Digital Public Services in Smart Cities – an Empirical Analysis of Lead User Preferences

Abstract

Smart cities (SC) attract constant criticism due their technocratic conceptualization. To solve this issue, scholars call for a citizen-centric approach aligning the SC agenda to the citizens’ needs and preferences. However, examining SC user preferences is still in its infancy and only few studies provide empirical insights. By surveying 105 lead users, this article is able to predict the preferred type of SC services, the preferred channels for accessing smart services and the factors fostering SC service usage. In doing so, the study states a preliminary assessment of SC user preferences setting the scientific groundwork for citizen-centric SC concepts.

Smart city services: an empirical analysis of citizen preferences

“…Based on previous knowledge from SC research in general and the conceptual template of the SC service provision framework by Wirtz et al (2021) in particular, a total of 173 digital services out of the SC context were submitted for evaluation within the citizen web-survey. These in turn can be classified into 14 respective SC service domains and four superordinate administrative units.…”

“…For example, a commonly used approach to investigate citizens' preferences regarding public smart service offerings and their behavioral intention to use specific SC services is to study behavioral patterns and attitudes of small samples, such as Wirtz et al (2021) conducted through a lead user survey. Even though empirical research with a small sample size, if appropriately heterogeneous and contrasted, can yield informative findings that can in principle be generalized to the whole, there is also a risk of arriving at biased results (Patton, 2015;von Hippel, 1986).…”

“…The SC Service Provision Framework (Fig. 1) of Wirtz et al (2021) reflects relevant theoretical reference points and components and may serve as a conceptual basis for this research.…”

“…The technological foundation of IoT services and consequently also of SC services can be structured into three central components, namely the data centers, internet and network infrastructures, and the endpoint devices which have to be connected accordingly (Wirtz et al, 2019) Fig. 1 SC Service Provision Framework (Wirtz et al, 2021) receive, process and store relevant data, which is transferred via secure internet and network infrastructures to the corresponding endpoint devices, which serve as service interface and connector, and vice versa (Heaton & Parlikad, 2019;Vanolo, 2016).…”

“…These administrative units are ( 1 Specific SC service domains can be assigned to the four administrative units forming the SC service portfolio. For further research efforts, this has the advantage that investigations can be conducted either generally (i.e., based on the overarching administrative units) or more decisively (i.e., based on the individual SC services or service domains), depending on the research objective (Wirtz et al, 2021). A mix of communication channels and interaction methods can be determined for specific target groups, focusing on the users to be communicated or interacted with in the individual SC project (Anttiroiko et al, 2014).…”