Uneven access to R&D as a determinant of regional innovation capacity: evidence from Kazakhstan

Abstract

This study analyzed uneven access to R&D as a driver of the organizational capacity for innovation in the regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The aim of the study is to analyze regional inequality in access to R&D and its role as a factor in shaping regional innovation potential. Secondary statistical data from national and international sources (Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan, OECD, and World Bank) are used to construct a regional panel dataset of 20 regions for 2016–2024, which is analyzed using panel regression with regional and time fixed effects to examine the relationship between access to R&D and innovation performance. Research findings from a regional perspective show that three patterns emerge: core regions efficiently convert R&D inputs into innovation outputs, resource-rich regions display an “efficiency gap” between investment and results, while peripheral and catch-up regions exhibit weak and unstable innovation dynamics driven mainly by temporary policy measures rather than sustained R&D development.

This study contributes to the existing research by applying a panel data approach with fixed effects, allowing for a more accurate identification of the relationship between R&D inputs and innovation outputs across regions. In addition, the study provides policy-relevant implications for improving the effectiveness of regional innovation systems and reducing spatial inequality in emerging economies.

Keywords: regional inequality, access to R&D, innovation capacity, R&D expenditure, Kazakhstan.