Affiliations: [a] University at Albany, State University of New York, USA | [b] Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas, Mexico | [c] Myongji University, Korea
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: J. Ramon Gil-Garcia, Center for Technology in Government, University at Albany, State University of New York, 187 Wolf Road, Suite 301, Albany, NY 12205, USA. Tel.: +1 518 442 3892; E-mail:jgil-garcia@ctg.albany.edu
Abstract: This study represents two critical steps forward in the area of smart city
research and practice. The first is in the form of the development of a
comprehensive conceptualization of smart city as a resource for
researchers and government practitioners; the second is in
the form of the creation of a bridge between smart cities research and
practice expertise. City governments increasingly need innovative
arrangements to solve a variety of technical, physical, and social problems.
``Smart city'' could be used to represent efforts that in many ways describe
a vision of a city, but there is little clarity about this new concept. This
paper proposes a comprehensive conceptualization of smart city, including
its main components and several specific elements. Academic literature is
used to create a robust framework, while a review of practical tools is used
to identify specific elements or aspects not treated in the academic
studies, but essential to create an integrative and comprehensive
conceptualization of smart city. The paper also provides policy implications
and suggests areas for future research in this topic.
Keywords: Smart city, smart government, digital city, e-government, urban innovation, city innovation, bridging theory and practice, digital government
