Schmidt V.A., Nursultanova D.B.,  Ismailov M.A.

Kostanai State University named after A. Baitursynov,

Kostanai, Kazakhstan

 

DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL BUSINESS IN KAZAKHSTAN

 

       The structure of the economy is undergoing fundamental changes in the modern period. The economic mechanism, the most important components of which are the market institutions and levers of the government influence on the economy, creates a new structure of the productive process, and small businesses should take one of the most significant places there.

       Small business in Kazakhstan is a necessary step in creating a market economic system, as well as an essential element in the social transformation of the society. The main criterion according to which an enterprise is referred to small businesses, is the average number of employees taken over a certain period of time. Besides such factors as the size of the authorized capital, the value of assets, turnover (profits, revenue )  are taken into account .

       The following classification standards of the subjects of entrepreneurship are in force in Kazakhstan at present [1]:

     Table 1

 

 

Number of employees

Average annual operating value of assets

1

Small subjects of entrepreneurship

to 50

To 500 USD

2

Average subjects of entrepreneurship

to 250

to 3 million USD

3

Large subjects of entrepreneurship

îò 250

from 3 million USD

 

 

       The value of small business in the economy of the world's major powers is large, it's the basis for the formation of the middle class, which has always been the basis for the sustainable economic and social development.

       Organization of small business will improve productivity, reduce production costs through the efficient use of equipment, acceleration of the turnover, simplicity of management , low transportation costs, cheap raw materials, it will also help to save investment and create new jobs .

       As it can be seen, the development of small business plays a huge role in the stable economic development of a state. In Kazakhstan, entrepreneurship plays a special role. Presenting the content of the strategy "Kazakhstan -2050", the head of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan  Nazarbayev said: “ Domestic business is the driving force of the new economic course . The share of small and medium-sized businesses in the economy should have grown by 2030, at least twice. First, we must create the conditions for a person to try himself in business, to become a full participant in the country's economic transformation, rather than wait for the state to settle all the problems for him. It is important to raise the overall level of business culture and stimulate entrepreneurial initiative."

        In acute internal and external competition effective development of small business is almost impossible without the state support. The state support for small business is carried out in the context of the global financial crisis.

       Devaluation is a chance for small businesses. On the other hand, it is a direct financial support from the state. Thanks to the state injections within the framework of the anti-crisis measures, agribusiness only this year will receive about 120 billion tenge of investment that will saturate the food market of the country, and, in it’s turn, will contribute to the reduction in food prices, which have been known to demonstrate the basic growth of inflation.

       The allocated substantial funds for small business loans within the framework of the stabilization plan must also produce a positive social effect. At the same time, the increase of the availability of financial resources for the population will expand the opportunities for opening and keeping their businesses and create certain conditions for the growth of the demand in the market, and this according to the laws of market economy will ultimately promote the reduction of prices. The costs of production and trade in Kazakhstan cheapen, new "niches" in the market open, the conditions for expelling foreign manufacturers are created. That year, when the devaluation is being carried out, small business costs are minimal.

        Created in 1997, "Entrepreneurship Development Fund "Damu" is the main public institution of entrepreneurship development in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

      The main objective of its creation was the effective implementation of the government programs of the support of small businesses in Kazakhstan. In 2011, at the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Kazakhstan the Committee for Entrepreneurship Development was created. During the years of "Damu" Fund’s activity various programs of assistance to entrepreneurs were implemented.

      At present in Kazakhstan "Damu" fund has worked out a new program. The program is devoted to the organization of business service centers, on the base of which businessmen have a unique opportunity to be served according to the principle of a "single window" – to get the necessary consultations on public support measures, to execute documents for financial assistance and so on. The centers are organizing forums, seminars, events to discuss business issues in various industries with the purpose of increasing the further growth of entrepreneurial activities.

      At the same time the courses on the basics of doing business are held here.

       In addition, the adopted program “ Road Map of Business-2020 "contributes to the development of small business, this is a program to issue government grants and loans, reduction of  interest payments on the loan, loan guarantee and training of entrepreneurs, focused on support and development of small business in Kazakhstan.

       Small business has a high efficiency potential, primarily through the mobilization of the human factor. The main advantage of small businesses is the ability to reduce production costs through specialization, better utilization of equipment, saving on administrative and managerial staff.

       Currently the small business sector employs about 1.5 million people , more than a quarter of total employment in the country.

      Table 2.The structure  of  the small  business  sector  of   Kazakhstan for  2010-2012,  in %

 

Number of active subjects(specific gravity)

Number of employed(specific gravity)

Production output
(
specific gravity)

2010

2011

2012

2010

2011

2012

2010 

2011 

2012 

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Legal entities of small business

9,1

8,6

8,2

26,9

27,4

26,1

21,1

21,1

19,4

Individual entrepreneurs

65,0

66,9

69,1

28,1

28,2

32,5

7,0

7,3

9,2

 

       Analyzing the data in Table 2, it can be concluded that the proportion of the growth of individual entrepreneurs is 4% in comparison with the specific weight of small businesses (SSB). It should be noted the positive trend of industrialization base creation. The table shows that the proportion of individual entrepreneurs (IE) in the total number of active subjects is 3-8 times higher than the proportion of small businesses. The number of people employed in the sector of small business grows every year, which reflects the growth of entrepreneurial activity among the population.

      Table  3.  Sectoral structure  of  private  enterprises  in  Kazakhstan, %

 

Trade

Services

Transport and Communications

Construction

Agriculture

Industry

Individual entrepreneurs

61

26

9

1

3

Small businesses

34

26

7

18

6

9

 

       Individual entrepreneurs are mainly engaged in trade (61%) and services (26 %), and small businesses - in trade, industry and construction (see Table 3).

       One of the most effective methods of promoting the development of small business is the tax system. At present in the Republic, according to the expert estimates, the direct and indirect taxes are 50-70 % of the income of the entrepreneurs and that encourages entrepreneurs to evade taxes, delaying the return of credits. As the state has no opportunities for the direct financial support of business, it is necessary to establish different rates of contributions to the state budget and the provision of benefits and delays.

       An important factor in the development of small business is the business information environment. Information in the process of becoming an "information society" in conjunction with the capital, labor, land and entrepreneurial ability becomes a powerful factor in the acceleration of economic growth.

       Therefore, to provide information and methodological advice to small businesses it is necessary to build small business development centers, business incubators, technology parks on the experience of foreign countries. As part of the implementation of government programs, using international experience,  experimental bases, open -type laboratories with the modern production lines have been created in Kazakhstan. National Agency for Technological Development, 8 regional industrial parks, special economic zone "Park of innovative technologies," Scientific and Technological Holding "Parasat", Joint-Stock Company "KazAgroInnovation " 4 design offices, 7 industry innovation centers, 9 commercialization offices, 4 domestic venture capital funds have made up the framework of the innovation system in Kazakhstan. Over the past three and a half years in Kazakhstan innovators allocated 200 grants per 9.5 billion tenge. More than 100 projects have received government support through the program of technological business incubation. Due to the work of the design bureaus 100 items of products were mastered, and 18 of them have been produced. Now domestic products are exported to 110 countries.

       In perspective the private capital should become one of the major donors for  financing of innovations. A small business has a number of economic advantages over a large one. These include a relatively small start-up capital in the sphere of trade, services and agriculture, lower costs of jobs in comparison with big businesses, flexibility and agility of small businesses at the slightest changes in the market.

       The main impediments to the development of small businesses, especially in areas located far from financial and industrial centers of the country, which have been called by the experts, are:

• low level of solvency of the population , especially in rural areas , coupled with high unemployment and a large share of the population living below the poverty line;

• Inadequate equipping of companies with high-performance equipment due to its high cost;

• Lack of high-quality raw materials and semi-finished products;

• low competitiveness of products of local small businesses in comparison with imported analogues;

• insolvency of small businesses (especially enterprises processing agricultural raw materials);

• underdeveloped communications.

       Based on the above mentioned it can be concluded that for the development of small business the following factors are essential:

• combination of direct and indirect measures to support small businesses;

• flexibility of the system of priorities and a variety of forms of state support along with coherence and consistency of the measures;

• interaction of public authorities at different levels, unions and associations, representing the interests of employers;

• significant improvement in the accounting system and the state statistics of small businesses;

• conducting educational and propaganda campaign.

       At present the procedure for the registration of small businesses  is simplified -  model statutes have been introduced, and registration fees have been reduced by 4 times ;the procedure for the certification of products for small businesses has been simplified; the incentives for the registration of the real estate and land rights have been introduced;  the number of  controlling and inspecting public authorities and paid services provided by them have been reduced; the tenders for the transfer of  unused sites and lands, and the objects of unfinished construction  to small businesses, engaged in production activities,  are being held; a simplified system of accounting for small businesses has been introduced . These measures will contribute to the successful development of small business in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

 

Literature :

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