Экономические науки/15.Государственное регулирование экономики

PhD, Associate Professor Sitenko D.A.

Academician Buketov Karaganda State University, Kazakhstan

Innovative policy in Kazakhstan: current situation and prospects

I. Introduction

Scale and stability of innovative technological development became determinative of increasing competitiveness of economy, maintenance of economic, technological and ecological safety of the country. For Kazakhstan economy innovative development has special value because it assumes the accelerated creation of modern technological base, development of manufacture of competitive goods and, finally, maintenance of steady social and economic development.

In 80th years of last century became obvious that the level of development and dynamism of innovative sphere – science, new technologies, high technology branches and companies – provide a basis of steady economic growth, define the border between the rich countries and poor ones. Scientific and technical progress changes scales and manufacture structure and impact on world economy. In 90th years of last century the increased rates of scientific and technical changes, rapid development of the high technology manufactures and services gave a new impulse to acceleration of economic growth in the developed countries. In the world economy a new paradigm of growth on the basis of using of knowledge and innovations as major economic resources was formed. That is the national innovation system (NIS) paradigm.

II.Stages of development NIS of Kazakhstan

NIS can be presented as a set of the interconnected organizations (structures) occupied with manufacture and commercial realization of scientific knowledge and technologies within national borders (the small and large companies, universities, the state laboratories, technological parks, incubators). At the same time the national innovative system, includes a complex of institutes of the legal, financial and social character providing strong national roots, traditions, political and cultural features [1].

Economic development of sovereign Kazakhstan for 20 years is caused by influence of two factors:

1) historically caused continuity of economy of Kazakhstan of specialization of an economy and to level of technological development of the branches enclosed in a planned economy.

2) high level of scientific and technical potential, is generated at the time of the planned socialist system. This potential can be characterized by considerable expenses on scientific researches and high level of working out of fundamental science, but poorly expressed commercial attachment of solved problems to market demand.

These factors have defined the forming of national innovation system of Kazakhstan caused its main problem: rather high level of the academic scientific researches and rupture between available scientific and technical research and requirements of economy of Kazakhstan.

Process of formation of national innovative system proceeded in some stages and at each stage the government accepts the regulatory legal acts due to form mechanisms of increasing of innovative activity of elements of NIS.

The government program of the forced industrially-innovative development of Kazakhstan accepted in 2010 is logic continuation of state policy on an economy diversification, and it integrated the basic approaches of Strategy of industrially-innovative development on 2003-2015, program «30 corporate leaders of Kazakhstan», and other state programs in sphere of industrialization [2].

The realization of the Program includes actions of republican and regional levels.

Actions at republican level will include:

- Working out of 13 branch programs for the purpose of coordination of actions of all participants of the Program. These branch programs will define the basic development of branches, system measures of the state support, including questions of scientifically-technological support of development of branches, preparations of the qualified staff, etc.,

- Inclusion of projects in the republican Map of Industrialization which is the basic tool of realization of the investment projects provided by branch programs;

- Increasing of investment attraction of special economic and industrial zones by means: tax privileges; the simplified mechanism of import of foreign labor; rendering of services in a principle of "one window»; free customs area in territory of special economic zones.

At regional level, the industrial-innovation policy’s instruments of will include the Programs of development of territories, the budgetary program «Road map of business till 2020».Within these programs a role of each institute of development, mechanisms of their interaction with local executive powers and business, and also sources of financing of measures on business support will be accurately defined.

In August of 2014 the State Program on industrial development of Kazakhstan for 2015-2019 was accepted. The Program is a logical continuation of the State program on forced industrial-innovative development of Kazakhstan for 2010-2014 (SPFIID) and takes into account the experience of its implementation. The Program is part of an industrial policy of Kazakhstan and focuses on developing the manufacturing industry with concentration of efforts and resources on a limited number of sectors, regional specialization using the cluster approach and the effective regulation of the industry.

III. Indicators of innovative development of Republic of Kazakhstan

Throughout last years financial support of R&D is increased (tab. 1). In structure of expenses the great part belongs to public sector. However in relation to gross national product the expense for researches have increased not considerably, and during the period from 2006 to 2007 they even were reduced. At present expenses for R&D in percentage to gross national product don't exceed 0,2% that is very low indicator. For comparison, R&D expenses of the USA in 2011 were 2,7% to GDP, Japan - 3,67%, China - 1,97% [3].

Table 1

The basic indicators of innovative activity in Kazakhstan in 2009-2013

Indicators	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
GDP, billion tenge	17 007,60	21 815,50	27 300,6	30 347,0	34 140,0
Domestic R&D expenses, million tenge	38 988,7	33 466,8	43 351,6	51 253,1	61 672,7
In percentage to GDP	0,23	0,15	0,16	0,17	0,18
Number of research organizations	414	424	412,0	345,0	341,0
Share of innovative production in GDP, %	0,51	0,66	0,86	1,25	1,69
Number of researchers	15 793	17 021	18 003,0	20 404,0	23 712,0
Level of innovative activity of enterprises	4,0	4,3	5,7	7,6	8,0

The share of innovative production in GDP is increased after recession in manufacture of innovative production was outlined and by 2009 this indicator was 0.51 % to GDP, having reduced more than three times in comparison with 2005.

Positive dynamics on the level of innovative activity of enterprises – its level has increased on 2 times in comparison with 2009 which tell about some positive trends in innovation activity of the country.

Transfer of economy into an innovative way of development has allowed many countries of the world to reach enormous successes in economy during the short historical period.

Effective advancement of innovations within the limits of an innovative cycle can be provided only in close organizational-economic interaction (up to integration) researchers and the industry enterprises.

In developed countries scientific divisions of the industrial companies carry out the basic part of all applied researches of these countries. The majority of the industrial companies has own scientific research centers and laboratories. These divisions provide constant development of highly effective innovations within the company and accelerate using of results of scientific researches in manufacture.

In Kazakhstan the number of R&D at a finishing stage of scientific researches in several times low, than in world practice, therefore Government program on realization the forced industrially-innovative development is impossible without reforming of science sphere.

Kazakhstan innovation system has small share of the higher educational institutions which are carrying out R&D. Private high schools practically don't conduct scientific researches, and the public high schools give more attention to educational function instead of scientific one.

One of mainstreams of an innovative policy is creation of new high technology and hi-tech manufactures instead of existing old and inefficient ones. But the results has not been reached in this direction. Despite available scientific projects, the modern science of Kazakhstan is characterized by insufficiently qualified scientific staff, backward scientific and technical assets, and bureaucracy in licensing and patenting processes.

The basic direction of an innovative policy the next years should be stimulation of economic efficiency of the enterprises through a transfer of technologies, technical modernization, perfection business-processes, introduction of management technologies [2]. The accepted Program on the forced industrially-innovative development should promote achievement of the purposes in the field of innovation development and increasing of competitiveness in the long-term period.

The analysis of indicators of innovative activity in the country allows to make a conclusion that at the moment the national innovative system of Kazakhstan is on formation stage. Strong links between its elements weren't generated yet and they exist separately from each other.

Weak point of Kazakhstan’s NIS is inactive participation of business in R&D, and, as consequence, low innovative activity of the enterprises. Development NIS of Kazakhstan occurs in conditions of unformed market relations and not enough developed private capital which could be used for R&D and development of the newest technologies as it occurs in the developed countries. NIS should be based on the public innovative policy, Kazakhstan’s legislation taking into account economic features of regions.

The analysis of indicators of innovative development of republic has allocated positive tendencies of development NIS (increase in expenses at R&D in absolute expression, growth in level of innovation activity). But there are some weak points of Kazakhstan’s NIS: low indicators of financing of R&D in relation to GDP as well as decreasing the number of research organizations.

The result of an innovative policy of the state should be manufacture of competitive and export-oriented goods and services. State financial support should be directed on R&D in narrow spheres, where there is a sufficient scientific and industrial reserve.

Thus, from the above-stated analysis of innovation process in Kazakhstan we can provide some recommendation for the development of mechanisms of NIS.

1. For development NIS the prime attention should be given formation and development of such institutes, as state regulation of innovative activity, an innovative infrastructure, financing and stimulation of innovations. Hence, in structure of innovative system it is possible to allocate three levels. The active role of the government in the course of formation and development NIS is a prerequisite and assumes:

– Direct participation of the govenment in financing of priority innovative projects and financing of research and development from all sources;

– Tax and customs privileges for investments into innovative projects, that is creation of a favorable investment and innovative climate for employment in research organizations;

– Assistance to formation of innovative-venture funds for financing of projects of small and medium innovative business,

– Additional measures of support of small and medium business;

– Assistance in development of an innovative infrastructure – technology parks, technological incubators, clusters, the innovative centers, databanks on innovations;

2. Partnership of the state with the private capital, caused by necessity of involving of resources of a private sector to process of innovative development. The government should act as the organizer, the catalyst and the coordinator of process of formation and development of NIS, its main task is attraction of the private capital to active participation in innovative processes. Association of the state and private capital on an equal basis (50 % on 50 %) is necessary. In process of formation НИС the state role will be reduced, apparently.

3. Open character of national innovative system has crucial importance for increase of its efficiency.

Effective development NIS will raise labor productivity, innovative activity and competitiveness of economy that will be reflected, in turn, in rates of performance of expected results from realization of State Program on industrial development of Kazakhstan for 2015-2019.

Literature

1. Kenzheguzin M. V., Dnishev F.M., Alzhanova F.G. Nauka I innovacii v rynochnoi economike: mirovoi opyt i Kazakhstan. - Almaty: IE MON РК, 2005. - P.218-229

2. Government program on the forced industrially-innovative development of Republic Kazakhstan on 2010 – 2014, March, 19th, 2010 № 958. Astana. – 2010.

3. Science and engineering indicators 2012. National Science Board. Arlington, VA. National Science Foundation (NSB 10-01) www.nsf.gov/statistics/indicators

4. State Program on industrial development of Kazakhstan for 2015-2019. Astana. - 2014.