Modelling and classification of barriers in the construction of smart villages in developing countries

Smart Villages are an innovative solution for tackling global sustainability per the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations. This particular study looks into the implementation of a similar Smart Village concept in developing countries such as Pakistan. The main focus is to identify and classify a set of barriers that are to be considered while constructing a smart village. The hierarchal modeling of these barriers is carried out using Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) and then classified into clusters or segments using a Matrice d'Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée à un Classement (MICMAC) technique. Fourteen barriers are selected from the literature and their pair-wise relationships are determined using input from experts, gathered via a questionnaire. The structural self-interactive matrix and reachability matrix were constructed using survey results and binary quantification. Conclusively, deforestation was determined to be the strongest driving barrier alongside crime rate, unemployment, and public rejection while market disruption was the most dependent barrier. The MICMAC analysis was then used to cluster the barriers into 4 categories, based on their dependence and driving power parameters. The study can be useful for the Governments of developing countries especially in South Asia, in prioritizing key elements before constructing a smart village to prevent further damage down the line. The ISM technique has proven to be a valuable resource in organizing data for novel problems with little available data. Since there are only a handful of Smart Village examples to go by, no key data is available previously for this topic. Therefore, this research bridges the gap and provides valuable qualitative and quantitative data to the concerned authorities.