Smart urban governance: an alternative to technocratic "smartness"

Area of Science:

• Urban Planning
• Public Administration
• Information Systems

Background:

• Traditional smart city approaches often adopt a technocratic governance model.
• There is a need for a more nuanced and context-aware approach to urban governance in the digital age.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and test a framework for "smart urban governance" that integrates spatial, institutional, and technological components.
• To move away from technocratic governance towards a sociotechnical perspective in smart cities.

Main Methods:

• Developed a framework for smart urban governance based on spatial, institutional, and technological components.
• Conducted an international questionnaire survey on smart city projects.
• Performed discursive analysis of two case studies: Smart Nation Singapore and Helsinki Smart City.

Main Results:

• Smart urban governance approaches vary significantly based on differing urban issues and contexts.
• Focusing on substantive urban challenges aids in defining appropriate governance modes and developing targeted technologies.
• Contextual factors (cultural, political, economic) are crucial in understanding the interplay between governance components.

Conclusions:

• Smart urban governance promotes a sociotechnical approach by prioritizing urban issues and demand-driven modes.
• Technological development in smart cities should be socially shaped and context-specific.
• This framework offers a more effective and adaptable model for governing cities in the smart era.