Аннотация
• DESI framework customized for Kazakhstan’s unique digital needs. • Kazakhstan’s digital rise to 78th in Global Innovation Index analyzed. • Study reveals key gaps in human capital, infrastructure, and technology. • Mixed-method approach ensures a reliable, sector-wide digital assessment. • Aligning global standards with local strategies for sustainable growth. As digital transformation reshapes economies worldwide, the ability to meaningfully assess digital readiness has become essential for strategic development. This study develops a context-sensitive digital readiness framework, the Kazakhstan Digital Readiness Index (KZ-DRI), adapted from the European Union's Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), to evaluate digital transformation progress in Kazakhstan. Following a systematic framework development approach and grounded in both national indicators and enterprise-level data, the study addresses two core challenges: reducing redundancy in the original DESI structure and aligning the framework with Kazakhstan’s distinct socio-economic, institutional, and infrastructural context. While the KZ-DRI framework reveals that Kazakhstan's overall digital readiness approximates the European average, disaggregated results expose sharp disparities across dimensions. The country demonstrates exceptional progress in digital public services, driven by early institutional prioritization and centralized implementation capacity. Conversely, persistent challenges in digital skills development and infrastructure underscore the need for targeted policy interventions to achieve balanced, inclusive digital growth. This research contributes a systematically developed framework (KZ-DRI) that preserves international comparability while providing a replicable methodology for other emerging economies. By highlighting structural asymmetries and strategic leverage points, the study advances a roadmap for integrated, future-oriented digital governance—one capable of architecting economic competitiveness, societal resilience, and regional digital leadership.