Identifying patterns in smart initiatives’ planning in smart cities. An empirical analysis in Spanish smart cities

Abstract

The smart city (SCs) movement has emerged to face urban challenges. Nonetheless, the complexity and dynamic nature of cities makes them context-dependent in their strategic planning processes concerning smart initiatives, which can lead to different solutions and outcomes of cities’ development. With the growing number of smart initiatives implemented in SCs, it becomes important both to consider how such initiatives are planned and organised, and to address the complexity and context-dependent dynamic in which such initiatives are implemented. Therefore, this study is a comprehensive analysis of number of initiatives in 12 Spanish SCs (1635 smart initiatives) to identify the relations between key characteristics of the cities (cities and citizens’ profiles) and the planning of SC strategies. Findings suggest that formal strategic planning is mainly performed in SCs with higher qualification of inhabitants, mature-aged population, and top-down strategic planning approach.