Research Productivity in Emerging Economies: Empirical Evidence from Kazakhstan

Timur Narbaev,Diana Amirbekova

doi:10.3390/publications9040051

Timur Narbaev, Diana Amirbekova

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9040051

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Journal: Publications	Publication Date: Nov 5, 2021
Citations: 6	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Kazakh-British Technical University

Abstract

The growth of the Higher Education and Science (HES) sector is positively associated with its research productivity and has a high potential in emerging countries. To explore such research productivity, this study offers a comprehensive analysis of the scientific literature from Kazakhstan. Our methods included descriptive analysis, network analysis, and author-based productivity analysis (by Lotka’s law) of 23,371 articles from Scopus, published during 1991–2020, and across 25 subject areas. The results of the descriptive analysis showed a substantial increase in the number of and citations to the literature since 2011 in almost all subject areas. However, the network analysis found that research in natural sciences was more developed in topical relationships and international collaborations than research in arts and humanities, social, and medical sciences. The Lotka’s law application revealed that the overall scientific literature in Kazakhstan did not reach its necessary stage of maturity. Additionally, some subject areas demonstrated greater contribution to the overall knowledge base, while others were less productive or lagging in their development. Our findings, useful for researchers and policymakers in emerging countries, can be exemplary in understanding the results of policy reforms aimed to improve the HES sector in emerging countries.

Highlights

The growth of educational and scientific performance is positively associated with the research productivity of a country and contributes to its economic development [1].One of the crucial reforms that post-Soviet countries undertook in the Higher Education and Science (HES) sector was the financing of the local science and its integration into the international scientific community [2,3]
The scientometric methods used for descriptive analysis, network analysis, and author-based research productivity analysis in this study are similar to those used in previous research [8,14,15]
We can see a stable increase since 2011, with a rate of about 32.0 percent per year. Such an increase is the result of the implementation of a number of essential policies and laws in the HES sector

Summary

Introduction

One of the crucial reforms that post-Soviet countries undertook in the Higher Education and Science (HES) sector was the financing of the local science and its integration into the international scientific community [2,3] Among these countries, Kazakhstan is one of the few that has built a relatively robust research infrastructure, including support through grants, access of researchers to research mobility programs, earlier application of the Bologna processes, and other measures to increase its research performance indicators [3]. Kazakhstan is one of the few that has built a relatively robust research infrastructure, including support through grants, access of researchers to research mobility programs, earlier application of the Bologna processes, and other measures to increase its research performance indicators [3] Such measures have resulted in the improved scientific engagement of local researchers in the international arena [4].

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