Good governance matters for well-being: the case of Kazakhstan

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the impact of the perceived performance of the government on subjective well-being based on the individual-level survey data of Kazakhstan. Having implemented substantial economic and public administration reforms over nearly three decades since independence in 1991 Kazakhstan presents an interesting case to explore how people perceive the outcomes of the reforms. Design/methodology/approach This paper estimates the relationship between life satisfaction and its determinants with the ordered logit model making use of the ranking information in the response variable. Findings This paper establishes that satisfaction with public service delivery, living conditions and personal and economic factors that are subject to public policy, along with trust in government institutions contribute to life satisfaction. The more satisfied individuals are with the quality, affordability and accessibility of public services, the more satisfied they are with their lives as a whole. A higher level of trust in government institutions increases individual well-being. Originality/value There is still a lack of research on subjective well-being in the less developed world. This study will help reveal important determinants of subjective well-being in the context of a developing country. Also, this study is valuable in terms of examining the impact of citizen satisfaction with public service delivery on subjective wellbeing based on rich individual-level data of the national quality of life (QoL) survey.

Post-Soviet space thirty years on: Independence vs synergy

“…В России, наоборот, глубокая материальная дифференциация уже долгие годы приводит к росту аномии и маргинализации большей части населения (Давыдова, Седова, 2004). Главной причиной неудовлетворенности жизнью граждан Республики Беларусь часто называется сильное давление государственного аппарата и экстремальное ограничение гражданских свобод (особенно остро в последние годы) (Moshes and Nizhnikau, 2021), тогда как в Казахстане, согласно расчетам, рост удовлетворенности качеством жизни не в последнюю очередь связан с одобрением гражданами власти и государственных институтов (Serikbayeva and Abdulla, 2021). Уровень счастья в прибалтийских государствах, хотя и ниже, чем в среднем по Европе, но за последние 15 лет уверенно растет.…”

The Geomorphological Landscape of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro

“…The study by Serikbayeva and Abdulla (2022) investigated the impact of perceived government performance on well-being, using data from an individual survey in Kazakhstan. This territory, which has undergone significant economic and public administration reforms over nearly three decades since its independence in 1991, offers an interesting setting to examine how people perceive the results of these reforms.…”