Power distance, sub-ethnic groups, and teams of civil servants: Overlooked factors of administrative reform in Kazakhstan?

Abstract

Administrative reform is a key element of postsocialist transformations. There were three rounds of New Public Management-inspired administrative reform in Kazakhstan, yet they did not lead to substantial increases in the quality of governance. This lack of progress is partially the result of a lack of attention to the issues of administrative culture in the blueprints of administrative reform. This article explores elements of administrative culture in Kazakhstan such as power distance, sub-ethnic groups ( Zhuz), and teams of civil servants. The analysis is based on the outcomes of bivariate statistical tests and a multiple regression. The article shows that the prevalence of teams and ethnic groups has an impact on civil servants’ perceptions of the effectiveness of administrative reform. The study also suggests that the civil service in Kazakhstan is characterized by a high power distance, which may undermine the principles of New Public Management.