Rating of Regions of Kazakhstan in Terms of Readiness for B2C E-commerce: Evaluation Methodology and Recommendations

The purpose of the work is to develop a methodology for assessing readiness for e-commerce in the B2C sector, which allows for assessing the conditions and factors for the development of e-commerce in the context of the regions of Kazakhstan. The research methodology is based on the use of methods for compiling a composite index, expert assessments, aggregation and normalization of data. The information base of the study was the reports of the International Telecommunication Union, UNESCO, the Universal Postal Union, and the World Bank, as well as official data from the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms and the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The testing of the methodology was carried out on the example of the regions of Kazakhstan, which made it possible to rank the regions of Kazakhstan in terms of readiness for B2C e-commerce. The estimates obtained allow us to compare the aggregated indicators and its composite indicators for the regions of Kazakhstan by years and to identify areas of regions lagging behind the average national values for certain indicators of readiness for B2C e-commerce. The theoretical significance of the study lies in the development of a methodology for inter-regional comparative analysis of the level of infrastructure readiness for e-commerce. Individual conclusions of the study can also be the basis for setting new research tasks. The practical applicability of the research results is characterized by the possibility of using the developed assessment tools in the work of the relevant specialized government bodies in the process of compiling program documents for the development of e-commerce in the regions of Kazakhstan. 

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