Leadership in Kazakhstan: Exploring Ideal Leadership Characteristics

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Short Description

An examination of leaders in Kazakhstan finds that most are male and ethnically Kazakh. Is this a basic reflection of beliefs about who is an “ideal” leader? To assess this situation, the researchers employed a survey of Kazakhstan citizens to examine the question of what characteristics make an “ideal” leader.

Detailed Abstract

Kazakhstan is a relatively young country, having declared independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991. During the past 20 years of independence, the leaders have sought to establish Kazakhstan as an important player in world affairs. Toward this end, the government has opened up the economic and media markets, established many education initiatives, and is focused on developing a voice in regional and global affairs. For example, in 2010 Kazakhstan was given the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). This move brought criticism by many who claimed that Kazakhstan does not have democratic, open elections and allows human rights violations. Despite these criticisms, modern Kazakhstan is lauded by its leaders as a multi-national country where representatives of more than 130 ethnicities live together harmoniously.

Despite this desire for a multinational way of life, the reality of harmonious and cooperative living may not be reflected in the views of the general Kazakhstani citizens. A brief examination of the diversity of leaders in sectors such as government, healthcare, education, and energy finds that most are male and ethnically Kazakh. Is this a basic reflection of Kazakh society and beliefs about who should be a leader or who is an “ideal” leader? To better assess this situation, the researchers employed a survey of Kazakhstan citizens to examine the basic question of what characteristics make an “ideal” leader. The survey was conducted in the Russian language as Russian is still the most widely used language in organizations in Kazakhstan.

The results will help further our understanding of leadership across borders. In particular, the cultural background of this post-soviet, secular Muslim, emerging market has yet to be examined as it pertains to what leadership characteristics will be necessary in the political, business, and cultural sectors during this time of development in the country.

This research project was conducted by undergraduate students in the School of Science and Technology at Nazarbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan as part of a Communication Research Methods course.

Participant

• Jenifer L. Lewis, Nazarbayev University