The purpose of the research is to identify the features and vulnerabilities of the new state planning system (hereinafter referred to as the SPS) in Kazakhstan, approved in February 2021.

Methodology. A systematic and comparative analysis of documentation in the field of SPS was used as a research method.

Originality / value of the research. In the conditions of new challenges and acceleration of historical time, the system of state planning and management in the country needs constant analysis and modernization. The issues of strategic and state planning of the country have been reflected in many works by domestic and international authors. However, due to the relative novelty, the recent changes in the SPS have not yet been extensively analyzed, which makes this study relevant. The conclusions of the study can be useful from the point of view of further improvement of the SPS and increasing the effectiveness of the implemented state measures.

Findings. The results indicate that the new SPS has retained its multi-stage nature, despite attempts to optimize documents. Another problem was the low autonomy of local authorities in matters of strategic planning. A separate block of questions touched on the methodological and substantive shortcomings of the documents of the SPS. The last conclusion is the weak harmonization of budget and strategic planning.

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the existing research on the Aral Sea from a gender perspective, with a specific focus on women's roles in the fishery sector.

The methodology employed in this study involved the use of a semi-structured in-depth interview instrument, which was developed to document the role of women in the fisheries value chain, as well as the challenges and opportunities they face.

Originality / value of the research. This article aims to fill the gap in the lack of recognition of women's roles in fisheries in Kazakhstan and start a conversation about gender considerations in the ecologically and economically vulnerable coastal community of Kazakhstan.

Findings. The study's findings highlight the prevalent gender roles in the fishery sector in the research area, where men are primarily responsible for catching fish, while women process and add value to it, both at home and in processing plants. However, despite their significant presence in the fish processing industry, women lack representation in fisheries associations. The study also identified pikeperch as a key export-oriented fish and highlighted the potential for women to contribute to farmed fish production. Finally, the study identified women's interest in skills training, particularly in marketing and sales, and recommended that stakeholders in the fishery sector jointly design and organize training programs to facilitate women's access to these skills.

Purpose of the research. To analyze the influence of factors determining the wage gap between employees, gender pay ratios in the context of individual types within the country and between countries.

Methodology. In the course of the study, index analysis was used using the assortment displacement index, structural shift indices, constant and variable composition indices. Correlation and regression analysis in order to study the relationship within countries and the relationships between countries.

Originality / value of the research. The value of the study lies in a new approach (using GDP ratios, at parity and in national currency, to calculate comparable real levels of wages of employees between countries by type of economic activity and by gender), which allows calculating real wage levels.

Identification of the relationship that determines the differences in wages between men and women, the ratio of wages between men in different countries. Differences in wage differentiation between certain types of economic activity in the context of individual countries are analyzed.

Findings. The results of the study made it possible to obtain real ideas about the level of wages, differentiation between certain types of economic activity and in the gender aspect between countries. Real dependencies and ratios of the formation of women's wages within individual countries, correlations in the levels of differentiation in the gender aspect are revealed.

Purpose of the research is to identify key trends and specifics of the formation of the labor market, as well as to develop recommendations for increasing employment in single-industry towns of industrial and raw materials type of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Methodology. The following scientific methods are used in the work: statistical observation; comparative analysis; synthesis; grouping of statistical observation materials.

Originality / value of the research. The value of this study is to identify the key trends in the formation of the labor market in single-industry towns of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which made it possible to determine the directions of improving the sphere of employment and employment in these types of cities.

Findings. A study of the labor market in single-industry towns in Kazakhstan revealed a decrease in the population in these cities from 2017 to 2021. There is a decrease in the share of residents of single-industry towns in the total population of the country. The analysis showed that single-industry towns can be divided into four groups: large cities (Temirtau, Ekibastuz, Rudny), cities with a population of about 50-70 thousand people (Kentau, Balkhash, Zhanaozen, Kulsary, Aksu, Stepnogorsk), cities with a population of 20 to 50 thousand people (Khromtau, Tekeli, Aksai, Zhanatas, Karatau, Saran, Shakhtinsk, Abay, Arkalyk, Lisakovsk, Zhitikara, Altai), and a group of small single-industry towns (Kurchatov, Karazhal, Serebryansk). Temirtau, Ekibastuz and Rudny are the leaders in terms of the number of employed and unemployed and also have the largest population in the general sense. To ensure employment and sustainable development of single-industry towns in Kazakhstan, it is necessary to continue work on diversifying the economy, reducing dependence on prices for raw materials and developing small and medium-sized businesses. An important role is played by effective public administration in the development of single-industry towns and the digitalization of production.

Contemporary global challenges engender the necessity of developing new approaches to management. Currently, companies compete not just with goods and services but with knowledge and abilities to effectively utilize them.

Purpose of the research. This article aims at examining the conceptual and categorical apparatus of the studied topic and building initial grounds for knowledge management understanding.

Methodology. The paper presents a comprehensive literature review of preceding research on knowledge management in peer-reviewed journals of various electronic databases since 1987, including using «Harzing's Publish or Perish» software. In addition, research works in philosophy, sociology, economics, information systems, and other sciences were studied. Based on the research results, the concepts of «data», «information», «knowledge» and "knowledge management" were structured.

Originality / value. Knowledge management as one of the relatively new types of management arouses interest from representatives of the scientific and business community along with skepticism about its uniqueness, necessity, and basically about its semantic component. This is especially noticeable in the works of information management scholars. However, researchers in the field of innovation associate knowledge management in companies with the possibility of obtaining a competitive advantage.

Findings. The study showed that considering the above-mentioned concepts as synonymous was a misconception, this leads to a misinterpretation of the object of management - knowledge, and, thus, forms a superficial idea of the function and activity of knowledge management managers. The study of the relationship between people, business processes, IT technologies, corporate culture, and other factors within the knowledge management system in the company should be the next step to continue this research.

Purpose of the study. This study is devoted to the analysis and conduct of a systematic review of the literature on the relationship between education and the creative economy based on the citation of scientific papers in the international scientometric database. The aim of the study is to quantify the quality of the literature in the area under consideration by identifying the most relevant trends and gaps in the literature.

The research methodology was implemented through a literature review of scientific articles, for the following keywords: «education», «creative economy», «creative industries». The research methodology includes an analysis of the most influential authors, works and publications on the relationship between education and the creative industries. When identifying keywords, the analyzed database included 303 scientific articles of the Scopus database for 2001-2021, which were rated as the most relevant.

The originality of the study is confirmed and substantiated by a small number of scientific studies and articles that reveal the relationship between education and creative industries.

Research results. The results show that the International Journal of Cultural Policy is the leading journal in terms of publications and total citations. Rae D. is the most cited author (317 citations). The most cited paper in the research area is «Looking for work in creative industries policy» by Banks and Hesmondhalgh. The results of a systematic review can be used by other authors to conduct research in identified relevant areas.

The purpose of the research is to critically analyze the main agreements within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the problems of their application under sanctions, to study the impact of sanctions on Kazakhstan's foreign trade through the prism of strategic trade control (STC), as well as to develop recommendations on minimizing the negative consequences of sanctions for Kazakhstani enterprises.

Research methodology - the analysis of documents is applied, including agreements and the regulatory framework within the EAEU, previous research on the topic, as well as documentation on sanctions and positions of international actors. The analysis is carried out on various aspects, including international trade in goods, technical regulation, migration, re-export risks and logistics problems.

Originality / value of the research. There are many studies in the scientific literature on the impact of international sanctions on individual countries, but there are no studies on the indirect impact of sanctions on the partners of a sub-sanctioned country, within a regional organization with a high degree of economic integration.

Findings. Analysis shows that under the conditions of sanctions, the EAEU does not meet Kazakhstan's expectations from this regional organization in terms of economic benefits, and risks are created for Kazakhstani companies that need to be minimized with the use of measures at the state and intra-company level.

Purpose. The main goal in initiating this study was to explore the impact and exposure of these factors, through a review of significant research works by leading world scientists in this field.

Methodology. To conduct the study, there was used a scientometric methodology with a selection of the most cited studies in the ESG field in Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, which provided the information basis for the research. General scientific methods (synthesis, induction, grouping) formed the basis of the research methodology carried out in the format of a literature review.

Originality / value of the research. The value of the research results is determined by the formulation of key research areas on ESG issues in the context of the application in the investment analysis methodology. In particular, questions were raised about the importance of ESG principles in evaluating companies for their investment attractiveness.

Findings. As a result of the study, there were established groups of scientific research areas concerning the ESG impact on the development of corporate governance and assessment of companies' investment attractiveness. These recommendations are addressed both to analysts when developing reports for investors to make investment decisions, and to the companies themselves, which will be able to adjust their actions in achieving sustainable development goals, understanding the significance of the non-financial information they provide in investment analysis.

Membrane methods - reverse osmosis and nanofiltration - are attracting more and more attention in the context of providing the population with high-quality drinking water. Kazakhstan attaches high priority to this issue, realizing the growing scarcity of water resources.

The purpose of the study is to analyze the economic efficiency of the use of the membrane method for the preparation of drinking water.

Methodology. To achieve this goal, a methodology was used based on the evaluation of proposed technological solutions using net present value (NPV), yield index (IR) and internal rate of return (IRR).

Originality / value of the research. The study focuses on the economic efficiency of the membrane method of drinking water treatment. Currently, providing the population with high-quality drinking water is one of the main priorities of many countries, including Kazakhstan, due to the growing shortage of water resources. This study proposes a methodology for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of membrane methods such as reverse osmosis and nanofiltration using indicators such as NPV, ID and GNI. This allows you to make informed decisions about the selection of the most profitable innovative projects in the field of drinking water treatment. The study is of significant value because it provides practical recommendations and guidance for decision-making in the field of drinking water treatment, contributing to the provision of high-quality drinking water to the population and optimization of economic costs in Kazakhstan.

Findings. The paper considers a set of issues related to the economic assessment and selection of innovative projects for the preparation of drinking water by reverse osmosis and nanofiltration by calculating the net present value (NPV), the return index (IR) and the internal rate of return (IRR). The study calculated the return on investment using nanofiltration for stations with a capacity of 300.6 thousand m³/year. The authors found that, taking into account discounting, the payback period for projects according to the proposed method is 5 years.

Purpose of the research is to show how insufficient financial literacy negatively affects not only the personal well-being of the population, but also the economy as a whole.

Methodology. Research work covers annual reports for 5 years from 2017 until 2021. Research uses primary and secondary data; authors conduct a survey and collect data from the official databases. Research is based on the survey of the OECD and is mixed done. Quantitative method of research is conducted by using R program. The qualitative method is conducted by a questionnaire among students of all regions of Kazakhstan (at least 100 participants).

Originality / value of the research: This research analyzes Kazakhstani students' level of financial literacy, as well as its effect on increasing number of micro loans. Also, there is no impact from the university's background: students financially illiterate or literate at the same level.

Findings. Amount of financially literate students is 45 % of all students who took part in a survey. Financial literacy index among students for 2022 is - 46,1. Both correlation and regression analyses show that the financial illiteracy positively affects the fast growth of microfinance organizations.

Conclusion: Financial literacy does not mean minimizing the use of consumer credit, but leads to more attentive analysis of loan takers from the side of credit organizations. The government should control MFOs by requiring more personal information about cash flows from students. It was also found that specialty and faculty do not affect main financial factors, as behavior, knowledge and attitude to finance. On the other hand, research shows that students should be financial literate from their academic studies, as this will influence not only their future financial situation but also the country's economy as a whole.

The purpose of the research is to study the international experience of introducing financial inclusion, identify the current situation with its level in Kazakhstan, adapt forms and methods of involving the population in financial services that have been well recommended in other countries, and identify priority areas of scientific research in this area for the country.

Methodology. The research methodology is implemented by studying the scientific literature in this area, the existing international experience and practice of introducing financial inclusion, the participation of government agencies in different countries in this process. The methods of comparative and system analysis are used in the work. The study identified both general trends and features of the introduction of financial inclusion in Kazakhstan.

The originality / value of the research is confirmed by the lack of comprehensive scientific studies analyzing these processes in Kazakhstan, the current situation is shown in terms of the availability of financial services and the problems existing here, as well as the possibility of practical adaptation of positive international experience

Findings. The results of the study show the real situation with the availability of financial services in the country and determine the necessary measures to increase the level of involvement of the population, including the improvement of current legislation, as well as the development by stakeholders of a National program for the introduction of financial inclusion.

The obtained conclusions and recommendations can be useful when conducting new research in the priority scientific areas identified in the article.

The purpose of research is to identify the influence of bank-specific and macroeconomic variables on banking sector stability in the case of Eurasian Economic Union countries. For this purpose, it uses KASE and World Bank Database. The data was received from 10 commercial banks of the Eurasian Economic Union countries (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and Armenia) that cover the period 20162021.

Methodology is the panel corrected standard error model (PCSE) to observe the relation of dependent and independent variables. Altman Z-score is used as an indicator of financial stability. Return of assets (ROA) is an indicator of company profitability.

The originality / value of the research is a comparison of the factors that influence the stability and profitability of the banking industry in Eurasian Economic Union countries.

The estimation findings of the research indicate that bank-specific and macroeconomic strongly impact the financial stability in the banking sector. For example, asset quality and corruption control are significantly and negatively related with banks' stability. On the other hand, return on assets (ROA), bank size, political stability, and time dummy effect on the stability of the banking system are positive and statistically significant.

The purpose of the research is to determine the impact of consumer lending on bank sustainability and to assess its dependence on economic indicators.

Methodology. The research methodology is based on qualitative and quantitative approaches. The methods of regression analysis, transformation of analytical data mapping, analysis and synthesis were used in the article.

Originality / value of the research lies in the fact that the authors have determined the dependence of consumer lending on both macroeconomic and psychological factors on the basis of calculations.

Findings. The authors, through econometric calculations, obtained the consumer function as the main indicator of aggregate demand, which affects economic growth. They revealed a low dependence of consumer credit on: interest rate, average monthly income of the population and inflation. The result of multiple regression showed that macroeconomic factors explained only 43,3 % of consumer credit growth. Along with this, the authors identified a significant impact of consumer credit on imports and gross value added of trade.

Based on qualitative analysis, the authors calculated the Consumer Sentiment Index (CCI), based on a survey of 128 respondents. The survey found that consumers are optimistic and highly susceptible to psychological instruments of influence, such as marketing and promotions. Also, the authors believe that the perception of debt burden and credit availability influenced the dramatic growth of this banking product.

Arguing their assumptions by citing contemporary research by economists, the authors determined that changes in demand for consumer credit are determined more by psychological factors than economic ones. The increase in household final expenditures was due to an increase in consumer credit, which stimulated aggregate demand in the short run and thereby influenced economic growth. At the same time, in recent years in Kazakhstan, lending to households has outpaced lending to industries and the ratio of household debt to GDP has been increasing. This trend may lead in the long run to bank defaults and economic recession in the country. Based on this, the authors have proposed some recommendations to address these problems.