Exploring latent dimensions of in situ urbanization in northern rural Kazakhstan through structural equation modeling
Zhenskhan D. Alipbeki O. Lim S.S. Song J. Balkibayeva A. Nukesheva A. Mussina R. Mussaif G.
June 2025Springer Science and Business Media B.V.
Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science
2025#9Issue 2329 - 355 pp.
In situ urbanization is a rural development model in which the essential rural characteristics are maintained while living standards are raised to urban levels. Few studies determined the complex factors influencing in situ urbanization, despite its importance for rural development, in developing Central Asian Countries such as Kazakhstan. The objective of this study was to examine evidence of in situ urbanization and investigate its driving factors in northern rural Zerendy, Kazakhstan. Annual data from 22 rural settlements between 2015 and 2022, including 79 villages in the Zerendy District, one of the largest getaways in the Akmola Region, were used. The results of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and structural models supported the relevance of productivity, amenities and friction as constructs associated with in situ urbanization patterns in the area. Among the three factors, amenities demonstrated the strongest association with in situ urbanization processes. Productivity and friction constructs yielded only statistically insignificant path coefficients. These findings imply that improving the availability of rural amenities can be a useful policy strategy to aid a country’s rural development.
Agglomeration , In situ urbanization , Partial least squares structural equation modeling , Promising villages , Rural population , Structural model
Text of the article Перейти на текст статьи
Department of Management and Marketing, S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University, Astana, Kazakhstan
Department of Cartography and Geoinformatics, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Department of Food and Resource Economics, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
Department of Social Humanitarian Disciplines, The Academy of Physical Education and Mass Sports, Astana, Kazakhstan
Department of Economics, S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University, Astana, Kazakhstan
Department of Geodesy and Cartography, S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University, Astana, Kazakhstan
Department of Management and Marketing
Department of Cartography and Geoinformatics
Department of Food and Resource Economics
Department of Social Humanitarian Disciplines
Department of Economics
Department of Geodesy and Cartography
10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель
Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026