Psychological Barriers and Incentives for Environmental, Social, and Governance Principle Integration in the Context of Sustainable Development in Higher Education Institutions

The study aims to identify cognitive and behavioural factors influencing the transformation processes of educational institutions in the context of modern environmental and social responsibility requirements. A comprehensive analysis was conducted across fifteen universities in Kazakhstan using a mixed methodology, including semi-structured interviews with top-level executives and a large-scale survey of administrative staff. The findings reveal a dominance of cognitive resistance among 87% of executives, manifested in a lack of understanding regarding the practical application of new managerial approaches. Emotional resistance to change was identified in 73% of respondents, while behavioural constraints were characteristic of 68% of participants. Factor analysis of quantitative survey data (n = 320) confirmed a four-factor resistance structure, accounting for 72.4% of the total variance. Correlation analysis revealed significant negative relationships between cognitive barriers and material incentives (r = −0.71, p < 0.01). Regression analysis demonstrated that organisational incentives explain 47% of the variation in resistance levels (R 2 = 0.47, F = 28.4, p < 0.001).