Bureaucracy Meets Digital Reality: The unfolding of urban platforms in European municipal governments

Abstract

The rise of digital technologies provides an opportunity to study smart cities as new organizational forms. We ask whether and how digital platforms and ecosystems affect the bureaucratic governance of municipal governments. To this end, we offer a multiple case analysis based on rich empirical, longitudinal data of seven European smart cities. We find that the contradicting logic of platform governance creates organisational tensions within the bureaucratic municipal government and at the interface between the municipal government and its external partners. We distil a process that describes how these tensions are resolved through a temporary shift to a non-bureaucratic work mode, and the subsequent formalisation and institutionalisation of those practices as new bureaucratic rules. We make three contributions. First, we contribute to the smart-city literature by outlining an overarching process of how data-driven technologies affect bureaucratic municipal governments. Second, we contribute to the ongoing conversation about the changing nature of Weberian bureaucracy showing how bureaucracy preserves its core while simultaneously adapting to and shaping its environment. Third, we highlight the role of lower-echelon bureaucrats as change agents who devise rules at the intersection of technological and societal development.

Developing Capabilities in Smart City Ecosystems: A multi-level approach

“…. later significantly shaped by cross-functional teams’ were observed in seven European cities (Lekkas & Souitaris, 2023, p. 1653). Likewise, in a case study of Russian cities, the organisation progressed from a formal core, through a ‘shadow culture’ stage, and to a final stage characterised by standardisation (Khodachek, Aleksandrov, Nazarova, Grossi, & Bourmistrov, 2023, p. 1640).…”

“…However, global capabilities may reach limits as city authorities seek to scale up by coordinating the wider involvement of people and resources towards common goals while loosening central control (Kornberger et al, 2017;Lekkas & Souitaris, 2022;Ooms et al, 2020;Visnjic et al, 2016).…”

“…This relies on global capabilities, where the city authority (lower level) mobilises its capabilities to support the overall ecosystem (higher level). However, global capabilities may reach limits as city authorities seek to scale up by coordinating the wider involvement of people and resources towards common goals while loosening central control (Kornberger et al, 2017; Lekkas & Souitaris, 2023; Ooms et al, 2020; Visnjic et al, 2016).…”

Smart City Development in the New Capital City: Indonesian Government Plans

“…The idea of developing a smart city that is synonymous with the use of digital technology encourages government bureaucratic governance to study digital platforms and ecosystems. It encourages new bureaucratic rules and government adjustments (Lekkas & Souitaris, 2022). This study assesses that even though the government's priority plan has been implemented as well as possible, the potential for future realisation is a challenge in itself.…”

Organizing for Smart City Development: Research at the crossroads. Introduction to the Special Issue

“…Khodachek, Aleksandrov, Nazarova, Grossi, and Bourmistrov (2023, this issue), together with Lekkas and Souitaris (2023, this issue), examine the role of bureaucracy in the context of smart city project organizing. This research contributes to the debate on the changing nature of bureaucracy by acknowledging its ability to adapt, shape and coexist with the smart city concept.…”