Digital transformation readiness of Kazakhstani enterprises: Mapping regional and sectoral capacities

Type of the article: Research Article AbstractDigital transformation is a key factor in the competitiveness of enterprises in the modern world. The study aims to analyze the readiness of enterprises in Kazakhstan for digital transformation at the regional and sectoral levels. The main research method was statistical analysis based on an index approach using data for 2023 from Kazakhstan’s Bureau of National Statistics, reflecting the digital readiness and digital maturity of enterprises. According to the findings, in Kazakhstan, the level of readiness of enterprises for digital transformation is heterogeneous both in regional and sectoral terms. Kazakhstani enterprises are characterized by a high level of basic digital readiness (81.4% of enterprises had computers, 79.5% – Internet access), an unsatisfactory level of advanced digital readiness (5.6% of enterprises had IT-specialists, 1.1% – own data centers, 3.1% – implemented business processes innovations in information and communication systems), and digital maturity (26.5% of enterprises had Internet resources, electronic invoices – 79.1%, automated internal business processes – 16.7%, cloud computing – 11.0%, big data technologies – 1.9%, and RFID technologies – 1.1%). A digital gap in the readiness of enterprises for digital transformation was revealed between the leading (Almaty and Astana cities, Atyrau, and Karaganda regions) and lagging (Mangystau, Turkestan, and Kyzylorda regions) regions, and between the sectors, where enterprises in industry, trade, information and communication, hospitality and healthcare are significantly ahead of enterprises in agriculture, construction, and real estate. It is advisable to make more active use of innovation infrastructure facilities to increase the digital potential of enterprises. AcknowledgmentsThis research has been funded by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (IRN 19680544 “Innovation infrastructure of Kazakhstan in the context of digitalization: assessment of the state and development of an atlas”).