The purpose of the study is to explore the concept of human capital and its inherent factors, as well as to classify various approaches and methodologies for assessing human capital both within individual companies and in the national economy as a whole. This study aims to explore and consolidate methodologies used to assess human capital, offering valuable information for strategic decision making in an organizational context.Research methodology. The study primarily uses a qualitative research approach based on a comprehensive review of both domestic and international literature. Scientific methods such as comparative analysis, systematic analysis, and classification are used.Originality/value of the research. The importance of this research is in the amalgamation of diverse theoretical viewpoints and methods, leading to a holistic comprehension of evaluating human capital and its effects on both organizational effectiveness and societal advancement.Findings. The methodology employed in this study enables organizations to make well-informed choices regarding the allocation of resources, employee growth initiatives, and talent retention strategies. Moreover, the incorporation of the Human Capital Index (HCI) emerges as a pivotal instrument, offering a thorough evaluation of workforce capabilities and their influence on organizational effectiveness. The HCI's capacity to measure the outcomes of human capital investments on productivity, innovation, and the enduring sustainability of the organization underscores its crucial role in shaping strategic decision-making processes.

The purpose of the research is to identify the impact of the investments in human capital on the general financial conditions of the largest private companies of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as to develop recommendations for companies to have better financial incentives for employees.Research methodology – there was applied panel data of ten companies throughout the 2022 year. The data analysis includes the variables of the number of employees, company size, revenue, trainings, qualifications and other similar courses, provided by the companies.Originality/value of the research – there are a lot of studies, that analyze how employees make an impact on company, however most of them have qualitative way of research. Authors, in turn, apply quantitative modelling and analyze the largest companies in Kazakhstan.Findings. Our findings show that the number of employees appears to have a statistically significant positive impact on revenue. More employees are associated with higher revenue.

STEM, which combines science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, is a predominantly male-dominated field where women do not have good chances to compete with men. At the same time, they face gender stereotypes on the way to career advancement. Despite the changing landscape in STEM, women are still underrepresented in these fields and are making insecure advances in their profession. It is due to the dominance of gender stereotypes, which significantly limit women’s career aspirations and potential opportunities. Moreover, gender stereotypes are constantly fueled by the processes of re-traditionalization that have intensified since independence in the countries of Central Asia. The purpose of the article is to identify how gender stereotypes that take place in Kazakhstan affect the career aspirations of girls in industries that are considered “male” and their choice of educational programs that are related to STEM. Although there are many scientific papers examining the impact of gender stereotypes on women in STEM around the world, they are often limited to qualitative and/or non-representative quantitative research designs. Particular attention is paid to the study of the social and cultural context of Kazakhstan, which is different from other Central Asian countries. Conducting a quantitative survey provided a deeper understanding of gender stereotypes of men and women in STEM Kazakhstan. The conclusions from the analysis of the respondents’ survey results (N=1425) may interest researchers, teachers, employers, politicians and NGO representatives, and anyone interested in promoting gender equality.

The article discusses the issues of technological progress impact on labor market in developed countries and Kazakhstan, to what extent the expectations of mass unemployment are justified and what measures are taken by government employment agencies to mitigate transformational risks in the labor market. Scientific works devoted to quantitative assessment of automation and labor substitution have a very controversial methodology. The article presents the results of the analysis of different approaches and methodologies to assess the impact of automation on the labor market: the approach of measuring the routine of occupations based on the tasks included in the occupation, the application of economic models to determine the impact of automation on jobs and occupations, how the level of demand affects specific types of skills; the analysis of the results of extensive surveys is presented. Based on the methodology for assessing the risk of automation, it is determined to what extent certain occupations in Kazakhstan's employment structure are at risk of automation. It is concluded that the increase in unemployment due to automation, robotization and new digital solutions in the labor market of Kazakhstan is significantly lower than in developed countries. The impact of new technologies on the labor market remains relatively small, with the potential for both job losses and job gains. The authors conclude that most pessimistic forecasts are unfounded. However, emerging trends are becoming more and more concrete, requiring proactive measures to be taken in advance to prevent job losses. Digitalization is transforming existing occupations, requiring new skills to perform new tasks. Therefore, further innovation and economic growth depend on the level of human capital development.

Despite the fight against gender inequality, this problem is still relevant in countries with economies in transition and requires further efforts. Conventional traditional gender stereotypes in the minds of people hinder the gender equality in almost all areas. At the same time, the consequences of gender bias on the economy and society remain insufficiently studied. The purpose of the study is to compare gender stereotypes in relation to the traditional distribution of responsibilities between men and women in the countries of Central Europe (CE) and Central Asia (CA). Two hypotheses were put forward, which were confirmed by the results of a regression-correlation analysis of secondary information on the Life in Transition Survey project, carried out by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in cooperation with the World Bank. The study's results will contribute to the pool of research on gender inequality and develop recommendations for adjusting social policies in states with transformational economies. The research methodology includes general scientific methods (positive and normative approaches) and applied methods (quantitative analysis). Based on the responses of three thousand four hundred five (3405) respondents from Central Asia and three thousand four hundred and sixty four (3464) respondents from Central Europe, a regression analysis was performed. The study results showed female respondents from Central Europe have weaker gender stereotypes than participants from Central Asia. The study's results will contribute to the challenge of generating employment growth, reducing vulnerable employment, and improving decent work opportunities in Central Asia.

The appeal to the religious picture of the world is due to the fact that religion, being a traditional form of worldview, is acquiring a new spiritual beginning in world space today. The religious picture of the world proceeds from the difference between being in itself and existence i.e., a world possessing being by its creation. The religious picture of the world is dualistic, since it contrasts the absolute, supernatural being, solemn with God, to the whole variety of natural things endowed with being. By recognizing the existing role of religious consciousness in the life of mankind, as well as analyzing religious vocabulary, one can determine the national values and consciousness of the people. The basis of religious consciousness is the religious picture of the world, which serves as a criterion of the essence of language and religion. In this regard, theolinguistics requires an analysis of sacred religious vocabulary and religious texts.

Digitalization allows to expand consumers circle, attracting new audience: viewers, listeners, readers faster than just a few years ago. However, the problem of popularizing Kazakh music is still relevant. Some methods of digitalization of cultural objects, proposed in this paper, bring new opportunities to the global scientific environment for studying and familiarizing with cultural values, and also allow to acquire new experience of interacting with cultural content. Using a set of research methods, the authors studied several projects of a non-profit organization in the cultural field and trace and offer for a discussion several tools to implement each project separately. Its prospects also lead to the search for relevant tools for the further promoting creative product. Projects, implemented over the past 4 years have been, analyzed. The optimal models and tools for promoting are presented, justified not only by the theoretical base, but, first of all, by practical experience, including the experience of successful international projects. The necessary favorable environment for modern users of creative products and attracted new opportunities for popularization of Kazakh academic music, have been created by digital technologies. The gradual deployment of one creative product, its variability and multi-stage nature leads to the emergence of completely new solutions for Kazakh music promotion and popularization using modern technologies. The projects described in this article and tools for their implementation determine the optimal models for promoting a cultural product. The practical value of the study can be used as an example of the possibilities for implementing creative projects.

The creative industries sector is snowballing, and many developing countries see it as a tool for national and local development. Given the regional specificity, political narratives adopted in developed countries may not apply in economies under transition. This paper aims to evaluate the current state of creative business in emerging countries such as Kazakhstan. Adopting the design of a qualitative method, 34 semi-structured interviews were conducted with entrepreneurs and owners of small and medium-sized businesses in Kazakhstan’s creative industries. The Nvivo 10 qualitative data analysis software was used for processing the data. The interviews help to understand better the factors affecting the development of the creative industry. In general, results indicate insufficient support from government agencies, lack of accessible resources to support entrepreneurs (65% of respondents used their capital, while 17% of them were forced to apply for loans from a bank), information availability, and skills shortage. Shortage of skills is also related to the creative brain drain in Kazakhstan. One of the main problems is access to materials and technology since most of the resources are foreign-made and imported. AcknowledgmentThe authors appreciate the grant funding for young scientists Scientific and (or) in the years 2020–2022 the MES science project number AR08052483 “Creative Industries: methodological aspects of classification and quantitative measurements in the Republic of Kazakhstan” in the framework of the budget program 217 “Development of science”.

The issues of studying symbolism and symbol-creativity in the art of contemporary Kazakh crafts have made the methodological potential of Anthony Smith’s ethno-symbolic concept topical. Relying on the scholar's belief that national traditions are based on a set of stable ethno-cultural symbols that ensure their longevity and vitality, contemporary Kazakh craft can be studied in the aspect of national identity. Anthony Smith’s ethno-symbolic discourse allows us to consider objects of national culture in their historical dynamics as a reconstruction of stable symbolic structures that preserve the national identity core. The study raises the conceptual issue of “ethnicity” and “nationality”, as Anthony Smith’s very position is conceptually opposed to the ideas of both constructivists and supporters of primordialism. The scholar believes that the cultural basis of a nation, its current state depends on “previous development”, on cultural traditions, language and ethnic symbols. Thus, the issues of cultural and national identity appear to be correlated in the aspect of tradition and modernity problem. Craft as a cultural phenomenon of one or another nation bears the stamp of ethnogenesis, in which the whole complex of social dynamics, conditioned by the ontological nature of various forms of human community, participates. Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of socio-analysis on the two-structure society, consisting of production practices and “symbolic matrices” involved in sociogenesis, allows us to use its principles as a methodological approach to the study of both traditional crafts and their modern forms in the aspect of issues of cultural identity, the modernization of the past, the revival of traditional experience, etc. The analysis of some trends in contemporary Kazakh craft has shown that the aspiration for identity to a cultural “pattern” is oriented towards established ethno-cultural symbols. Ethno-symbolic discourse makes the semiotic attitude to traditional symbolism topical. It can be said with confidence that the ethno-symbolic approach opens up new opportunities to consider craft and traditional art as factors influencing the formation and preservation of cultural identity. This article was prepared as part of the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan project AR09259862 “Research of Traditional Crafts of Modern Kazakhstan: State and Search for Preservation”.

The paper demonstrates the feasibility of innovative learning, which contributes to human capital. During the 2020-21 academic year, Kazakhstani universities rapidly moved to online learning due to the pandemic: teachers and students gain significant experience in digital technologies influencing human capital, which, in turn, contributes to the effectiveness of the educational institutions and the education as a whole. The use of digital technologies helps to preserve the educational infrastructure; on the other hand, digital credentials are developing. There are advantages and disadvantages to distant and blended learning approaches that influence student satisfaction. Student satisfaction scores could be insightful in extending the blended learning approach in educational programs after the pandemic.The study aims to determine the role of innovative technologies to support the education-relevant elements of human capital during the pandemic. The literature review of articles is based on Elsevier, Springer, and Science Direct databases. To search the literature, we used the keywords “human capital,” “innovation,” and “online learning in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.” Qualitative and quantitative research was carried out among teachers and students of the Faculty of International Relations of al-Farabi KazNU. The research results demonstrate the attitude of teachers and students to distance learning. The introduction of innovative teaching methods for Kazakhstan in the face of blended learning can significantly reduce risks in an unpredictable environment. It is important to note that innovative educational technologies make the learning process flexible and adaptive. Credentials and skills acquired through online learning will be essential in the post-pandemic era.