In the development of innovative economy it is important to create new cluster forms and models of joint activities that would take full account of the goals and potential of participants and features of territorial localization of economic entities interaction of one or related sectors. In this regard, the relevant areas of research are the development of tools for effective interaction of participants in innovation clusters in order to increase their competitiveness and ensure the stable development of the cluster as a whole. The aim of the article is to model the rational structure of the innovation cluster to increase the competitiveness of its members.The direct use of numerous models and methods of analysis and optimization of real cluster structures is quite difficult due to the complexity and large size of such tasks, but it is possible to build a simulation model to describe the associated activities of innovation cluster members, which should contain all available information about the simulated process, and to use the decomposition approach for its research.In the article it was calculated the simulation model, using economic-mathematical modeling, which is oriented towards choosing the optimal structure of the cluster association, the rational composition of its members, and the goals of their associated activities within the cluster. To determine the directions of the construction of the model, some properties were chosen from the whole spectrum of specific properties of the innovation cluster which define its economic content as a specific modeling structure. The simulation model of the optimal structure of the innovation cluster is calculated in the article with the help of economic-mathematical modeling. The proposed simulation model can be used to quantify the feasibility of creating a territorial production association of the cluster type, taking into account the specifics of the territory (region) of the cluster, the sectoral affiliation of its potential participants, the degree of institutional environment for such associated interaction for specific participants and a specific territorially localized economic system.

The article presents the results of the practical implementation of the methodology for assessing the innovative potential of small and medium-sized businesses of the Republic of Kazakhstan. To identify the level of development of innovative activity of SMEs in Kazakhstan the methods of correlation and regression analysis were implemented. The analysis conducted on the basis of available statistical materials disclosures the impact of different factors on the innovative potential of small and medium-sized businesses. According to the author's approach to the evaluation of innovative potential, there are three groups of factors affecting the innovative potentialfactors of general economic development, factors of development of small and medium-sized businesses and factors of development of research activities. The article also analyzes the main indicators of innovation activity of the considered enterprises and institutional features of their development. The results of the research allowed to identify both the advantages and disadvantages of innovative activity of national SMEs.

Abstract. In the article, key factors of development and main elements of logistics infrastructure are outlined, their impact on different areas of regional economy is evaluated. The authors conducted comparative study of different groups of factors and built an econometric model for some of them. The resulting regression made it possible to find important interdependencies for Kazakhstan, namely: increase of the demand for transport and logistics services by 1% leads to GRP increase by 7.013 billion tenge (USD 20.7 mln); the investment to the infrastructure sector increase by 1% leads to GRP increase by 0.638 billion tenge (USD 1.9 mln); the commodity stocks in warehouses increase by 1% leads to GRP increase by 2.747 billion tenge (USD 8.1 mln), and increase in tariffs on transportation by 1% results in GRP decrease by 25.745 billion tenge (USD 75.9 mln). To increase the efficiency of the regional economy functioning, the authors introduced an approach to regulate and manage logistics infrastructure in the regions, incorporating the latest global trends as well as adapting to the unique needs of different macro-regions of Kazakhstan (in terms of their investment and logistics capacities). The carried out grouping of the Kazakh regions within the author approach made it possible to ground the formation and singling out the perspective growth poles which should become the country's integration zones with regional and global markets. They are the hubs in the following macroregions: North with the centre in Astana; Central-East with its centre in Ust-Kamenogorsk city; West with the centre in Aktobe; South with its centres in Almaty and Shymkent. The economic characteristics and development potential of each growth pole is presented in the paper.

In modern global conditions, the revival of the economic belt of the Great Silk Road as a whole opens up new significant opportunities for countries along the route to develop the economies of these countries. Nowadays, the main factors for the integration of these countries are logistics, international trade, and tourism. The relevance of the study lies in the very methodological approach of assessing the logistics factors affecting the economy of a number of countries along the economic belt of the Silk Road. A group of preliminary countries, through which lie main routes of the economic belt of Silk Road, including Kazakhstan, were selected. An analysis was carried out on the efficiency of development of logistics and trade, impact of development of logistics on international trade. Based on the analysis of international indices of logistics efficiency, international trade conditions and regression models, problems and reasons for lagging have been identified that affect the economic development of countries along the Silk Road routes. Priority initiatives have been identified to overcome restrictions that impede the development of logistics and increase trade capacity in the countries of the Silk Road, in particular the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), including Kazakhstan.

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