Do people support the smart city program? Measuring public support for the smart city program

Abstract

Within the context of innovative governance, policies aim to deliver an effective and efficient public service. One such innovation program is the ‘smart city’ program. This is where municipalities use technology in order to maximize a city’s public services. Smart city programs can also improve the quality of life of a city’s citizens. These programs also help densely populated cities in developing countries to make the municipality more effective and efficient. Recent studies focussing on the smart city have investigated the infrastructure of the city, developed technology for the city, and evaluated the smart city. Studies examining public support for smart city programs, however, have been limited. Although they have become examples of modern policy, several questions can nevertheless be asked: is there public support for these programs? Do people perceive any benefits of a smart city? Do people really feel that a ‘smart city’ is a priority? Therefore, the proposed study aims to measure public support for the smart city program. Furthermore, studies about implementing a smart city in the developing world are still limited. Scholars have focussed mainly on the smart city in developed countries. Studying the smart city in the developing world may lead to different results from those of developed countries. This study is also expected to bring more insight into the smart city by looking at a developing country. In this study, Bandung, a city in Indonesia, was selected as a case. Despite the benefits that a smart city may bring, there are problems in the developing world. Common problems that arise in developing countries, such as population density, low education, and social-economic problems as well as the political situation, may also be happening in Bandung. Therefore, the study looks at the connection between public support and the smart city by taking these problems into account.