Smart urban governance: an alternative to technocratic smartness

This paper argues for a specific urban planning perspective on smart governance that we call smart urban governance, which represents a move away from the technocratic way of governing cities often found in smart cities. A framework on smart urban governance is proposed on the basis of three intertwined key components, namely spatial, institutional, and technological components. To test the applicability of the framework, we conducted an international questionnaire survey on smart city projects. We then identified and discursively analyzed two smart city projects-Smart Nation Singapore and Helsinki Smart City-to illustrate how this framework works in practice. The questionnaire survey revealed that smart urban governance varies remarkably: As urban issues differ in different contexts, the governance modes and relevant ICT functionalities applied also differ considerably. Moreover, the case analysis indicates that a focus on substantive urban challenges helps to define appropriate modes of governance and develop dedicated technologies that can contribute to solving specific smart city challenges. The analyses of both cases highlight the importance of context (cultural, political, economic, etc.) in analyzing interactions between the components. In this, smart urban governance promotes a sociotechnical way of governing cities in the smart era by starting with the urban issue at stake, promoting demand-driven governance modes, and shaping technological intelligence more socially, given the specific context.

Automated summary

This paper argues for a specific urban planning perspective called smart urban governance, which represents a move away from technocratic governance often found in smart cities. A framework on smart urban governance is proposed based on spatial, institutional, and technological components. The research conducted an international questionnaire survey and analyzed two smart city projects to illustrate the applicability of the framework. The findings reveal variations in smart urban governance and emphasize the importance of context in analyzing the interactions between components. Smart urban governance promotes a sociotechnical approach to governing cities in the smart era.