Institutionalizing Integrity: Rethinking Ethical and Cultural Standards in Kazakhstan’s Civil Service

Zhanna Khamzina ¹ Yermek Buribayev ^2* Yerazak Tileubergenov ³

• ¹ Abai University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
• ² Zhetysu University named after I. Zhansugurov, Taldy-Kurgan, Kazakhstan
• ³ Shokan Ualikhanov Kokshetau State University, Kokshetau, Akmola, Kazakhstan

This study critically analyzes the underdeveloped ethical standards and deficiencies in the regulatory framework governing Kazakhstan's civil service, alongside the structural weaknesses within its organizational culture. Despite the existence of legal provisions aimed at regulating ethical conduct, these mechanisms remain insufficient to ensure the comprehensive and consistent application of ethical standards in practice. The lack of robust regulatory oversight, coupled with inadequate integration of ethical principles into the organizational culture, has led to diminished discipline and professionalism among civil servants, ultimately compromising the efficiency and quality of public service delivery. In contemporary public administration, ethical norms and organizational culture have transcended their status as aspirational ideals and have become fundamental mechanisms for strengthening governance, enhancing accountability, and fostering public trust in government institutions. The absence of a clearly defined and enforceable system for institutionalizing ethical norms renders even the most ambitious administrative reforms ineffective, thereby eroding public confidence in state institutions. Employing a multidisciplinary analytical framework, this study synthesizes legal, sociological, and managerial perspectives to provide a holistic examination of the issue. By integrating these approaches, it identifies both the systemic strengths and critical weaknesses in the mechanisms sustaining organizational ethical culture within Kazakhstan's civil service. Furthermore, the research proposes strategic recommendations aimed at enhancing ethical governance, reinforcing institutional accountability, and modernizing the civil service model. These insights may also serve as a blueprint for the reform of administrative systems in comparable national contexts, contributing to the broader discourse on ethical governance and institutional integrity.The transformation of Kazakhstan's civil service is part of a broader global trend in public administration, where ethical governance and organizational culture are increasingly recognized as fundamental to effective state management. International research highlights the crucial role of ethical norms and professional standards in fostering public trust, ensuring government accountability, and