Despite of the highest level of the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in the Central Asian region, Kazakhstan, with its long history of centralized planning, constantly experiences economic insecurities. This trend is mainly explained by the over-reliance on the natural resources and failures in economic diversification. Therefore, this paper considers the knowledge-based economy (KBE) as the framework for the long-term sustainable development of Kazakhstan and explores problems and perspectives of it from the 1996 to 2014. Methodology of the study includes quantitative research by using four steps analyses, such as principal component analysis (PCA), descriptive analysis, multiple linear regression (MLR), and paired t-test. The study shows that 83% of the GDP growth variations in the model can be explained by the final KBE indicators such as Control of corruption; Enrollment in general secondary schools; Computer, communications, and other services; and Research and Development (R&D) expenditure. Although Kazakhstan had poor support of KBE indicators and still practices extractive national institutions, the recent Third Economic Modernization is expected to boost the KBE in the country. The main recommendation of the paper is to profoundly diversify the country’s economy towards enhancing the four pillars of the KBE, such as promoting favorable general enabling environment, improvement of education sector and skills of workforce, and enhancement of information infrastructure and innovation sectors.

尽管哈萨克斯坦人均国内生产总值处于中亚地区最高水平，但其长期的集中式计划历史却一直遭受着经济不安全因素的困扰。这种趋势主要是由于对自然资源的过度依赖和经济多样化的失败所造成的。因此，本文将知识经济（KBE）视为哈萨克斯坦长期可持续发展的框架，并探讨了其从1996年至2014年的问题和前景。研究方法包括通过四个步骤进行的定量研究，例如主成分分析（PCA），描述性分析，多元线性回归（MLR）和配对t-测试。研究表明，该模型中83％的GDP增长变化可以由最终的KBE指标（如“腐败控制”）解释。普通中学入学；计算机，通信和其他服务；以及研究与开发（R＆D）支出。尽管哈萨克斯坦对KBE指标的支持不佳，但仍采用提取性的国家机构，但最近的第三次经济现代化有望促进该国的KBE。该文件的主要建议是，使该国经济深度多样化，以增强KBE的四个支柱，例如，促进有利的总体有利环境，改善教育部门和劳动力技能，以及加强信息基础设施和创新部门。