AP26103811 Development of strategy for the competitiveness of IT companies in Kazakhstan
Project title
Development of strategy for the competitiveness of IT companies in Kazakhstan: identification of hidden success factors and formation of innovation clusters using data analysis methods to determine the factors
Project goal
Проект направлен на разработку стратегии конкурентоспособности IT-компаний на основе перехода к конкурентным преимуществам наивысшего порядка, новых подходов по наращиванию конкурентного потенциала, развитие гибкой сетевой организации путем создания кластера и кластерной обсерватории с использованием методов анализа данных для определения факторов роста
Project objectives
1) Review of the previous theoretical aspects of competitiveness and the best foreign practices for the development of the IT industry:
1.1 The study of basic competition theories, including the Theory of the Innovative Advantage of competition (J. Schumpeter), Cluster Theory (M.Porter), the Theory of a Dynamic Approach to competition (F.Hayek), Theory of the Social Approach (X.Uyat), the Strategy of the Blue Ocean (V.Chan Kim and R. Mauborn).
1.2 Research the methods for measuring and analyzing the competitiveness of IT industry entities, taking into account the criteria for assessing global competitiveness, digital competitiveness IMD and the global innovation index (GII).
1.3. Study of international experience in the development of the IT industry, including Japan, Canada, Europe and the Republic of Belarus.
2) Analysis of the competitiveness of IT companies and the IT market of the RK. 2.1 Analysis of state regulation of IT entities business operation.
2.2 Analysis and assessment the competitiveness of business entities in IT industry and IT market.
2.3. Comparative analysis of the competitive advantages of business entities in the IT industry at the international and national level
3) Development of strategic approaches to ensure the competitiveness of IT industry entities.
3.1 Development of a model for the competitiveness of entrepreneurship in the IT industry.
3.2 Development of strategic measures to secure the competitiveness of IT industry entities.
4. Development and testing of a conceptual model of cluster competitiveness adapted to national characteristics:
4.1 To test the model on pilot projects, taking into account the specifics of the Kazakh IT market.
5. Creation of a strategic plan for the implementation of the model in practice, including recommendations for government agencies and businesses:
5.1 Develop recommendations for integrating the developed model into the current IT business support structure, taking into account the specific needs and characteristics of the industry in Kazakhstan.
6. Development of mechanisms to support innovation and attract investment in the IT industry:
6.1. Create mechanisms to stimulate innovation activity among IT industry entities, including grant support, tax incentives and acceleration programs.
6.2. Develop strategies to attract venture capital and foreign investments in IT companies in Kazakhstan, focused on supporting startups and small enterprises.
7. Evaluating the effectiveness of the developed strategies and models, monitoring their implementation:
7.1. Conduct pilot testing of the proposed strategies and models, analyze the results to make adjustments.
7.2. Develop a system for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of competitiveness strategies and models to ensure their long-term effectiveness and adaptability to market changes.
1.1 The study of basic competition theories, including the Theory of the Innovative Advantage of competition (J. Schumpeter), Cluster Theory (M.Porter), the Theory of a Dynamic Approach to competition (F.Hayek), Theory of the Social Approach (X.Uyat), the Strategy of the Blue Ocean (V.Chan Kim and R. Mauborn).
1.2 Research the methods for measuring and analyzing the competitiveness of IT industry entities, taking into account the criteria for assessing global competitiveness, digital competitiveness IMD and the global innovation index (GII).
1.3. Study of international experience in the development of the IT industry, including Japan, Canada, Europe and the Republic of Belarus.
2) Analysis of the competitiveness of IT companies and the IT market of the RK. 2.1 Analysis of state regulation of IT entities business operation.
2.2 Analysis and assessment the competitiveness of business entities in IT industry and IT market.
2.3. Comparative analysis of the competitive advantages of business entities in the IT industry at the international and national level
3) Development of strategic approaches to ensure the competitiveness of IT industry entities.
3.1 Development of a model for the competitiveness of entrepreneurship in the IT industry.
3.2 Development of strategic measures to secure the competitiveness of IT industry entities.
4. Development and testing of a conceptual model of cluster competitiveness adapted to national characteristics:
4.1 To test the model on pilot projects, taking into account the specifics of the Kazakh IT market.
5. Creation of a strategic plan for the implementation of the model in practice, including recommendations for government agencies and businesses:
5.1 Develop recommendations for integrating the developed model into the current IT business support structure, taking into account the specific needs and characteristics of the industry in Kazakhstan.
6. Development of mechanisms to support innovation and attract investment in the IT industry:
6.1. Create mechanisms to stimulate innovation activity among IT industry entities, including grant support, tax incentives and acceleration programs.
6.2. Develop strategies to attract venture capital and foreign investments in IT companies in Kazakhstan, focused on supporting startups and small enterprises.
7. Evaluating the effectiveness of the developed strategies and models, monitoring their implementation:
7.1. Conduct pilot testing of the proposed strategies and models, analyze the results to make adjustments.
7.2. Develop a system for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of competitiveness strategies and models to ensure their long-term effectiveness and adaptability to market changes.
Expected project outcomes
1) Within the framework of the project it is planned:
- publication of less than 2 (two) articles in a peer-reviewed scientific publication indexed in the Social Science Citation Index and included in the 1st (first) or 2nd (second) quartile by impact factor in the Web of Science database and (or) having a CiteScore percentile in the Scopus database of at least 50 (fifty).
- Publication of 4 (four) articles and (or) reviews in peer-reviewed foreign and (or) domestic publications recommended by Committee for Quality Assurance in the Field of Science and Higher Education of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
- Obtaining 1 certificate of entry into the state register of rights to objects protected by copyright.
- Development of scientific, technical, design documentation: 1 methodological recommendation.
- Publication of a monograph with a volume of at least 5 printed sheets in a Kazakh publishing house.
- Preparation of 1 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the educational program "Project Management".
2) Dissemination of the results of the work among potential users, the community of scientists and the general public. The solution of the tasks set is aimed at clarifying the basic principles of the theory of competitiveness, taking into account current trends and scientific substantiation of the proposed model for ensuring the competitiveness of business entities in the creative industry.
Scientific and technical effect: development of a model of competitiveness of entrepreneurship in the IT industry, publication of scientific research results.
Multiplicative effect: ensuring the competitiveness of business entities in the IT industry through the use of competitive advantages contributes to ensuring global competitiveness, digital competitiveness of IMD and the Global Innovation Index (GII).
The results of the study will be recommended to the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Agency for Development and Protection of Competition, JSC "Kazakhstan Center for Industry and Export "QazIndustry" and other interested parties for their further implementation in practice.
The project is aimed at developing practical recommendations for determining the factors of growth in the competitiveness of the IT industry in Kazakhstan.
The key result will be a conceptual model of cluster competitiveness adapted to the conditions of Kazakhstan, which will improve coordination, information exchange and attract investments in IT clusters. Strategic measures for companies and government programs aimed at improving the business climate and innovation activity will also be developed.
Mechanisms will be developed to stimulate innovation and attract investment to support startups and small businesses, which will create conditions for accelerated growth of the industry. Pilot testing of pos models and strategies
- publication of less than 2 (two) articles in a peer-reviewed scientific publication indexed in the Social Science Citation Index and included in the 1st (first) or 2nd (second) quartile by impact factor in the Web of Science database and (or) having a CiteScore percentile in the Scopus database of at least 50 (fifty).
- Publication of 4 (four) articles and (or) reviews in peer-reviewed foreign and (or) domestic publications recommended by Committee for Quality Assurance in the Field of Science and Higher Education of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
- Obtaining 1 certificate of entry into the state register of rights to objects protected by copyright.
- Development of scientific, technical, design documentation: 1 methodological recommendation.
- Publication of a monograph with a volume of at least 5 printed sheets in a Kazakh publishing house.
- Preparation of 1 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the educational program "Project Management".
2) Dissemination of the results of the work among potential users, the community of scientists and the general public. The solution of the tasks set is aimed at clarifying the basic principles of the theory of competitiveness, taking into account current trends and scientific substantiation of the proposed model for ensuring the competitiveness of business entities in the creative industry.
Scientific and technical effect: development of a model of competitiveness of entrepreneurship in the IT industry, publication of scientific research results.
Multiplicative effect: ensuring the competitiveness of business entities in the IT industry through the use of competitive advantages contributes to ensuring global competitiveness, digital competitiveness of IMD and the Global Innovation Index (GII).
The results of the study will be recommended to the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Agency for Development and Protection of Competition, JSC "Kazakhstan Center for Industry and Export "QazIndustry" and other interested parties for their further implementation in practice.
The project is aimed at developing practical recommendations for determining the factors of growth in the competitiveness of the IT industry in Kazakhstan.
The key result will be a conceptual model of cluster competitiveness adapted to the conditions of Kazakhstan, which will improve coordination, information exchange and attract investments in IT clusters. Strategic measures for companies and government programs aimed at improving the business climate and innovation activity will also be developed.
Mechanisms will be developed to stimulate innovation and attract investment to support startups and small businesses, which will create conditions for accelerated growth of the industry. Pilot testing of pos models and strategies
Research Projects AP26102429 & AP26103811 at the Global Summit Series Seoul 2026
Host country: Seoul, Republic of Korea
The research teams of projects AP26102429 and AP26103811, funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, took part in the two-day Global Summit Series Seoul 2026 — an international platform bringing together business, academia, the public sector, and the global project management community.
The summit agenda aligned closely with the research objectives of both projects:
AP26102429 — Accountability and transparency in public-sector digital projects: international approaches to evaluating AI feasibility and value, data-driven decision support, and stakeholder trust mechanisms applicable to digital government initiatives
AP26103811 — IT-company competitiveness, innovation clusters, and digital ecosystems: case studies of AI scaling by Korean companies in industry, healthcare, and high-tech, providing benchmarks for the analysis of Kazakhstan's IT sector
Shared agenda: Enterprise Agility, change management, and leadership competencies as enablers of digital transformation under uncertainty
Participation in the summit expanded the projects' international network, opened potential research collaborations, and provided up-to-date global practices that will be integrated into the projects' research outputs and policy recommendations for Kazakhstan.
The projects are implemented at Astana IT University. Research team: Prof. Nurkhat Zhakiyev, Prof. Rymkul Ismailova, Prof. Nurgul Yesmagulova.
The research teams of projects AP26102429 and AP26103811, funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, took part in the two-day Global Summit Series Seoul 2026 — an international platform bringing together business, academia, the public sector, and the global project management community.
The summit agenda aligned closely with the research objectives of both projects:
AP26102429 — Accountability and transparency in public-sector digital projects: international approaches to evaluating AI feasibility and value, data-driven decision support, and stakeholder trust mechanisms applicable to digital government initiatives
AP26103811 — IT-company competitiveness, innovation clusters, and digital ecosystems: case studies of AI scaling by Korean companies in industry, healthcare, and high-tech, providing benchmarks for the analysis of Kazakhstan's IT sector
Shared agenda: Enterprise Agility, change management, and leadership competencies as enablers of digital transformation under uncertainty
Participation in the summit expanded the projects' international network, opened potential research collaborations, and provided up-to-date global practices that will be integrated into the projects' research outputs and policy recommendations for Kazakhstan.
The projects are implemented at Astana IT University. Research team: Prof. Nurkhat Zhakiyev, Prof. Rymkul Ismailova, Prof. Nurgul Yesmagulova.
Развитие международного научного сотрудничества: визит в Sunchon National University (Республика Корея)
As part of the implementation of a research project, members of the research team visited Sunchon National University (Republic of Korea). The purpose of the visit was to strengthen international scientific cooperation, exchange research experience, and discuss opportunities for joint research and educational initiatives in the fields of digital transformation, innovation, and information and communication technologies (ICT).
The visit program included a series of meetings with leading scholars and heads of research centers at the university. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Professor Ha Jin Hwang for organizing the visit and facilitating professional connections between research teams from Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea.
During meetings with Professor Hyun Yoe, Director of the ICT Research Center and President of the Association of University ICT Research Centers of Korea, as well as Professor JinGwang Koh from the Department of Computer Engineering, participants discussed current trends in digital technology development, digital transformation challenges, and prospects for expanding international academic cooperation.
The delegation also explored the university’s educational, research, and innovation infrastructure. Particular interest was shown in the Smart Library, a modern intelligent learning environment where digital technologies are actively integrated into educational and research activities.
One of the key events of the visit was a research seminar during which the results of projects AP26102429 and AP26103811 were presented. The discussions focused on digital transformation in public administration, the application of project management tools in the implementation of digital initiatives, the development of innovation ecosystems, and the use of artificial intelligence and data analytics technologies to support managerial decision-making.
Special attention was given to opportunities for joint scientific publications, academic mobility programs, the expansion of international research collaborations, and participation in international research projects and grant programs.
As a result of the visit, both parties confirmed their interest in further strengthening partnership relations and implementing joint research initiatives. The meetings contributed to enhancing academic ties between Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea and established a foundation for future collaborative projects in the field of digital innovation and advanced technologies.
The visit program included a series of meetings with leading scholars and heads of research centers at the university. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Professor Ha Jin Hwang for organizing the visit and facilitating professional connections between research teams from Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea.
During meetings with Professor Hyun Yoe, Director of the ICT Research Center and President of the Association of University ICT Research Centers of Korea, as well as Professor JinGwang Koh from the Department of Computer Engineering, participants discussed current trends in digital technology development, digital transformation challenges, and prospects for expanding international academic cooperation.
The delegation also explored the university’s educational, research, and innovation infrastructure. Particular interest was shown in the Smart Library, a modern intelligent learning environment where digital technologies are actively integrated into educational and research activities.
One of the key events of the visit was a research seminar during which the results of projects AP26102429 and AP26103811 were presented. The discussions focused on digital transformation in public administration, the application of project management tools in the implementation of digital initiatives, the development of innovation ecosystems, and the use of artificial intelligence and data analytics technologies to support managerial decision-making.
Special attention was given to opportunities for joint scientific publications, academic mobility programs, the expansion of international research collaborations, and participation in international research projects and grant programs.
As a result of the visit, both parties confirmed their interest in further strengthening partnership relations and implementing joint research initiatives. The meetings contributed to enhancing academic ties between Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea and established a foundation for future collaborative projects in the field of digital innovation and advanced technologies.
Recent publications
Yesmagulova, N., et al. “ANALYSIS OF STATE REGULATION OF BUSINESS ENTITIES IN THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY”. Vestnik KazUTB, vol. 3, no. 28, Sept. 2025, https://doi.org/10.58805/kazutb.v.3.28-1179.