Small smart cities – vision or reality?

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to focus on analysing the prerequisites that small cities need to create smart governance, namely, the conditions for establishing smart government, the stakeholder engagement and the tools used in smart governance. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents research results from a questionnaire survey conducted in 2021 among a representative sample of 51 small cities (5,000–49,999 inhabitants) in the Slovak Republic. From an international perspective, they are seen as small cities and cities with a rural feel. The survey’s main objectives are to assess the conditions that must be met in order for smart governance to be developed, as well as to identify stakeholders and provide tools for their engagement. Findings This study shows that the adoption of smart governance in small cities is not greatly affected by the citýs size. Although larger cities may use more smart governance tools, the overall quality of governance remains consistent across cities of different sizes. Moreover, the proximity to a regional capital does not have a significant impact on the implementation of smart governance. This study underscores the need for small cities to focus on internal capabilities, innovative use of existing resources and stakeholder engagement to effectively implement smart governance. Research limitations/implications This paper develops the knowledge on smart governance in small cities, namely, the specifics of smart governance, the stakeholder engagement and the tools used. The research findings may also serve as an inspiration for study conducted elsewhere because the institutional and social environments are comparable in Central and Eastern European nations. Practical implications This study suggests that small cities should prioritise the innovative use of their current resources to implement smart governance. This may involve using strong community networks, focusing on internal capabilities and using low-cost tools. Social implications This paper identifies barriers and formulates recommendations for further development of smart governance in small cities. The research results indicate that even small cities can adopt smart governance practices, despite having fewer resources compared to larger cities. To facilitate this process, political commitment, strategic management support, active community participation and the steady development of the professional, financial and technical infrastructure required to generate smart solutions are all important. Small cities should put more effort into implementing co-creation and co-production techniques to be more creative and effective in allocating resources and responsibilities. Originality/value This paper presents the results of a pilot study and critically compares and discusses them with theoretical assumptions related to the implementation and development of smart governance in small cities.