOBs) play an important role in the economy of a country through the creation of jobs. However, most FOBs lack strategies regarding succession planning in both developed and developing economies. This study explores the strategies that are used by FOBs to prepare future leaders. Drawing on qualitative research design, this study employed a multiple case study approach and selected 13 cases by employing a purposive sampling technique from the FOBs of Pakistan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the successors of FOBs. The findings reveal that succession planning is pivotal for the development of business and the successful transition of FOB from one generation to another. Most of the respondents fully understand the importance of succession planning for the sustainability of the business. However, in some cases, socioemotional aspects of generational succession planning require strategies that concurrently focus on successor suitability, the consensus of the family, mode of transition, leadership, and challenges faced by the FOBs.

Public Service Provision in Kazakhstan: Challenges to Procedural Fairness

Abstract: Since Kazakhstan declared its independence in 1991, the organisational culture of the country’s public administration and civil service has been and still is orientated towards achieving outcomes, while citizens are viewed as consumers of public goods and services. This is also observed in government reports that confirm the focus on outcomes achieved by individual public administration agencies and the national government. This creates the perception that the administrative bodies are transparent and controlled by the citizens. Nonetheless, performance reports lack information on how outcomes have been achieved and on what happens when citizens appeal decisions. This pattern of public service delivery has been evolving into a public administration paradigm according to which the outcome is more important than the process. Such a focus creates conditions under which delivering public services could become a “box ticking” exercise, while the lack of attention to procedural fairness and transparency reduces citizens’ chances of receiving appropriate consideration of their requests. The chapter argues that the focus on outcomes and the treatment of citizens as consumers of public services effectively override the public officials’ duty to uphold procedural fairness. It further argues that the existing public administration paradigm needs to shift to ensure fairness and transparency.

Effect of Ownership Structure on Firm Performance Evidence From Non-Financial Listed Firms: Ownership Structure and Performance

Abstract: In modern organizations, there is a separation between ownership and control of the firm. On the lenses of agency theory, this study statistically examines the relationship between ownership structure (i.e., ownership concentration and owner identity) and firm performance of non-financial listed firms of Pakistan by taking firm-level control variables of size, age, liquidity, financial leverage, and growth of the firm. Secondary data is collected from annual reports of 65 non-financial listed firms for the year 2008 to 2012. The least-square dummy variable model followed by the random effect model has been employed to statistically determining the impact of ownership structure on firm performance. The results of the least square dummy variable model reveal that the ownership concentration has a significant positive impact on firm performance. The owner identity (such as dispersed, family, institutional, and government ownership) has a significant causal effect on firm performance as indicated from t and p values.

On the Density of Compactly Supported Functions in a Space with Multiweighted Derivatives

Abstract: We define a space with multiweighted derivatives on the half-axis. A multiweighted derivative of a function is an operation under which each subsequent derivative is taken of the function multiplied by some weight function. All weight functions involved in the definition of a multiweighted derivative are assumed to be sufficiently smooth; therefore, the set of compactly supported infinitely smooth functions belongs to the space with multiweighted derivatives, and the closure of this set in the norm of the space is a subspace of the latter. We study the mutual relation between these spaces depending on the integral behavior of the weight functions in the neighborhood of zero and infinity.

Head of a Young Woman: The thrilling recovery of a flying Picasso

Abstract: The case of the illicit export of a Picasso painting by its owner and its confiscation and recovery by French and Spanish authorities provides an interesting example of the complexities of the transnational criminal, civil, and administrative law protection of national cultural heritage and of the ongoing efforts to achieve useful legal instruments at the European level, which foster and harmonize the current and often informal mechanisms of cooperation and judicial assistance among the different domestic enforcing agencies. It also attempts to show how Spanish authorities have made a legitimate, but possibly overreaching, use of existing European Union law in order to recover and appropriate a valuable work of art.

When language policy is not enough

Abstract: By focusing predominantly on discourse production and language management, language policy research de-emphasizes the material sources of inequality. The paper argues that language management, often restricted by ritualistic and symbolic gestures, cannot rectify historically formed relations of power an

Trajectory of Health Reforms

Abstract: This chapter identifies the series of health reforms in Kazakhstan since the country gained its independence. The reforms began with The Concept of Healthcare Reform in 1992 with the most current healthcare reform (the State Program of Healthcare Development) (2020–2025) which was passed in 2019. The reforms constitute parts of public sector reform which aims to make government more efficient in the delivery of public services. The chapter discusses the features of each of the healthcare reform programs and their respective implementation timeframes.

Organization of the Health Delivery System

Abstract: The organization of the health delivery system and the roles of the central, regional, and local governments in healthcare delivery in Kazakhstan are discussed. The Ministry of Health is at the apex of the health system’s hierarchy, while health services are administered by oblast health departments. This chapter discusses the functions of the Ministry of Health and the oblast health administrators in Kazakhstan’s healthcare system. The inequities in healthcare delivery between the urban and rural areas of the country are discussed, as well as the country’s health financing mechanisms.

The Role of the Educational Community in Developing Kazakhstan’s Higher Education Sector: Autonomy, Self-Organisation, and Capacity to Influence Policy

Abstract: The chapter provides an overview of the current state of affairs in education in Kazakhstan. Based on fieldwork, it presents three case examples of faculty associations in the nation, providing an overview of their attainments in initiating changes, and their potential to influence reform in, higher education. The chapter further examines the barriers that faculty associations encounter in their attempts to engage with policymakers and contribute to policy and governance initiatives. The chapter argues that the state’s command-and-control methods of educational governance often miss their targets; and that this could be addressed by providing more autonomy to faculty associations, and enhancing their capacity to influence policy. Despite difficulties, these associations have demonstrated strong motivation, inventiveness, and the ability to self-organise. Moreover, they can help to transform Kazakhstan’s higher education system. The chapter argues that capacity-building within faculty associations would proceed more effectively if state agencies themselves improve their capacity to engage with stakeholders and become better institutional partners.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Abstract: Collaborative arrangements between governments, the business sector, and non-governmental organizations and international donor agencies are crucial in addressing the challenges that are inherent in all health systems. This chapter discusses the collaborations between Kazakhstan’s government and these entities in developing Kazakhstan’s healthcare system. Kazakhstan has been able to partner with the private and nonprofit sectors as well as international organizations in modernizing its healthcare system. The various health reforms have been able to facilitate collaborations between the government, civil society groups, the private sector, and international organizations as core parts of the country’s health system modernization strategy.

Introduction and Study Background

Abstract: This chapter discusses the historical context of Kazakhstan and its Soviet legacy. It discusses Kazakhstan’s administrative structure and the challenges of economic and political transitions. With the poor state of the health system inherited from the Soviet Union at independence, Kazakhstan’s government realized that the modernization of the health system was a prerequisite to develop its human capital and the overall economy. The chapter identifies some of Kazakhstan’s economic and health indicators and their trajectories over the years, along with some its governance indicators.

High and Low Homogeneity

Abstract: We find conditions such that every $$\lambda $$ -homogeneous model with small $$ \lambda $$ satisfying these conditions is homogeneous. As a corollary, we obtain conditions guaranteeing that the following implication holds: If $$T $$ is a theory, $$\mu >|T| $$ , and every model of $$T $$ of cardinality $$ \mu $$ is $$\omega _1$$ -homogeneous then every model of $$T$$ of sufficiently large cardinality is homogeneous.

A Review of Public Sector Reform

Abstract: Paucity of resources and the demands from citizens that governments provide better services mean that the public sector has to devise mechanisms to accomplish these goals. These mechanisms are addressed by public sector reform initiatives which consist of processes whereby governments and other sectors collaborate in order to meet the needs of citizens. This is achieved by combining New Public Management (NPM) with New Public Governance (NPG). The chapter identifies various features of public sector reform on which Kazakhstan’s health reform programs are based.

Central Asian Journalism Studies: Is There a Pathway From Conference Paper to Journal Publication?:

Abstract: This exploratory study analyses growing pressures on faculty in Central Asia to publish research in high-quality international journals and how faculty attempt to meet publishing mandates from inst...