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What characterizes the ideal urban futures that are envisioned and promulgated within smart city initiatives today? This paper argues for the usefulness of utopia as a lens to examine contemporary urban development projects, specifically smart cities. Drawing on scholars upholding utopianism as key for critical scholarship, the paper explores narratives around smartness in Stockholm, Sweden, and the utopian logics embedded within these narratives. Based on an in-depth case study in Stockholm, the research points to utopian logics of visibility , predictability and controllability within smart city initiatives. These further point to a common tendency where planning is sought perfected–and believed to approach perfection through the supplantation of human planners by smart technologies. As urban planning is faced with pressing urban challenges and dwindling resources, "mere" brain capacity largely appears as too limited and as necessary to compliment with computerized intelligence. • Using utopia as a lens, this paper explores the smart city initiative in Stockholm and the idealized futures it promotes. • Methodologically, the paper draws on extensive empirical research conducted using "Utopia as Method." • The paper points to "smart Stockholm" being characterized by utopian logics of visibility , predictability and controllability. • Together, these point to a tendency where planning is sought perfected through the integration of computerized intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the asymmetric spatial spillover effects of digital development across different types of cities. The results of the two-regime spatial Durbin models, using the panel data of 279 cities in China from 2011 to 2021, reveal the spatial polarization phenomenon in digitalization, where stronger cities such as smart cities, provincial capitals, and port cities become more dominant while weaker cities struggle to catch up. Increasing public R&D support leads to positive spatial spillover effects but exacerbates the spatial "Matthew effect" of digitalization. Additionally, marketization plays a moderating role by enhancing resource allocation efficiency and suppressing negative spatial spillover effects. Higher levels of marketization result in smaller digital gaps between cities. The findings provide valuable insights for decision-makers and stakeholders seeking to foster balanced and inclusive urban development in the digital age. • The digital competition landscape follows the Matthew effect, leading to an increasing trend of spatial polarization. • Stronger cities like smart cities, provincial capitals, and port cities dominate, while weaker cities struggle to keep up. • Increased public R&D support exacerbates the spatial "Matthew effect," widening the gap between strong and weak cities. • Marketization serves to alleviate negative spatial spillover effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines whether implementing the smart cities initiative (SCI) can effectively uphold children's right to healthy growth. Using a time-varying difference-in-differences model and a data set collected from 2638 counties in China from 2005 to 2018, we empirically examine the causal relationship between SCI and child growth for the first time. The results show that SCI has a beneficial impact on mitigating the prevalence of stunting and wasting. This conclusion remains valid after various robustness checks, including propensity score matching, placebo testing, and instrumental variable method. Further heterogeneity analysis reveals that SCI substantially reduces the risk of growth failure in children, particularly in the eastern region and cities with higher administrative levels, and boys are more positively affected than girls. Finally, we find that SCI can facilitate the healthy growth of children through three primary effects: economic development, reduced pollution exposure risk, and optimized public service quality. This study provides valuable insights into the impact of SCI on safeguarding children's health and establishes a foundation for informed decision-making to promote child-friendly growth spaces in China and other developing countries. • We examine the causal relationship between smart cities initiative (SCI) and child growth. • We use a difference-in-differences model and a data set from 2638 counties in China. • SCI has a beneficial impact on mitigating the prevalence of stunting and wasting. • SCI reduces the risk of growth failure of boys more positively than girls. • Three influence channels are economic development, reduced pollution exposure risk, and optimized public service quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste collection bins with smart capabilities play a crucial role in contemporary urban landscapes, forming integral components of efficient and sustainable waste management practices worldwide. This paper conducts a thorough review of state-of-the-art smart bins, emphasizing advanced features such as material separation and integrated automation. The analysis, based on 79 selected articles from a pool of over 1400 publications, underscores critical gaps in the existing literature. While a widely accepted common ground that outlines the definition for smart bins exists, in the form of waste disposal containers incorporating functionalities such as fill-level monitoring and IoT connectivity, this research identifies substantial areas for improvement. Specifically, material separation practices, including automated waste segregation, and the overall maturity of conceptual frameworks present significant challenges, hindering the optimization of resource recovery essential for pioneering circular economy models. Moreover, a lack of uniformity and standardization in automation techniques is apparent across studies. Various articles propose divergent approaches, each with distinct advantages and drawbacks. Notably, no unified solution emerges that could harness collective strengths and mitigate shortcomings. Identifying these issues is paramount for advancing the field and tackle sustainability-related challenges within modern smart cities. • Exploration of the utilization of smart waste bins in urban settings. • Review of sensing and actuation capabilities in smart bins. • Highlight of limitations in material segregation automation. • Proposal of holistic concept for improved resource recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review conducts a systematic analysis of a total of 90 Smart City articles from an urban context perspective based on the 'Urban Engagement and Impact Analytical Framework'. Many previous smart city reviews have been conducted through bibliometric analysis from a holistic viewpoint, finding the performance, trend and focused area of smart city research. Therefore, the principal objective of this review is to explore the gap in the adequacy of smart city research engagement with diverse urban contexts, to provide a smart urban environment focusing on Smart Urbanism. This paper highlights three principal aspects of each article; 1) Whose perspective that Smart City research mostly conducted by, 2) The depth of Urban context engagement conducted during Smart City development, 3) Which part of urban development is particularly affected by. These three dimensions are significant factors correlated to each other, that form healthy smart urbanism. By doing so, the findings from this review will lead the smart city research to a practical intervention in urban planning through engagement with the insightful urban contexts. This will offer a positive impact on developing a sustainable urban livelihood for the inhabitants by extending the view of the smart city development towards Smart urbanism within the urban context viewpoint. • In-depth urban contextual engagement is lacking in current Smart City research. • An Extension view of Smart City embracing balanced urban context is essential. • Taxonomy analytical framework is proposed for the review analysis. • The practical intervention urges for Smart City growth as urban planning. • Active engagement of scholars from architecture and urban planning is significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urgent decline of global progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the post-COVID-19 era necessitates immediate action in the field of smart cities. This paper proposes a new framework to assess the performance of global smart cities, emphasizing the vitality and potential of sustainability-oriented smartness for global smart cities, as well as the role of benchmarking cities on a global scale. The framework centered around the principles of "humanity-technology-sustainability" tackles critical challenges related to feasibility, interoperability, and flexibility in smart city assessments. By integrating academic perceptions with quantitative performance results, the proposed framework aims to facilitate the advancement of sustainable smart city through urban comparisons and the expansion of global visions within the smart city ecosystem in a post-pandemic future. In each of the past three years, twenty globally renowned cities for smart city development are assessed under this framework and published on UNPAN (United Nations Public Administration Network) website. These assessments aim to draw the attention of more cities to the factors that contribute to advancing smart cities under the new world development goals, to identify benchmark cities across different dimensions, and to assist decision-makers in prioritizing future smart city development initiatives. • SDGs call for urgent responses in the field of smart cities in the Post-pandemic era • The multivocal in sustainability makes the goal of sustainable smart city ambiguous • Bridge the gap between sustainability vision and sustainability goal in smart city • The new smart city assessment framework based on "humanity-technology-sustainability" • 20 global metropolia as smart city benchmarks are assessed under the framework [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equity and inclusion continue to pose significant challenges for many cities. Disparities in access to resources and facilities among the residents of these areas are often influenced by factors such as geographical location and income level, among others. Therefore, creating a quantitative basis to detect spatial and socio-economic inequities in residents' access to vital infrastructures is crucial for advancing smart cities. This paper introduces a novel measure of Spatial Inequity that is based on 1) computing building-level scores for each building in terms of access to facilities, and 2) comparing the distribution of the scores of these facilities using the Gini coefficient. The proposed building-level scores will enable the identification of GIS hotspots at a high resolution. Then, the Gini-based measure will facilitate a comparison of the distribution of the scores, and determine if they are evenly distributed and equitably accessible. The Gini coefficient was highest (0.89) for waste management and elderly care, and lowest (0.56) for hospitals, reflecting varying levels of inequality. This study applies this Spatial Ineqity methodological framework to Hong Kong, a representative of Highly Dense Cities. The framework benchmarks urban infrastructure, identifies hotspots, and selects interventions for equitable urban development. • Novel approach identifies spatial inequities via building-level scores & Gini coefficient. • Precise hotspot identification enhances targeted interventions in dense urban areas. • Applied methodology in Hong Kong offers insights into urban development complexities. • Gini coefficient unveils varying degrees of inequality across essential services. • Geospatial analysis & quantitative measures support equitable urban resource allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper argues that sustainable Smart Cities cannot be delivered by profit-driven visions, but through a process that integrates the diverse aptitudes and needs of the city stakeholders. The study uses mixed methods to examine democratic participation in governance and the emerging notion of Smart City Citizenship in the context of India. Benchmarking and assessment of 21 smart cities reveals the existing participatory processes being "tokenistic" and a substantial deficit in democratic stakeholder participation mechanisms. A deeper assessment in Kochi and Nagpur exposes the existing barriers to citizen participation and reveals that the capacities of capable stakeholders and citizen groups can be channelised more effectively. This study promotes advancing the notion of 'citizenship' beyond the market to the commons. It suggests transforming urban governance into a more accountable and collaborative governance model with a stronger role and power to local government, residents, and democratic stakeholders. • Benchmarking and assessment of 21 smart cities and case studies of Kochi and Nagpur reveal that the existing participatory processes being "tokenistic" and a substantial deficit in democratic stakeholder participation mechanisms • The cities need to break the barriers of bureaucracy, corruption, marketisation, and capacity limitations. • This study promotes advancing the notion of 'citizenship' beyond the market to the commons. • The study suggests transforming urban governance into a more accountable and collaborative governance model with a stronger role and power to local government, residents, and democratic stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An understanding of how modern Open Data Ecosystems (ODEs) work is critical in the context of current trends towards sustainability and smartness, while is seen to be an asset to support urban governance and development, in coordinating actions, and fostering civic engagement. This paper aims to establish such understanding by analyzing the contextual patterns, platforms, and components shaping sustainable ODEs by employing platform theory. This study explores and compares characteristics, similarities, differences, and best approaches in 19 cities across 8 countries. In this study we (1) identify 50 patterns that influence and shape sustainable ODEs and their platforms, i.e., Open Data Platform Ecosystems (ODPEs); (2) explore the relationships between platforms and other ODPEs components by developing a respective model, and identifying internal platforms and other components; (3) empirically validate the conceptual findings of five types of ODPEs presented in the literature, redefining them from the conceptual to real-life implementation of the respective components in sample cities; (4) considering the experience gained during the study with respect to the ODPEs and external pressures and environments that shape or influence them, we define 12 recommendations for policy planning and urban governance of more sustainable ODEs. • Identifies 50 patterns that influence and shape sustainable ODEs in smart cities • Defines the Open Data Platform Ecosystem (ODPE) and its components and relationships • Empirically validates the conceptual findings of five types of smart city ODPEs • Defines 12 recommendations for urban development of more sustainable ODEs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban mobility plays a key role in any modern society. The advent of digital platforms and dedicated mobile apps, as well as new business models based on the concept of access over ownership and sharing economy (sharing mobility and Mobility as a Service), promises to reshape this sector. It will facilitate and speed up the diffusion of more sustainable and efficient means of transportation based on an intermodal mobility management perspective. The main goal of this paper is to examine the current state of smart mobility together with those factors that may influence the extent of modern sharing mobility proliferation and penetration through ICT applications and social media. The authors applied the content analysis using a sample of more than 1000 citizens' and visitors' reviews published on the official digital platforms of the smart city of Milan. The paper includes a comparison with data drawn from the public urban mobility services users. Based on the nodes resulting from the content analysis, the STEEP method was adopted in order to apply a more complex perspective concerning social, technological, environmental, economic and political issues. This strategic analytical tool was combined with the SWOT analysis dimensions to provide a comprehensive practical contribution to modern municipal smart mobility management systems. The results highlight the need for both smart mobility solutions suppliers and institutions to properly understand and communicate how digital services can be implemented across different users' touchpoints and communication channels to increase the value-added provided to citizens and visitors alike. • Urban mobility services assessment in a smart city context • Analyses of digital platforms and mobile apps for sharing mobility services • Content analysis and Network analysis of the reviews of mobility services' users • Multilevel approach based on the integration of STEEP and SWOT analyses • Theoretical contribution and strategic insights for policy-makers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present contribution analyses the Smart City Mission launched in the year 2015 in India from an institutional perspective and examines how it is mobilized for coordinated action. Relying on theoretical guidance provided by Ostrom's (2005) 'Institutional Analysis and Development' (IAD) framework and González-Arellano's (2022) and Scott's (2008) formulation of 'Institutional Construction of Futures of Cities', we analyse a corpus of empirical data to suggest that SC has historical precedents in the way it is institutionalized. Further, to substantiate our findings, a structured literature review of empirical contributions (34 nos.) within the SCOPUS database is undertaken. In conceptual terms, the anticipatory praxis of Smart City Mission leverages the institutional structure of doing flagship programmes and a cultural-cognitive affirmation of neutrality in data-driven governance. The initiative blurs the political city as the action arenas of structuring SC initiatives at the local levels lack operational rules to construct desired outcomes. The paper argues for a need to make the action-to-outcome linkage legible and endow agency to participants to act and control the outcomes by framing collective choice rules. Strengthening action arenas at the city level emboldens the capacity to envision collaborative futures and bridge the gap between anticipation and experience. • The flagship architecture inscribes longstanding socio-spatial inequalities and constrains the collective agency • Smart City Mission blurs the political city at the local levels due to lack of action-outcome linkages • Disproportionate power is vested with the process holders (bureaucrats/consultants) to delineate Smart City outcomes • Smart City Mission valorizes neoliberal ethos and a strong centralized state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, we have witnessed an ongoing and interrelated combination of smart city implementation and tourism trends. The current development of cities integrates technological implementation, the adoption of social media, and "smart" practices to interact with users and tourists, influencing their travel choices by offering a highly technological and customized environment. The objective of the study is to examine the impact of digital technology implementation and social media platforms in cities on tourism flow. Based on the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) approach and relying on panel data considering 20 Italian smart city projects between 2011 and 2021, this paper demonstrates the extent of the relationship between digital technology implementation embedded in smart city development and tourist flow. Moreover, it also considers the effect of the amplitude of social media platforms adopted, which positively impacts this relationship. Thus, our findings suggest that digital technology implementation in cities generally influences the interplay between smart city and tourism trajectories. Additionally, a city's ability to respond to and implement the newest and trending social media significantly influences its local tourist attractiveness. • The digital development of cities and their responsiveness to social media influence interactions with tourist flows. • Smart cities with advanced digital technology implementation are more likely to interact and attract tourists. • The amplitude of social media platforms in smart cities positively moderates the relationship between the city's technological development and tourists. • Social media act as a bridge between smart city practices and users, influencing their interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human mobility is of importance in supporting smart cities, urban planning and constructions of resilient environments. Previous studies on dominant mobility models (i.e., gravity and radiation models) rarely describe the refined spatiotemporal process of human mobility flow forces especially within city. To address this gap, this paper proposes a spatiotemporal flow force model (FFM) of sink/source human mobilities within city, which is derived from Navier-Stokes equation in the field of fluid mechanics. The FFM model outperforms the gravity and radiation models in modeling the refined spatiotemporal flow force process of source/sink human mobilities, in the aspect of intensity and direction of mobility flow force. Comparison results show that the gravity and radiation models in the source mobility scenario can give a rough force estimation about the total outflow from source mobility areas while without the capability of explaining the specific directions of mobility flow from source mobility areas. Pearson correlation coefficient between the intensity results of the two models and those of FFM range from 0.65 to 0.90 and direction differences between the results of the two models and FFM respectively show no clear regularity. In the sink mobility scenario, the direction of mobility flows can be estimated well by the gravity and radiation models while the intensity of mobility flow between small-scale areas within cities is susceptible to inaccuracies. Pearson correlation coefficient ranges from 0.13 to 0.59 and direction differences follow a stepped distribution from high to low within the range of 0° to 180°. In addition, the potential field of human mobility flow force provides a powerful tool for visually analyzing mobility flows within cities. This proposed model enriches human mobility models and is generalizable in supporting smart cities, urban planning, and constructions of resilient environments in terms of the refined spatiotemporal process of mobility flow force. • A spatiotemporal flow force model (FFM) of sink/source human mobilities within city is proposed. • Gravity and radiation models fail to explain specific directions of mobility flow from source mobility areas within city. • Mobility flow intensity between small-scale areas modeled by gravity and radiation models is susceptible to inaccuracies. • FFM model outperforms the gravity and radiation models in intensity and direction of mobility flow force. • The proposed model is generalizable in supporting smart cities, urban planning, and resilient environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a shift in attention from urban vitality to urban vitalisation as a process that reflects ongoing interactions between residents, communities, and urban government agencies. To explore urban vitalisation, we offer a conceptual framework connecting two theoretical terms, trust/distrust and citizenship regimes, and we ask in what ways relations between trust/distrust (of residents in their municipality) and citizenship regimes explain residents' engagement in smart urban vitalisation. To answer this question, we present a case study of a group of Haifa residents who used a digital platform to push for improvement in the ways the local government accommodated their needs. Based on our analysis, we make two arguments of potential interest to scholars and stakeholders involved in smart city initiatives. First, both trust and distrust can motivate residents' involvement in smart city initiatives. Second, examining trust and distrust in light of the relevant citizenship regime (individual-liberal and civic-republican) sheds light on relational and dynamic configurations of residents' involvement in the process of smart urban vitalisation. • The paper presents a shift from urban vitality to urban vitalisation as a process of ongoing interactions between residents and urban government. • We offer a conceptualization connecting trust/distrust and citizenship regimes to explain residents' engagement in urban vitalisation. • Both trust and distrust can motivate residents' involvement in smart city initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urban management industry has recently shown interest in implementing digital twins in cities to improve urban planning, optimize asset management and create secure, sustainable cities. Built on the knowledge gained with the development of smart cities and the implementation of digital twins in other industries, urban digital twins have experienced a significant expansion in just a few years. However, this rapid growth has led to a fragmented situation where the definition of the concept of urban digital twin is not clear and implementations share few similarities. For this reason, the main objective of this paper was to contribute to the conceptualization of the digital twin in urban management. To do so, existing initiatives were mapped in terms of applications, inputs, processing and outputs. Requirements were elicited and the basic structure of a city digital twin was defined. Benefits, open issues and key challenges were also identified. This paper will be useful for stakeholders within the urban management area as it establishes the basis for the future design, development and widespread adoption of urban digital twins. • Existing approaches on urban digital twins have been reviewed. • The present capability to act on the physical twin is limited. • Standardization is needed to achieve interoperability between digital twins. • Benefits, open issues and key challenges are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper is to clarify the relationship between sustainability-oriented innovations (SOI) and smart city development based on the systematic review of existing literature in the field. As an outcome of the review process, 159 articles were carefully selected for the in-depth analysis of the inter-linked concepts of smart city and sustainability-oriented innovations. The results show a growing trend of research papers in this field, especially in the last five years. The findings show the significance of a systemic multi-dimensional view of innovations for the smart sustainable development of cities. We have identified four main perspectives through which the scholars discourse the SOI dimensions in the smart city context: technology perspective, organizational perspective, social innovation perspective with citizen engagement, as well as system-level changes with innovation ecosystems. Second, we have recognized various focused themes under each main perspective. The various types of innovations also have impacts on different components of smart cities. Although the technological innovation perspectives dominate, and governance aspects are also paid attention to in recent studies, the increasing amount of research outputs also report on the developments of other components and perspectives, such as new human-centric approaches like citizen engagement. • Growing trend in papers connecting sustainability innovations and smart cities • Four main perspectives of innovation dimensions in smart cities recognized • Technological and governance perspectives dominate in earlier research. • Recent increase in research of human-centric approaches and citizen engagement [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, due to the introduction of new solutions in transportation, environment, and urban management using information and communication technologies, the popularity of smart cities has increased. However, less attention has been paid to the fundamental role of citizens in smart cities. So far, citizen participation with a responsive approach has not been studied, and there have been few quantitative studies on self-organization in citizen participation development. Nowadays, the paradigm of the citizen's role has changed. In the past, citizens had one-sided participation, but now smart citizens must actively participate in urban affairs as well as use modern technologies. This issue depends on legal and social infrastructures to achieve smart citizen participation. One of the recent developments in information technology is the changing concept of smart cities to responsive cities. So far, the focus of smart cities has been on the capabilities that organizations provide to citizens, but in responsive cities, citizens actively participate through activities that promote participation, such as open data, online platforms, living labs, and direct interaction. Additionally, the city is self-organized and uses digital capabilities. Therefore, this study aims to develop citizen participation in a responsive city with a self-organized approach. Based on prior research, a research model was designed, and a questionnaire was distributed among Tehran residents to analyze their participation in a responsive city. Regression analysis was utilized for calculations and analyzing data. The overall evaluation of the model indicated that variables in a responsive city such as open data, online platforms, and living labs only have an impact on citizen participation if there is self-organization. According to the results, only the variable of direct interaction affects citizen participation, while open data, online platforms, and living labs do not have an impact, and their effect depends on self-organization. • This paper conceptualizes the citizen participation in the responsive city. • It shows the importance of online platform, open data, living lab, and direct interaction. • The findings show the critical role of self-organization in the responsive city. • The findings show the necessity of transition into the responsive city due to its benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the potential impact of smart urban technologies used in smart city projects on three dimensions of urban sustainability (economic, environmental and social). Although the literature notes that smart urban technologies and their capabilities are potential saviours when it comes to urban and sustainability challenges in cities, there is a lack of studies exploring the impact of smart urban technologies on urban sustainability. Thus, we address this literature gap by conducting structural topic modelling on smart city projects retrieved from the Smart Territory call for projects. In these projects, city managers' report extensively on how smart urban technologies can support urban sustainability. Our results show nine groups of smart urban technologies that will support at least two urban sustainability dimensions. Smart mobility systems can support all three dimensions of urban sustainability. Technology benefits will be realised by smart urban technology capabilities and through the involvement of the city's community in the use of technology. • City managers may adopt smart urban technologies to achieve urban sustainability goals. • The results link different urban sustainability impacts to different smart urban technologies. • This paper provides a list of smart urban technologies that will support at least two urban sustainability dimensions. • Results provide a basis to measure smart urban technologies' impacts through different sustainability indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth in the international smart city market over the past decade has been tremendous. Fuelled by private vendors and consultants, adoption of smart city technology in many cities has been rapid. How well does the adoption of this technology and the overall design of smart cities align with the needs and preferences of residents? In this paper we examine this question using data from a unique survey of residents in three large Canadian cities: Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto. The survey includes perceptions of both the importance and maturity of 23 policy or service areas, grouped along four dimensions (Services, Governance, Social and Economic). The results indicate that there is a misalignment in certain service and policy areas between the types of projects that cities are pursuing and the preferences of residents, indicating the need for broader and deeper engagement with the community in the design and implementation of smart city plans. • Survey results highlight disparities between residents and their municipal governments in smart city development • A gap exists between the preferences that residents place on certain smart city initiatives and where local government direct investment • Cities are aligned with technocratic institutional logic, underpinned by a close collaboration with the private sector [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regardless the Smart City (SC) broad scope, which ranges from a service-oriented ecosystem with the use of almost all the emerging technologies to a resilient urban environment, practice shows that the SC is mostly capitalized for utility upgrades, urban renovation, and real-time city monitoring. Moreover, recent city implementations register attempts to utilize technology for controlling the entire city flows. The aim of this communication paper is to discuss the SC hubness and more specifically the fact that the SC can become a "hub" that collects, processes, and transmits data; brings together people to co-design and evolve; and controls service, material and people flows in all city types. As a result, this paper defines the role, the uses and the architecture of this "SC-as-a-Hub" operation labeled "SCHub", which can standardize and control all the city flows. • Explains how smart cities are being transformed to hubs for data, service, people and material flows • Conceptualizes the smart city as a hub (SCHub) • Defines the SCHub's architecture and architecture framework • Presents use-cases that explain the SCHub's operation • Introduces some of the expected benefits from the SCHub's role [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on the understanding that the representations that underpin slum policies play an important role in the management and reproduction of informality, the aim of this paper is to identify some of the representations used in the governance of slums through two case studies: the upgrading policies of Rio de Janeiro's favelas , Brazil, and the governing of Stellenbosch's informal settlements, South Africa. Slum policies are influenced by the use of technologies, defined in this paper both as accounting techniques that stabilise the representations of informality and as technological artefacts used as means of intervention. Results show that the representations of slums used in the policies analysed contribute to the reproduction of informality by (i) representing slums as places of uncertainty and uncontrollability, (ii) affirming the need of experts and technical knowledge to correct the material, legal and knowledge deficits through which slums are represented, and (iii) focusing on the individual and household level and disregarding the relational character of poverty. These representations are influenced by sociotechnical imaginaries of sustainable and smart cities, through which the social orders that produce informality and social exclusion remain unquestioned. • Representations play an important role in the definition of informality as an object of governance. • Slums are represented through uncertainty, uncontrollability and deficit representations. • Representations are embedded in broad socio-technical imaginaries of sustainable and smart cities. • Critical scholarship on slum policy needs to be critical about its own use of representations of slums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly guided by the use of ICT, the flow of humans and materials, smart cities and autonomous mobility amalgamate into a game changer in urban planning. This paper critically explores the role of autonomous (driverless) vehicles in plans for urban futures. By looking into the urban plans of 10 European capitals, we investigate the anticipated promises and hazards of autonomous vehicles. Theoretically, the paper draws upon critical urban mobilities studies that invite interlinking carbon reduction, smart cities and mobility planning. By examining these plans, the paper critically evaluates current urban planning for autonomous vehicles by asking whether one can identify any links to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of sustainable cities and communities. A practice-based view on automation is then suggested as a pathway to promote a thorough sustainable mobility transition. It is concluded that none of the plans of the 10 capitals studied require AVs to integrate with public means of transport or to be fuelled by renewable energy sources. Hence, AVs are likely to individualise and intensify the existing automobility regime further and emissions are likely to increase, according to the comparative urban analysis. We therefore conclude that urban policy-making needs to contest the existing techno-centric conception of autonomous vehicles if these are to support the sustainable development goals of cities. • Urban governance of AV mainly displays recrafting policy framings, though sequencing is also identified. • Comparative document analysis of AV governance across cities using new mobility planning as methodological framework. • Urban governance of AV integrated with MaaS and public transportation best accommodate SDG 11 on cities. • Urban governance of AV should favour soft mobility over cars whether automated or not according to planning documents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Comprehensive theory of Smart Cities continues to elude scholars. This seems to result from ontological uncertainty surrounding the Smart City and who it serves. Such uncertainty has led to the techno-centric versus human-centric debate currently dominating the Smart City discussion. This paper adopts a systems approach to stratify society into three strata: the individual (micro), organizational (meso), and system (macro). I implement a systematic review of the Smart City literature to examine how Smart Cities are conceptualized. From an analysis of 41 papers, this research identifies a dualistic phenomenon occurring at all points in the stratified city system: sources of innovation (SOI) and Loci of change (LOC). Here, SOI refers to the perceptions of deficiencies which initiate the learning curve of innovation, while LOC refers to the structures which allow the learning curve to disseminate through the system. This analysis highlights an overemphasis on the organizational stratum and insufficient attention to the individual and system strata. To address this shortfall, I introduce the Social Innovation Cycle. This multi-level social innovation framework incorporates the interdependencies of SOI and LOC to link all strata, mitigate power asymmetries, and reduce marginalization. In so doing, I delineate where policy implementation can be directed for holistically developing the Smart City. I recommend that Smart City policy should target the intersection of SOI and LOC in pursuit of human-centricity. • A Social Innovation perspective fosters human centricity. • Methods to achieve a smart city reflect the dominant institutional framework. • Holistic smart cities require innovation sourced from each stratum of society. • Sources of innovation and loci of change manifest within and between strata. • Policies should echo placed-based realities of citizens rather than urban elites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

District 2-2 (or Saerom-dong), located in Sejong smart city, is designated as a 'Specially Designed Zone for Women'. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the gendered dimensions of this smart city district through gender analysis. This paper analyzes the planning, implementation, and post-occupancy stages of the district through a review of guidelines of gender-mainstreaming policies of Korean cities, interviews of experts involved, and a survey of 100 residents to gain an insight into how users perceive the spatial aspects of the women-friendly walking environment. Results show that, at the planning stage, little interprofessional communication occurs between smart city experts and 'women-friendly city' experts. At the implementation stage, this leads to incomplete gender-mainstreaming of the district. Post-occupancy survey results reveal, however, that despite these shortcomings, both women and men perceive the 'Specially Designed Zone for Women' to be safe. Even so, there is a gender difference in the perception regarding smart installations. CCTVs are more important to men than women, while on-site emergency bells are more significant to women than men. This indicates that women need more active safety systems than passive surveillance systems. This paper argues that a gendered perspective is needed for the more inclusive planning of smart cities. • The gendered dimensions of Sejong's smart city district are investigated in three stages. • There is little interprofessional communication at the planning stages. • This led to incomplete gender-mainstreaming of the district at the implementation stage. • Post-occupancy survey results reveal that both women and men perceive the 'Specially Designed Zone for Women' to be safe. • A gendered perspective is needed as women need more active safety systems than passive surveillance systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kochi is a versatile city. An emerging bustling cosmopolitan and commercial capital of Kerala, it also has a deep history, variety of ethnic communities and an old-world charm. Kochi has a style statement that distinguishes it from the rest of the state, in terms of lifestyle, dressing, diversity, market and opportunities. A travelogue describes Kochi as 'magical without any trace of trickery'. It is among the 100 Indian cities selected to be transformed into a smart city. The population of the city region is expected to reach 2.27 million by 2031. This drastic increase calls for an urgent examination of several key aspects of the city infrastructure in order to ensure that Kochi is able to live up to the standard of a smart city. It is important to ensure the quality of urban development by studying the city's location at the junction of several ecosystems. Further, this paper looks beyond the smart city vision to making Kochi a creative city as well. Kochi has a unique mixture of ethnicity, culture, architecture and cuisine owing to the influence of traders from around the world as well as various parts of India. Thus, Kochi possesses the potential to push creative, knowledge-based economic activities. Strategies should be developed to encourage education and employment generation such that a creative class of people and occupations can flourish in the city. • The paper studies Kochi's urban growth and the challenges it poses to Kochi's smart city goal. • Integrates the creative city concept as a key factor of a smart city and studies Kochi's potential to be a creative city. • Proposals to address the obstacles for Kochi to be a smart city and measures to boost its creative capacity are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the case study of the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) to uncover the motivations and potential challenges associated with technocratic regionalism, by which we mean technology-driven forms of regional integration and consolidation. In the case of the ASCN, technocratic regionalism is used to spur urban development through the rollout of smart city plans, policies and projects across Southeast Asia. As such, it is a regional strategy designed to scale smartness, and thus deprovincialise the city by embedding it within transnational flows of capital, ideas and expertise. At the same time, however, already existing urban issues have the potential to re-provincialise the city. The vagaries of local contexts, structures of governance and urban cultures complicate processes of scalar ascendency and thus foreground the paradox of (de)provincialisation. We identify three challenges – divergent infrastructural developments, vertical and horizontal (non-)integration, and the need to reconcile (in)formal spaces of the "smart" city – that underpin the translational politics of technocratic regionalism, and which are likely to compromise the efficacy and success of the ASCN. • This paper explores the motivations and potential challenges associated with technocratic regionalism. • Technocratic regionalism refers to technology-driven forms of regional integration and consolidation. • The vagaries of local contexts, structures of governance and urban cultures complicate processes of scalar ascendancy, and foreground the paradox of (de)provincialisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on whether the construction of smart cities can expand green space. Based on smart cities policy in China, a quasi-natural experiment is conducted by using the Heterogeneity - Robust estimator in differences-in-differences model. According to detailed theoretical analysis and rigorous empirical research, and main conclusions are as follows. First, the construction of smart cities can directly expand the green space due to the land resource allocation. The above basic conclusion remains reliable after a series of robustness tests. Second, the effect of construction of smart cities on the green space is heterogenous. The construction of smart city in the three batches has a positive impact on expending green space and the strongest positive effect on green space is seen in the smart cities established in 2012. The high-level economic scale and high-level science and technology are vital premises for smart cities to expand green space. Third, the construction of smart cities can indirectly expand the green space by promoting online work and services and increasing disposable income. Last, the "Broadband China" Strategy has a positively moderate effect on the construction of smart cities in expanding green space. • Construction of smart cities can expand the green space. • Effect of construction of smart cities on the green space is heterogenous. • Online work and services and disposable income are influence mechanisms. • "Broadband China" Strategy has a positively moderate effect on the effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a macroeconomics approach to assist decision-makers and stakeholders when considering the transition of a city towards the circular economy paradigm. We reflect on approaches that leverage smart city maturity models to capture the evolution and trajectory of a city in its quest for smartness. By adopting the cross-methodology borrowed from the macroeconomics domain, we illustrate how a maturity model can be actionable in the sense that it can reveal the equilibria of supply and demand of a given smart city dimension or parameter. To evaluate this methodology, we study a well-known use case in cybersecurity, specifically incident response, against crowdsourcing, a key enabler of a data-driven circular economy. Our findings confirm that when crowdsourcing is injected into smart city infrastructure, the city's maturity is expected to increase as the additional capabilities can contribute to addressing cybersecurity incidents. • A data driven circular economy aware maturity model for a smart city ecosystem. • A decision support tool for assessing the appropriateness of technological alternatives for a smart city development. • A macroeconomics-based approach for crowdsourcing cybersecurity incident handling in a smart city ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, the development of a new set of technologies, devices and applications has supported the emergence of a new infocommunicational landscape in cities—one of the key fuels to the growth of smart cities movement. Digital media platforms, ubiquitous technologies and geographic annotation technologies have blurred the boundaries of virtual and physical environments—with an access through digital devices and specifically mobile devices. The paper aims to investigate the emerging location-based and mapping technologies to develop a clearer understanding on their applicability in the urban context by identifying and categorizing the key drivers based on desired outcomes. In order to achieve this aim, the study undertakes a systematic literature review on the planned and applied use of location-based technologies for mapping urban environments. In doing so, the paper outlines the spatial distribution of these advanced technologies across globe, and presents a synthesis of the emerging themes and categories, and potential avenues for future research. The study findings reveal three types of mapping approaches—i.e., reason-oriented, sense-oriented and community-oriented—that are linked to two modes of use—i.e., desktop and in-situ. • Location-based and mapping technologies form the backbone of smart cities technologies. • Their applicability can be grouped in three categories: reason-oriented use, sense-oriented use, and community-oriented use. • These technologies can be further categorized as in-situ and desktop modes of use. • There is a strong global acknowledgement for the employment of these technologies for civic participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how urban planners can use a hybrid organization to manage smart city initiatives. We use an inductive qualitative case study approach based on connecting emergent concepts through Gioia's method to answer the following research question: " How can hybrid organizations manage a complex network of actors in smart city initiatives ?". The study highlights that in managing smart city initiatives, hybrid organizations benefit from actor-network theory. Additionally, for a more in-depth view, the study investigates the framework provided by Chourabi to test the hybridity theory. Overall, the results suggest that hybridity is feasible and increases the output directed towards citizens. The paper contributes to the existing literature on both hybrid organizations and smart cities. We conclude that despite the conventional distinction between public and private entities, managing smart city initiatives that include complex factors such as new technologies may require the adoption of hybrid management solutions by urban planners, especially when multidisciplinary and complex skills are required. Thus, smart city solutions are most effective when combined with hybrid management models. This research has utility for urban planners, policymakers, and researchers. It aims to support practical management solutions (analysed through a theoretical lens) to foster smart city initiatives. • Hybridity is compatible and requested to increase the value of the output produced towards citizens. • Hybrid organization could benefit from the Actor-Network theory vision in the management of smart cities. • Public entities could benefit from hybrid solutions for the management of smart city initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of technology on tourist cities and destinations has led to the emergence of renewed management approaches that seek to adapt the planning processes to new challenges and opportunities derived from the smart scenario. The smart city and smart tourist destination approaches are aimed at improving efficiency in management, the quality of life of the residents and the tourist experiences. However, little is known about how these ideas are being translated into real policies and whether they are having a real impact. The objective of this paper is to understand how the smart approach is being deployed in the planning processes of Spanish tourist cities and destinations, and its implications in terms of the governance, sustainability and data-driven public management. The planning instruments that guide the smart strategies of different Spanish cities are identified and analysed. This is complemented with a questionnaire administered among managers of the smart city and smart destination initiatives. The findings reveal the diversity of smart initiatives, their benefits and limitations. The results contribute to generating a necessary debate on the implications of the smart discourse for urban and tourism planning and enrich the international debate around this approach. • Contrasts the theoretical and international smart discourse with practical application in Spanish cities • Critically analyses smart city and smart destination plans, identifying categories • Surveys smart city and destination managers to unveil their perception of impacts • Contributes to overcome the insufficient consideration of tourism within the analysis and development of smart cities • Identifies implications for global urban and tourism planning of the uneven development of the smart approach [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart cities are expected to address global challenges and increase the quality of life. However, due to the overemphasis on physical and technological aspects, social rights and democratic values have often been neglected in smart city projects. In this paper, we introduce the concept of 'societal smart city' and discuss how and why it should be prioritized in the post-pandemic era. We argue that a societal smart city is a city that integrates social rights and democratic values with technological innovations. Six major dimensions of a societal smart city are: social sustainability, citizen-centeredness, e-democracy, social justice, participatory governance, and cultural resilience. We encourage urban planners and policymakers to pay attention to these dimensions and caution against physical and technological determinism. • This study aims to introduce the concept of the societal smart city. • Social rights and democratic values have often been neglected in smart cities. • A societal smart city is a city that integrates social rights and democratic values with technological innovations. • We argue that societal smart city should be prioritized in the post-pandemic era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology has been intensively engaged in managing the smartification and digitalization of cities in recent years as an effective tool for acquiring information about vehicle movements. As a traffic sensing technology, it has been popular across multiple scientific fields such as urban science, computer vision, and transportation management. However, we still lack a comprehensive review of this smart sensing technology, especially covering the current state and perspectives of how the technology can be leveraged in different aspects of urban management and what policy and social implications can be drawn from its application cases. In this paper, a systematic review of ANPR is delivered to discuss three aspects: the first aspect covers the technical advancements of ANPR technology; the second aspect focuses on analyzing the influential factors of its sensing performance in various contexts; the third aspect surveys the application cases of this technology and its practical implications from a user's perspective. Policy comparisons, emerging themes, and major underdeveloped areas are subsequently discussed and identified. Finally, four future ANPR research propositions in the smart city context are suggested with discussions of both theoretical and practical implications for scholars and practitioners. • A systematic literature review covering two decades of studies on ANPR technology • Technological advancements, applications, and social implications in smart cities • Emerging research themes and knowledge gaps are identified and discussed. • Four propositions are presented for future research and development of ANPR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future smart cities are the key to fulfilling the ever-growing demands of citizens. Information and communication advancements will empower better administration of accessible resources. The eventual fate of the world's betterment lies in its urban environment advancement. The fast influx of individuals creates possibility, yet it additionally causes challenges. Creating sustainable, reasonable space in the world's steadily extending cities is tested confronting governments worldwide. The model of the smart cities rise, where the rights and well-being of the smart city citizens are assured, the industry is in action, and the assessment of urban planning from an environmental point of view. This paper presents a survey on analyzing future technologies and requirements for future smart cities. We provide extensive research to identify and inspect the latest technology advancements, the foundation of the upcoming robust era. Such technologies include deep learning (DL), machine learning (ML), internet of things (IoT), mobile computing, big data, blockchain, sixth-generation (6G) networks, WiFi-7, industry 5.0, robotic systems, heating ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), digital forensic, industrial control systems, connected and automated vehicles (CAVs), electric vehicles, product recycling, flying Cars, pantry backup, calamity backup and vital integration of cybersecurity to keep the user concerns secured. We provide a detailed review of the existing future smart cities application frameworks. Furthermore, we discuss various technological challenges of future smart cities. Finally, we identify the future dimensions of smart cities to develop smart cities with the precedence of smart living. • Analyze future smart cities' characteristics based on state-of-the-art technologies. • Identifies and inspects the latest advancements in technology. • Analyze the most feasible frameworks and their proficiency for FSC. • Provide technology challenges identified in the literature. • Provide future directions are identified to develop smart cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite an exponential increase in Internet use, only minimal consideration of digital technologies in sustainability and urban planning tends to occur within institutions. Further, discourses and practices relating to sustainability, digital technologies and urban planning rarely include consideration of the environmental impacts of digital technology use and data production and storage. This paper examines how an urban university in Australia, the University of Sydney, is attempting to address sustainability issues and to what extent digital technologies are included within that setting. Drawing on interviews with the leads on a sustainability project at the university, a survey of students, scholars and affiliates, and, observations of the institution, this research offers a case study of how digital technologies sit within a current sustainability planning process. Key themes that emerge from this research include lack of visibility of digital technologies as a part of the infrastructure that universities need, as well as assumptions that digital technologies are included in sustainability strategies by default. Urban planners and university managers may respond to these findings by addressing partial sustainability strategies and poor management of escalating digital technological usage. • A case study of how students and staff think and feel about digital technologies and their environmental costs and benefits. • The gap between intentions and practices of sustainability in everyday digital lives was stark in this urban university. • Digital sustainability is not a core concern in much sustainability planning, including for University of Sydney. • Geographies of responsibility and responsibilisation are fraught when evaluating sustainability planning for the digital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities around the world are increasingly competing to upgrade their infrastructure and smartness levels to attract talent, become more effective and sustainable. However, assessing the progress of smart cities is often challenging due to the lack of theoretical foundation and consensus on an assessment methodology. These contradictions can pose major constraints on the development of the smart city concept and its implementation in practice. This paper analyzes a set of 164 articles published between 2010 and 2020 that deal with smart city assessment. The present study aims to identify the most influential research and key research themes, and suggests future research directions in the field of smart city assessment. A bibliometric analysis is used to reveal the most influential articles and their associations. Furthermore, a content analysis is performed to explore recent developments in the field of smart city assessment in terms of research hotspots and research themes. The analysis reveals the existence of 11 research themes and their timelines. The most influential research addresses (1) multiple-criteria decision-based performance measurement frameworks, (2) data connectivity challenges, (3) composite indexes for smart sustainable cities, (4) holistic performance evaluations of smart cities, and (5) the characteristics of indicator sets. Based on these results, current advances in smart city assessment are discussed, and future research directions in this field are suggested. • We identify 164 articles published between 2010 and 2020 on smart city assessment. • Bibliometric analysis used to reveal influential articles and their associations. • Content analysis used to examine research evolution and predict trends. • Eleven research themes and their timelines discussed. • Future research directions in this field suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data-driven urbanism is often entangled with the smart city and practiced in a way that prioritizes control over physical objects and downplays the human and political aspects of data. We label this approach 'hard city sensing' (HCS) and we argue that the rise of the 'digital city' offers the empirical foundation for more humanistic approaches. Driven by the ambition to untangle data-driven urbanism from HCS, this paper reviews two decades of scholarship that has used digital traces as an empirical ground for understanding urban phenomena. The review identifies four distinct ways of working with digital traces of which three pave the way for new ways of problematizing the city. Instead of abandoning the idea of data-driven urbanism, we propose the framework of 'soft city sensing' (SCS) as way to re-engage with it with inspiration from these pioneering works. However, this requires a willingness to revisit central epistemological commitments that currently serve as standards for how to "properly" do data projects. We therefore urge qualitative urban scholars to ponder the possibilities of furthering their urban interest by 'thinking with algorithms' while retaining their interpretative ambitions just as we identify a need for urban decion-makers to expand their criteria for what serves as valid data inputs to urban planning. • Data practices in the smart city prioritize control over physical objects and downplay human and political aspects of data. • Inspiration from computational humanities can motivate a form of 'Soft City Sensing' that emphasize the qualitative and explorative potential in urban digital traces. • Since 2000 we detect four approaches to work with digital traces in an urban context. Soft City Sensing is one of them. • Soft City Sensing have the potential to re-problematize the city and invite new experts into data-driven urbanism. • Soft City Sensing requires us to revisit assumptions concerning bias, the empirical ground and the ontology of maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Street vending is an important part of the urban informal economy, especially in developing countries. How to control its negative externalities while augmenting its positive roles in the urban socio-economic system poses challenges to urban planning and governance. Existing studies have insufficiently addressed the issue largely due to the lack of high-frequent observation data for street vending events. By introducing socially sensed big data from the smart urban governance platform, as well as records from the "12345" urban problem complaint hotline of Jiangbei District, Ningbo, China, this paper examines and compares the spatiotemporal patterns and occurrence mechanisms of street vending events from both the urban managers' "top-down" and the urban residents' "bottom-up" points of view. Statistical and machine learning models show that the distribution of street vending activities as sensed by the two subjects does not overlap. The former concentrates in central urban areas and work times, while the latter is scattered distributed in everyday life-related places and times. The findings reaffirm the existence of perception bias in social sensing data and show the potential for utilizing such bias to nudge better urban governance practices. Theoretically and empirically, this research has contributed to promoting the people-oriented transformation of urban governance. • Social sensing data are introduced as new sources for street vending observation. • Street vending sensed by authorities and residents do not overlap spatiotemporally. • Different mechanisms of sensing street vending by different subjects are revealed. • Existence and forms of self-sorting bias in social sensing big data are verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban development that is both smart and sustainable is intrinsically linked to digital innovation in city management, as well as to the transition toward digital urban governance and the practice of digital citizenship. Cities on a global scale continuously launch new digital services and smart solutions in order to become places that are more resilient, efficient, and attractive. While digitally-driven urban development has become a new paradigm for cities, the digital divide is emerging as a serious concern when it comes to the goal of making cities accessible and inclusive for everyone, especially the most vulnerable. Issues such as digital inclusion and access to key urban services, information, and experiences by people with disabilities (PwD) are critical areas in which cities face important challenges related to ethical and responsible governance. The aim of this paper is to provide conceptual and empirical insights into the culture of digital accessibility of PwD on an urban scale. It argues that leadership in digital accessibility can inspire transformative change, allowing cities to be envisioned from the standpoint of digital inclusion and equity, thereby fostering a barrier-free, digital urban logic. • Smart cities need to address critical concerns about the increasing digital divide. • People with disabilities face significant barriers to access digital city. • Digital inclusion and equity are key premises of a barrier-free digital urban logic. • Digital accessibility leadership makes cities accessible and inclusive places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 global pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to nations and cities worldwide. Governments have adopted Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to rapidly control the spread of a novel coronavirus. As an innovative but controversial ICT-based tool, health QR code plays a vital role by assisting rapid contact tracing. Yet, whether and how citizens accept this policy tool remains an unknown theoretical and empirical question. In this paper, we study the sources that determine citizens' acceptance of health QR code in city governance. Based on a nation-wide online survey covering 28 major provincial-capital cities in China, we find that individual experiences and political identities affect citizens' acceptance of QR code. Even though public opinion regarding this issue is diverse, the government's responses to citizens' requests play a critical role in enhancing their acceptance of using QR code both in the current and future stages. Specifically, as the citizens perceive a higher level of city government responsiveness, they are less worried about privacy leaks and more likely to perceive the effectiveness of health QR code in improving public health, thus resulting in a higher acceptance. The results offer broad policy implications for smart cities and urban governance. • We analyze how city government responsiveness helps improve citizens' acceptance of an ICT-based tool for urban governance. • Government responses signal the benefit of the QR code and demonstrate the government's commitment to protecting privacy. • Our findings suggest a practical measure to cultivate citizens' engagement in the governance of smart cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transformation into a prosperous smart city has become an aspiration for many local governments across the globe. Despite its growing importance, smart city transformation readiness is still an understudied area of research. In order to bridge this knowledge gap, this paper identifies the key factors affecting smart city transformation readiness in the context of Australian cities. The empirical investigation conducted in this study places Australian local government areas (n = 180) under the smart city microscope to quantitatively evaluate, through a multiple regression analysis, the key factors affecting their urban smartness levels—a proxy used for smart city transformation readiness. The findings disclose that the following factors determine about two-thirds (65%) of the smart city transformation readiness: (a) Close distance to domestic airport; (b) Low remoteness value; (c) High population density; (d) Low unemployment level, and; (e) High labour productivity. The study findings and generated insights inform urban policymakers, managers and planners on their policy, planning and practice decisions concerning smart cities. • Investigates the key factors affecting smart city transformation readiness with evidence from local government areas. • Places 180 Australian local government areas under the smart city transformation readiness microscope. • Identifies the key urban smartness factors as proximity, remoteness, density, employment, and productivity. • Generates insights to inform urban policymakers, managers and planners on their decisions concerning smart cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and deployment of autonomous vehicles is inseparable from the questions about the future development of cities. Urban governance is vital in ensuring the viability, effectiveness and safety of the next generation urban mobility services, and various roles taken on by cities are pivotal for the creation and maintenance of markets for autonomous vehicles. In this paper, we examine how urban governance approaches for autonomous vehicles development and deployment in the United States are evolving within multi-scalar regulatory contexts. We conceptualize the various types of engagements by cities through four different roles: city as regulator, mediator, data catalyst, and promoter. These categories are not mutually exclusive, but complementary, and are intended to support the development of appropriate models as cities continue to evaluate options for their urban mobility futures. We present two illustrative examples, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Boston, Massachusetts, to analyze how cities vary in their approaches to the new urban mobility sector. These are two of the leading municipalities in the United States on autonomous vehicle testing and deployment, and their experiences are helpful to elucidating the variety of regulatory contexts, approaches to governance, and potential outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The city shrinkage characterized by population loss has provided new challenges to the traditional 'growth' focused on by urban planners and policy makers. Since China has undergone a stage of scale expansion and overall growth, the country's city shrinkage crisis has not attracted sufficient academic attention. The paper studies the spatiotemporal differentiation and influencing factors of China's shrinking cities by constructing a decision model of the shrinking city. The results show that although growth is still the main theme of city development in China. Shrinkage or potential shrinkage has gradually also emerged as prominent, and showing certain spatial agglomeration distribution characteristics. Socioeconomic development, urban environment, urban space scale and population development were also found jointly to affect city shrinkage. These research conclusions provide a reference point for the government and planners to formulate evidence based urban development policies and guide shrinking cities down the path of smart shrinkage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examples of sharing economy platforms are proliferating, generating new concerns on the exploitation of local resources, ethical and intellectual properties. Necessary changes are required to the regulatory frameworks of our cities. This paper proposes an application of blockchain technology for planning governance purposes. This new cutting-edge technology, currently under-exploited in applications for smart cities planning, may represent a fundamental building block for the digitalization of the sector. We propose blockchain-based management systems (BMSs) as new governance tools to improve traceability, transparency, and decentralization of transactions in the sharing economy. We build a BMS prototype for the management of co-working spaces (CWSs). In particular, we show how a blockchain can be used to track transactions between users (e.g., rent payments), and to advertise or store information about a given space (e.g., building specifications, IP conceived within the space). A large amount of data will be permanently and securely stored on ledger and made available to both institutions and corporations, providing a wide range of new governance tools and services to local authorities of the future. Similar BMSs can be developed for different types of buildings or public services purposes. • Smart contracts are an innovative governance tool for the sharing economy. • Blockchain systems offer new data capabilities for smart cities and the public sector. • Blockchain facilitates the regulation of short-term lettings and co-workings. • Smart contracts widen transparency and possibilities for stakeholder engagement. • Blockchain contracts open new avenues for tax collection and planning governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]