Digital infrastructure as an object of government regulation: conceptual and methodological analysis

Abstract

In the context of accelerated digitalization, the global economy is undergoing structural transformations in which digital infrastructure has become a key strategic resource. It functions not only as a technological foundation for innovation but also as a factor of national competitiveness, sovereignty, and security. Therefore, the issues of its state regulation acquire particular relevance, which is confirmed both by global trends and by national strategies implemented in Kazakhstan. The research results include two main directions. First, a bibliometric analysis of publications (Scopus, 2008–2024) revealed that the number of works devoted to the combination of “government regulation” and “digital infrastructure” remains extremely limited, indicating insufficient elaboration of this topic in academic discourse. At the same time, there has been a steady increase in publications on the keywords “digital” and “digitalization” since 2009, with a sharp rise of interest since 2018 in the cluster “government regulation – digitalization – sustainable development.” This confirms the formation of an independent research field that is currently in an active stage of development. Second, the analysis showed that Kazakhstan demonstrates significant progress in digitalization: a substantial share of public services is already delivered electronically, while mobile services and integration platforms are being expanded. International indices record the strengthening of the country’s position, although challenges remain, such as digital inequality, levels of trust in services, and cybersecurity issues. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the fact that digital infrastructure is conceptualized as a multilayer object of state regulation, encompassing network, platform, institutional, and social levels. This approach not only systematizes existing results but also suggests new research directions aimed at developing more comprehensive and effective regulatory strategies in the context of digital transformation.